Residence Permit for Job Seeking
If you are from a country outside the EU or EEA and are looking for qualified employment in Germany, you can apply for a residence permit to look for a job in Germany.
The Hamburg Welcome Centre will be happy to support you in your job search. Get in contact with us!
There are various ways to access the residence permit for job seeking:
1. Residence Permit for Job Seeking after studying or training in Germany
If you obtain a higher education or vocational qualification in Germany, you can then apply for a residence permit for job seeking for which your qualification qualifies you.
If you have found an appropriate job during this period, you can apply for a Residence Permit for Employment or the EU Blue Card.
With a German university degree
If you are in possession of a residence permit to study in accordance with § 16b AufenthG and have successfully completed your studies in Germany, you can extend your residence permit for a maximum of 18 months in order to find qualified employment in Germany. During this time, you can accept any kind of work in order to secure your livelihood.
Requirements
You must have obtained a university degree (Bachelor's, Master's, Diplom, etc.) in Germany.
A residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment can generally only be issued if it follows on from a residence permit for the purpose of studying (in accordance with § 16b or § 16c AufenthG).
You need to be able to secure your livelyhood without using public funds. Alternatively you can present a Declaration of Commitment.
Sufficient health insurance (Annex 1).
After completing a research activity
Prerequisites
You have completed a research activity in Germany and have a residence permit according to §18d or §18f AufenthG.
You need to be able to secure your livelyhood without using public funds. Alternatively you can present a Declaration of Commitment.
With a German vocational qualification
If you have successfully completed a qualified vocational training programme in Germany, you can obtain a residence permit valid for up to 18 months under certain conditions. You can accept any job during this period.
If you have found a suitable job within this period, you can apply for a residence permit for employment. You can also obtain a residence permit for self-employment.
Requirements
A residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment can only be issued if it follows a residence permit for the purpose of vocational training (in accordance with § 16a AufenthG).
You need to be able to secure your livelyhood without using public funds. Alternatively you can present a Declaration of Commitment.
Sufficient health insurance.
2. Job search opportunity card
The job search opportunity card allows you to search for qualified employment in Germany for up to twelve months with a recognised academic or professional qualification. An extension (e.g. as a residence permit for employment or as an EU Blue Card) is only possible if you find a suitable job during this period. You may work up to 20 hours per week with the opportunity card and carry out trial employment for a maximum of two weeks.
You can also apply for this opportunity card with a German university or vocational qualification if your training or studies were completed some time ago.
With a recognised foreign university degree
Requirements
Visa for job seeker
Exceptions
- Citizens of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States can apply for a residence permit after entering Germany.
- Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland enjoy unrestricted freedom of movement.
Proof of a recognised foreign university degree, or a foreign university degree equivalent to a German university degree.
You need to be able to secure your livelyhood without using public funds. Alternatively you can present a Declaration of Commitment.
Sufficient health insurance (Annex 2).
With a recognised foreign professional qualification
If you have a foreign professional qualification that is equivalent to a German qualified professional qualification, you can apply for a residence permit to look for a job for which your qualification qualifies you. The opportunity card is valid for up to twelve months and can only be extended if you take up qualified employment during this time. You can work up to 20 hours per week with the opportunity card and carry out trial employment for a maximum of two weeks.
If you have found a suitable job within this period, you can apply for a residence permit for employment.
Requirements
Visa for job seeker
Exceptions
- Citizens of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States can apply for a residence permit after entering Germany.
- Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland enjoy unrestricted freedom of movement.
Proof of a recognised foreign professional qualification. To do this, you will need a letter of recognition from the authority responsible for your profession.
You need to be able to secure your livelyhood without using public funds. Alternatively you can present a Declaration of Commitment.
Sufficient health insurance.
3. Job search opportunity card via the points system
If you have completed higher education or vocational training abroad but have not yet applied for your qualification to be recognised in Germany, you can also apply for a opportunity card for up to twelve months. To do so, you must provide proof of your foreign qualification and your language skills. In addition, you must achieve a minimum number of points based on various criteria. With the opportunity card, you can work up to 20 hours per week and carry out trial employment for a maximum of two weeks. If you have found a suitable job during this period, you can apply for a residence permit for employment.
Requirements
Visa for job seeker
Exceptions
- Citizens of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States can apply for a residence permit after entering Germany.
- Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland enjoy unrestricted freedom of movement.
Proof of completion of vocational or academic training abroad. This must be recognised in the country in which the qualification was obtained.
Note on vocational qualifications: Please note that the training must have lasted at least 2 years and that you need a positive certificate from the Central Office for Foreign Education.
Proof of language skills:
You speak German at least at level A1 or English at least at language level B2 and can prove this with a corresponding certificate.
You need to be able to secure your livelyhood without using public funds. You can set up a blocked account with a monthly payment instalment of at least 1027 euros (2024) per month or submit a Declaration of Commitment.
In addition, you must achieve at least 6 points in the points system. Points are awarded, for example, for your age, your professional experience, better language skills or a previous stay in Germany. You can find more information about the system on the Make it in Germany website.