What is a Germany Work Permit?

A German work permit is a document designed by the German Government that grants permission to work and live in Germany, provided that specified eligibility criteria are met. A German work permit can be obtained by applying for a German work visa or a German job seeker visa.

What are the Work Permit Categories in Germany?

Germany work permit categories are listed below.

  1. General work permit : If there is a job in Germany that cannot be filled by an EU citizen, an application for this job is made with a German residence and work permit. The relevant qualifications are required for the job applied for with a German general work permit.
  2. Highly skilled worker permit : Highly skilled workers with a lot of experience and high income can apply for the German highly skilled worker permit.
  3. EU Blue Card : If a person’s annual income is at least 56,800 Euros or if the person earns at least 44,304 Euros per year as a professional worker in need in Germany, they are eligible to apply for an EU Blue Card.
  4. Freelance work permit : Individuals who are self-employed or self-employed can apply for a freelance work permit in Germany.

What Documents Are Required for a Germany Work Permit?

The documents required for a Germany work permit are listed below.

  • Passport ,
  • Biometric photo : Biometric passport photos are photos that are 35 mm wide and 45 mm long. They must comply with the German work permit photo guidelines,
  • Employment relationship declaration : Document filled out by the employer for a German work visa. The employment relationship declaration for a German work visa is available on the website of the German Federal Employment Agency (form in German).
  • Employment contract or offer : An employment contract or offer for a residence and work permit in Germany must specify the position, length of employment and salary, and a registration certificate for the address in Germany if residing there.
  • Housing lease agreement : Must be obtained together with a written residence letter from the landlord,
  • University or college diploma : For a Germany work visa, an original copy of a university or college diploma is required.
  • Health insurance ,
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV) ,
  • Bank statements ,
  • Cover letter : A cover letter for a Germany work visa should include the reason for application, the job to be done and the person himself/herself.

What Visas Are Available to Work in Germany?

The Germany work visas that can be obtained to work in Germany are Germany work permit and Germany job search visa.

A Germany job search visa can be obtained under the following conditions.

  1. The German employment visa allows the German Government to provide skilled foreign immigrants with the right to reside in Germany for 6 months and seek employment.
  2. During the period of the Germany job search visa, the person who finds a job in Germany can apply for a work permit in Germany by submitting evidence to the Foreigners Office that he/she has found a job.
  3. Germany employment visa provides residence permit. Germany employment visa is different from Germany employment visa because it provides residence permit.

A Germany work visa can be obtained under the following conditions.

  1. A Germany work visa is a type of Germany visa that can be obtained if the occupational and educational qualifications determined by the German Government are met.
  2. A German work visa can also be obtained if the person is invited by an employer living in Germany.

Employment in Germany is increasing every year. Due to the increase in employment in Germany every year, the number of workers going to Germany and applications for German work visas are increasing significantly.

How Much Are Work Permit Fees in Germany?

Germany work permit fees are given below.

  • Consulate Germany work visa fee is 80 Euros,
  • IDATA coordination fee is 336 TL,
  • Filling out forms and petitions and creating an appointment is 25 Euros

How to Apply for a Work Permit in Germany?

Applications for a German work permit can be made to IDATA or directly to German Consulates.

The steps for applying for a German work permit are listed below.

  • Applying to the German Embassy for a visa to work in Germany,
    • To apply for a work permit in Germany, the person must determine whether or not he/she intends to travel to Germany.
    • Detailed information about the documents required for the Germany work permit application is obtained and the necessary documents are completed completely,
    • Applications are accepted by IDATA application offices or German foreign missions, depending on the purpose of travel.
    • Depending on the purpose of travel, the processing time is completed within an average of 3 months, once all necessary documents are submitted to the German Consulate.
    • The result of the Germany work permit application is awaited.

The entire process of Germany work permit applications made under the consultancy of Vizem.net is managed by experienced consultants.

For information and application: 0850 241 1868

What Professions Are Accepted to Work in Germany?

Professions that require diploma equivalence in order to be accepted for work in Germany are listed below.

  • Doctor,
  • Lawyer,
  • Nurse,
  • Engineer.

If a person who wants to go to Germany to work wants to be self-employed in the profession groups called “licensed crafts”, he/she must take the necessary steps and obtain equivalence.

  • Carpenter,
  • Artist,
  • Chimney sweep,
  • The gunsmith,
  • Bricklayer and concrete worker,
  • Optician,
  • Butcher,
  • Boat and ship builders,
  • Hearing specialist,
  • Orthopedic technician,
  • Dental technician,
  • Glazier,
  • Work decorator,
  • Hairdresser,
  • Plumber etc.

In order to work in Germany, a person wishing to go to Germany does not need to obtain equivalence if their profession is not regulated.

What Are Working Conditions Like in Germany?

Working conditions in Germany are given below.

  • Germany working hours,
    • Official working hours in Germany are between 35-40 hours.
    • In Germany, a person who works full-time has the right to work part-time if they wish. In Germany, a person who wants to work part-time is given the right to work 10 more hours of overtime.
    • A person who wants to work officially in Germany does not have the right to work more than 50 hours a week.
  • Leave rights of people working in Germany,
    • A person working in Germany is entitled to 30 working days of leave per year.
    • In Germany, employees are entitled to additional leave over 30 working days if they work overtime.
  • Taxes for people working in Germany,
    • According to § 32a EStG of the German tax code, the income tax rate for a person working in Germany is between 0% and 45%.
    • The corporate tax rate in Germany is 15%. Legal entities also pay a 5.5% Solidarity tax on their income tax,
    • The German tax system VAT rates are as follows.
      • 19% overall rate,
      • 7% food, beverages etc.
      • It is applied to agricultural income earners as 5.5%, 10.7% or 19%.

Germany is the most preferred country in the European Union in terms of working conditions. It is estimated that approximately 10 million registered immigrants live and work in Germany. Based on living conditions, Germany is ranked 6th best among 189 countries according to the Human Development Index.

How to Find a Job in Germany?

You can find a job in Germany using the methods listed below.

  1. Finding a job online,
    • A person who wants to find a job in Germany has the chance to find a job by registering on various sites on the internet. A person who wants to find a job in Germany can find a job on the sites where he/she creates a profile (for example: jobbörse, make-it-germany, adzuna, work-for-refugees).
  2. Job fairs,
    • It is possible to find a job at job fairs or special events that companies participate in, known as “Tagen Der Offen Tür”. It is possible to communicate directly with companies at job fairs.
  3. Employment agencies,
    • A person looking for a job in Germany can apply to the employment agencies in the region they reside in. If a person looking for a job in Germany applies, they register themselves in the system as a job seeker.
  4. Job search websites,
    • If there are certain companies that a person residing in Germany would like to work for, he can check the vacancies directly on the German companies’ websites via the “job” or “career” pages.
  5. Newspapers,
    • A person looking for a job in Germany can look at job advertisements through local or national newspapers. A person residing in Germany can also look at job advertisements in local libraries.

The 2021 unemployment rate announced by the German Government was recorded as 6 percent. Germany is rich in job opportunities, and 77% of people who want to find a job are employed.

What is the penalty for working illegally in Germany?

In Germany, working illegally has penal sanctions for both the employer and the employee. Employers residing in Germany who employ illegal workers are subject to a fine of up to 500,000 Euros for each illegal worker they employ, and in some cases, imprisonment.

Illegal immigrants working in Germany without a work permit face fines, deportation or imprisonment if caught.

Can Those Who Have a Work Permit from Germany Take Their Families to Germany?

People who have a work permit from Germany do not have the right to take their families to Germany. The spouse/partner and dependent children of a person who goes to Germany to work can come to Germany under a German family reunification visa.

Family members of a person who goes to Germany for work must apply for a Germany family reunification visa. Separate Germany visa documents must be prepared and applied for a Germany work visa and a Germany family reunification visa .

The people who are considered dependents of people who have a work permit in Germany and who they can take with them are listed below.

  • Being the spouse or registered partner of people who have a work permit in Germany,
  • Being a child or adopted child under the age of 18 of a person who has a work permit in Germany,
  • Being an adult child who is dependent on someone who has a work permit in Germany,
  • People who have a work permit in Germany have elderly parents who are dependent on them,
  • Being a dependent sibling of people who have a work permit in Germany.

What taxes do employees have to pay in Germany?

Anyone who stays in Germany for more than 6 months must pay German income tax. Certain professions are subject to German income tax.

The profits subject to German income tax are as follows.

  • Real estate capital income,
  • Fees,
  • Commercial gains,
  • Agricultural earnings,
  • Freelance earnings,
  • Securities capital gains,
  • Other earnings.

The income tax rate for a German resident depending on his salary is given below.

WageIncome tax rate
Up to 9,745 Euros per year0%
Between 9,745 Euros and 57,918 Euros per yearBetween 14% and 42%
Between 57,919 Euros and 274,612 Euros per year42%
More than 274,613 euros per year45%

How to Get Health Insurance for Those with a Work Permit in Germany?

There are two types of German health insurance programs in Germany, listed below.

  • Public health insurance.
    • People with a work permit in Germany are required by law to register for public health insurance (statutory insurance) if they earn less than 60,750 euros per year (5,063 euros per month). 14.6% of the gross salary of people with a work permit in Germany goes to health insurance premiums each month. Half of the German public health insurance fee is paid by the individual and the other half by the employer.
  • Private health insurance.
    • People with a work permit in Germany are entitled to leave the statutory insurance and get private health insurance if they earn more than 60,750 Euros per year. Private health insurance in Germany is generally preferred by single, young, healthy and high-income workers. The reason they prefer private health insurance in Germany is that they find a private health insurance plan that is cheaper than public health insurance.