Looking for Work in Germany

If you want to stay longer than 90 days in Germany to look for work, you can apply for an Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) visa or residence permit. It allows British citizens to spend up to one year seeking employment in Germany, provided they meet certain conditions.

Once your Opportunity Card visa or residence permit has been granted, you’re allowed to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week in Germany, and complete up to two weeks of trial work for each potential employer, as long as the trial is clearly geared towards prospective employment.

You can apply for an Opportunity Card visa before you leave – from the German Consulate General in Edinburgh (if you live in Scotland) or from the German Embassy in London (if you live in any other part of the UK). Alternatively, you can travel to Germany without a visa and apply for a residence permit from the local immigration office within 90 days, but you may only work part-time or complete trial work once your permit has been granted.

To qualify for an Opportunity Card visa or residence permit, you must meet the requirements for one of two pathways.

For the skilled professionals pathway, you must fulfil the following conditions:

• You hold an academic qualification which took no less than two years to complete and is recognised in Germany. You can check this on the German government’s Anabin database of degrees and awarding institutions. If either is not listed, you’ll need to apply for a Statement of Comparability.
• Alternatively, you completed a vocational training course of no less than two years, and your qualification has been recognised by the relevant regional German authorities. This database provides detailed guidance on the recognition of your qualification.

For the points-based pathway, you must fulfil the following conditions:

• You hold an academic qualification which took no less than two years to complete, is fully recognised in the country where it was awarded, and you’ve obtained a Statement of Comparability for your qualification.
• Alternatively, you completed a vocational training course of no less than two years, your qualification is fully recognised in the country where it was awarded, and you have obtained a Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification.
• You have German language skills to at least level A1, or English language skills to level B2. Higher proficiency in either language will increase your point score, and therefore the chance of your application being approved.
• You score a minimum of six points in the points-based system. You can find out more about point scores and how they are calculated here.

After Gaining a Qualification in Germany

After completing an academic degree in Germany, you can apply for your student residence permit to be converted into a residence permit to look for employment. Subject to certain conditions, you can remain in Germany to look for work for up to 18 months. Details are available from the relevant local immigration office in Germany.

After completing a vocational qualification in Germany, you can apply for your vocational training residence permit to be converted into a residence permit to look for employment. Subject to certain conditions, you can remain in Germany to look for work for up to 12 months. Details are available from the relevant local immigration office in Germany.

Disclaimer: the information in this guide has been collated from government, academic, professional and public institution sources available at the time of publication. However, it is subject to change, and errors and omissions are excepted. Please always check directly with the relevant decision-making bodies and/or take professional advice for specific cases.