Main Content

Work Regulations and Residency in Germany

Student mit Buch zwischen Bücherregalen
Foto: Rolf K. Wegst

International students need to consider a few legal regulations when working during and after their studies. Here you will find more information.

For whom is the information on this website relevant?

  • Students from the EU, EEA or Switzerland

    Students from the European Union, the EEA and Switzerland have the same status as German students and enjoy free access to the German labor market. As a general rule, anyone who does not work more than 20 hours a week during the lecture period is considered a student. Anyone who works more than 20 hours during this time loses their student status and is considered an employed person.

    IMPORTANT: If students from EU/EEA countries or Switzerland want to take up a part-time student job or do a paid internship in Germany, they usually have to take out German health insurance. This should therefore be taken into account at the beginning of your studies when deciding for or against German health insurance.

    With the exception of “Social security contributions and taxes”, all other information on this website is not relevant for this group of students.

  • Students with a visa or residence permit

    The information compiled here is important for all those who have entered Germany with a visa or who have applied for a residence permit at the Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde) after entering the country!

    All regulations also apply to those who are still preparing for their studies (i.e. those who are attending preparatory language courses or a preparatory college / Studienkolleg).

Legal Regulations

  • Working during your studies

    International students may work up to 140 full days or 280 half days per year. Working days of up to four hours count as half days, anything more than that counts as a full day.

    During the lecture period, you can work up to 20 hours per week. Outside of the lecture period, this regulation does not apply; however, please continue to observe the total number of working days permitted per year.

    Student part-time jobs (Hiwi or SHK jobs) are permitted and can be taken up independently or even in addition to the 140 days.

    For self-employed activities, however, international students always require a special permit from the Immigration Office.

  • Internships during your studies

    International students are allowed to do internships during their studies. However, it is important to know the difference between a mandatory internship and a voluntary internship.

    In many study programs, a mandatory internship is part of the degree program and therefore does not have to be officially reported to the Immigration Office. It is not counted as regular work. A mandatory student internship can, but does not have to be remunerated by the internship provider.

    If you do not have a mandatory internship as part of your studies or would like to do additional internships, these are voluntary internships. The hours of voluntary internships are counted as regular working hours, regardless of whether you are paid for them or not. Please note, therefore, that hours spent on a voluntary internship reduce the regular 140 full or 280 half working days in a year. Exceeding these limits must be approved in advance by the Immigration Office.

  • Finding a job after graduation

    International students can convert their residence permit into a residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment after successfully completing their studies. This is valid for a maximum of 18 months.

    During the search phase, any gainful employment is permitted without restriction. In addition, you must continue to provide proof of health insurance and sufficient funds to cover your living expenses.

    Once you've found a suitable job within these 18 months, you'll get a temporary residence permit for the purpose of employment. If you earn a certain salary, you're eligible for an EU Blue Card.

    It is also possible to become self-employed after graduation and start your own business. In this case, the Immigration Office will issue a residence permit for the purpose of self-employment. If you are interested in starting your own business, you can seek advice and support from MAFEX (Marburg Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation).

    If you wish to pursue a doctorate after successfully completing a master's or diploma program, the type of residence permit you require depends on the nature of your work. With an employment contract for academic work, you will receive a residence permit for academic professionals (not to be confused with the residence permit for research, which is usually only granted after you have successfully completed your doctorate). If you are not employed in a qualified profession whilst pursuing your doctorate, you will again receive a residence permit for the purpose of (doctoral) studies.

  • Social security contributions and taxes

    Anyone working in Germany needs a tax identification number to start employment and receive salary payments. This number is automatically sent by mail a few weeks after registering your place of residence with the local registration office.

    As a general rule, different forms of employment are subject to different social security contributions.    

    During the lecture period, students are not allowed to work more than 20 hours per week and can therefore remain insured with their student health insurance.    

    If the employment is limited exclusively to the lecture-free period, it is exempt from social security contributions. The amount of income and the amount of weekly working hours are irrelevant in this case.  If the employment falls exclusively within the lecture-free period, students do not have to pay separate health insurance contributions, even if they work more than 20 hours per week.

    If students have a so-called mini-job, they usually do not have to pay taxes and have the option of being exempted from pension insurance contributions. However, anyone planning to spend their life in Germany should carefully weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of exemption from pension insurance.

    If students regularly earn more than the current mini-job income limit, taxes and pension insurance contributions are automatically deducted from their wages. If the total annual income remains below the tax-free allowance ("Steuerfreibetrag"), they can submit an income tax return to their local tax office and receive a refund of the income tax paid for the year in question.

    If you have been approved for self-employment by the Immigration Office, you must report your self-employment and the income you earn from it to the tax office and submit an income tax return.

    You can obtain individual advice on all questions regarding tax returns from the tax office (Finanzamt). Also ask about tax reduction and refund options for students. For more information, contact the tax office of your place of residence.

If you have individual questions about legal / residence regulations, please feel free to make an appointment for a consultation with one of our team members.

Helpful Links