How to Get an Employment Visa in Germany
Thinking of moving to Germany? That means that you need to find the right visa for your situation, which can be tricky.
Unless you’re extremely lucky, you’re going to need to work to support yourself, but work-based visas have so many different rules and eligibility criteria around them that it gets confusing quickly.
So, with that in mind, here’s my guide to the employment visas for Germany. Let’s dive in and find out more!
Who needs a German Employment Visa?
Essentially, any non-German national who wants to work in Germany will need to have an employment visa of some kind, unless you have a spousal visa, ancestry visa, or other relationship-based visa.
Although the EU has a freedom of movement agreement, there are still steps that people from EU member states need to take to legally work and live in Germany.
If you end up in Germany without a visa, i.e. in the country on a Schengen allowance, you can apply in-country for a work visa from one of the following countries:
- EEA
- EU member states
- United States of America
- Australia
- Canada
- Israel
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Switzerland
- Korea
This can then be processed in Germany and given to you, and after you’ve had your residency permit approved, you can work in Germany. If you want to work straight away, you need to apply for a work visa from your local embassy.
What kind of German Employment Visas are there?
The German Employment Visas or D-Visas as they’re sometimes called have a couple of different categories that are more specific to the type of job that you’re doing.

Currently, the German Employment Visa lasts up to two years and allows non-German citizens the opportunity to live and work in the country, provided that they hit certain criteria that I’ll go into more detail further down in this article.
The different kinds of working visas are as follows:
- Employed – if you already have a job offer in Germany.
- Self-Employed – if you want to start your own business, or you want to work for yourself as a consultant, contractor, or freelancer.
- Freelancer Visa – specific to artists and creatives with cultural projects in Germany.
- Jobseeker – if you need to look for a job when you’re in Germany.
- Au Pair visa – this is only for young adults who want to learn more about German culture and improve their language skills.
- Working Holiday Visa – a few countries have a working holiday agreement with Germany so that young people can work as they travel.
At the moment, Germany doesn’t currently have a digital nomad visa, with the self-employed or freelancer visa being the closest ones. However, they do lack the flexibility that comes with a digital nomad visa and require more paperwork, so be aware of that before applying.
Who is eligible for a German Work Visa?
It doesn’t matter where you’re from, as long as you meet the criteria, you can apply for a German work visa.
Normally, you have to be in a highly-skilled job role, like a researcher, scientist, teacher, or someone with specific technical knowledge that can add value to the German economy or cultural space.

The other option is that you work for an international company that has a base in Germany that you’re transferring to. As Germany is a huge financial hub, there are so many international businesses all around the country.
Also, if you have a university degree or equivalent qualification, you can apply for a German work visa. There are a couple of conditions.
You need to have a solid job offer already secured and there has to be a shortage of skilled workers in the field that you’re going to be working in. This list is updated on the German governmental website and you can check back at any time.
How can I apply for a German Employment Visa?
So, let’s dive into the practical elements of applying for a German work visa. It’s pretty straightforward, and it all starts with having a job offer already in hand.
If you don’t currently have a job offer or are unlikely to find one before you need to extend your tourist visa (or your Schengen allowance runs out), you might need to check out the jobseeker’s visa.
Here is the step-by-step process that you’re going to need to follow to get your German work visa and legally be able to live, work, and stay in Germany legally.
- Get a job offer in Germany.
- Check if you need a visa
- Find out where to submit your visa
- Collect all the documentation that you’re going to need
- Make an appointment for your visa interview
- Pay your German employment visa fee
- Go to the interview
- Wait for a yes or a no!
What do I need to apply for a German Employment Visa?
Having the correct documentation is critical when applying for any visa in any country. If you forget one small thing or submit the wrong piece of paper, you might be rejected and have to start all over again, paying out even more money and wasting your own time.

Here’s a checklist of all the paperwork you’re going to need to apply for a German employment visa.
- Your completed application form. You need to submit two copies and they have to be printed off and signed.
- Two passport photos.
- Your valid passport. A lot of the time you need a certain number of months left on your passport to be able to travel and apply.
- Your proof of residence. Depending on what you have, you can use your driver’s license, a utility bill in your name, a bank statement, or anything like that as proof that you live in the country of the consulate or embassy where you’re applying from. It all has to match up!
- Your proof of health insurance. German employers have to offer a compulsory health insurance certificate that’s, valid from the date of employment. If you’re not starting straight away, you need to make sure that you have travel insurance for the period of time between you entering Germany and starting your job.
- Your employment contract or an official job offer in writing, including your gross annual salary and a detailed description of the work.
- Your up-to-date CV or resume, complete with job experience and academic qualifications.
- Any qualification certificates or diplomas.
- A personal cover letter that details the purpose of your stay and how long you’re planning to live in Germany.
- Proof of a clean criminal record.
- Proof that you’ve paid your visa fee. You should get a receipt for the €75 visa fee when you apply.
- Your Declaration of Accuracy of Information. This basically is a short form that says everything you’ve submitted is true and honest.
As you can see, it’s a pretty big list of documents that you need to bring together. Make sure that you allow yourself enough time to find and make copies of all of these pieces of paper – and you’ll need more copies than you think!
This list is just for the German employment visa process. Once you move to Germany and try to get rental leases on a place or open a bank account, or essentially anything, you’re going to need at least half of these documents. Print out multiple copies and bring a binder of evidence with you just in case.
Where do I go for my visa application?
Depending on where you’re applying from there are going to be a few different places where you might need to visit to get your visa application moving. It all depends on which German-run building in your country or area deals with visa applications and immigration.
So with that in mind, you might need to visit either:
- The German embassy in your country of residence or,
- A German consulate or,
- A Visa Application Center or,
- A German embassy or consulate in a neighboring country, if there isn’t a German official building in your country, or,
- A German embassy or consulate in a neighboring country, if your country has outsourced German immigration and visa processes to another place.
Realistically, you need to apply for a German work visa before you leave your official country of residence, as you need to have your job offer and paperwork all lined up.
How long does it take for a German Work Visa to be processed?
The lead time for a German work visa depends on how busy the visa office is, the type of visa you’re going for, and where you’re applying from. On average, a German work visa can take anywhere from a month to three months from when you actually submit your application.
So, that doesn’t take into account how long it takes to find a job in Germany, get all your paperwork together, and organize all your documentation. With that in mind, you’re going to need to start planning your move to Germany around four to six months in advance just in case.
As it takes this long to go through, it’s no wonder that you can’t apply for a work visa while you’re in Germany. Most people can only stay in Germany without a visa for up to 90 days, so it’s highly unlikely that you’d be able to get all your ducks in a row to make this happen.
Getting a Residence Permit
Even though you’ve been approved for a German work permit, it doesn’t mean that you can go to work straight away. It sounds strange, but in classic German bureaucracy style, there’s another permit and step that you have to take first.
Once you arrive in Germany, you will need to find your closest Foreigner’s Office. Depending on which office you go to, you might be able to just walk in and get an interview, or you might have to book an appointment in advance.
You can’t just show up to the interview empty-handed. Of course, you need a huge pile of paperwork and documentation as evidence of who you are and why you’re in Germany.
You’re going to need to bring:
- Your passport
- A Residence Permit application form
- Two passport photos
- Proof of a clean criminal record
- Evidence of your German language proficiency. Normally a certificate of a completed A2 or B1 course.
- Proof of valid health insurance
- A letter or contract proving that you have a job offer
You’ll bring all this paperwork to your interview, answer some standard questions about moving to Germany and your work, and hopefully get your Residence Permit approved. Once you have this in hand, you can officially and legally start working, and be able to have access to different social services.
These residence permits generally last as long as your work permit, so if you extend your working visa you can come back and extend your residence permit as well so it all matches up!
How can I find a job in Germany?
This is a big question and a crucial one to kickstart your German employment visa journey. As you need a written job offer to be able to even start the working visa process, this should be your first port of call.
There are a few things that you need to think about when looking for a job:
- Is it an international company where you can transfer to a German headquarters?
- Are they willing to sponsor your visa?
- Is the position you’re applying for an “in-demand” role in Germany?
The best place to start is on a German job searching website like Workwise.io or LinkedIn with a German location filter. You can also check out The International Placement Service (ZAV) of the German Employment Agency, which has a ton of information about getting a job in Germany no matter where in the world you’re from.
You can search based on the role you’re qualified for and then some sites have filters for visa sponsorship which can help a lot. If the company’s view on visa sponsorship isn’t on the job posting, feel free to contact the hiring manager or recruiter and ask the question. Not everyone says if they’re willing to sponsor work visas, so you have to do the extra work and ask the question!
Another track that you can go down if you don’t want to slog through various job websites is to sign up with a German recruitment agency. There are so many options out there and they can filter out any roles that aren’t willing to sponsor your visa, or jobs that aren’t in the region that you’re looking for, etc. It’s a great option if you don’t know where to start with finding a job overseas!