You want to work in Germany and are now asking yourself: Do I need a work permit? We explain who needs a work permit and how to apply for a work permit. 

Whether you are allowed to work in Germany depends on various factors, including your residence status, your country of origin, your place of residence and how long you have been in Germany. 

Who Needs a Work Permit?

Residence Permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis)

You do not need a work permit if you are a recognized refugee or have asylum status or subsidiary protection status. This means you can start a job without first applying for a work permit. The same rules then apply to you on the German labor market as for German citizens.

Temporary Protection According to § 24 AufenthG

If you have temporary protection status for refugees from Ukraine, you will automatically receive a work permit when your residence permit is issued. Your residence permit will then state "Erwerbstätigkeit erlaubt" (Employment permitted). You can then work for any company or start an apprenticeship.

Temporary Stay Permit (Aufenthaltsgestattung)

If you are currently still in the asylum process and have a temporary stay permit, you will need a work permit. With this work permit, you can only work for a specific employer, for a specific job and for a specific number of hours. 

You can apply for a work permit at the earliest three months after your arrival in Germany and at the latest after nine months. 

Tolerated Stay (Duldung)

You also need a work permit if you have a tolerated stay permit. Here too, the work permit is only valid for a specific company, a specific activity and a specific number of hours. If you are living in an initial reception center, you can apply for a work permit after six months, otherwise after three months.

How Can I Apply For a Work Permit?

Once you have found an employer who wants to hire you, you can apply for a work permit. To apply for your work permit, you must submit the following documents to your immigration office:

• The application for a work permit - you can obtain the form from your immigration office

• The declaration of employment - you can find the declaration here

• A copy of your identity documents

The immigration office will check your application and obtain approval from the employment agency. You will then receive either a work permit or a rejection from the immigration office. This process usually takes two weeks.

You may only start your job once you have received your work permit. So be sure to wait for the answer from the immigration office.

Who can support me?

The rules surrounding work permits in Germany are complex and depend on your individual circumstances. It is therefore important that you inform yourself early on and take the right steps to improve your chances on the German labor market. 

If you need support with this process, it can be helpful to get in touch with a local migration center providing legal advice. You can find an overview of such institutions here.

In our blog posts, we do not use gender-inclusive language to make them easier to read for non-native German speaking readers. Of course, all genders are included, as diversity and inclusion are important to us.