Work Permit

Non EU or non EEA Nationals

Non-EU-nationals who intend to take up employment in Germany require a work permit. As this permit usually is granted in connection with the visa, they must state their employment intention when applying for a visa at the consulate or consular representation of the German embassy in their home country. Non-EU-nationals who have already entered Germany with a travel visa have to address the local aliens' authority (Ausländerbehörde) instead.

Due to the freedom of services within the Single European Market, non-EU-nationals who are legally employed in an EU Member State and who are sent to Germany in order to provide temporary services may enter the country without the need for a special work permit, provided they possess the appropriate visa for entry to Germany. This rule does not apply to employees who are only deployed to a branch of the same company. Detailed information on the specific requirements is available at the German embassies and consulates or the local aliens authority in Germany. Additional information on minimum working conditions is available in our section on the posting of workers.

The authority responsible for the application procedure will forward the request to the local Employment Agency in Germany which will check whether the prerequisites for employment in Germany are fulfilled. This procedure is described our chapter on the priority examination.

Specific regulations may apply depending on the country of origin. The easiest way to find that out is to consult the local German embassy or consulate. You will find more information about the visa requirements among our check lists. A list of German diplomatic representations abroad can be found on our worldmap.