Working in Germany

Working in Germany is for most people a life style choice. Most importantly, you need to have a work visa which allows you to live and work in Germany. German work visa categories are based on two options: you may apply either for general employment (German Employment Visa) or for self-employment (German Business Visa) if you seek to establish a business in Germany.

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Employment Visa for Germany

A German work visa application under the general employment category is usually based on two basic conditions:

Your Vocational qualification
A concrete offer of a contract of employment

Processing times for a work visa may exceed three months after lodgement with the relevant German authority.

Starting a Business in Germany (Self-Employment)

To start your business in Germany your business needs to fulfill the following criteria:

Having a beneficial economic impact
Fulfilling the needs of the Federal Republic of Germany or specific regional or local needs
Be fully covered by your own capital or bank loan

Processing times for a self-employment visa may exceed six months after lodgement with the relevant German authority.

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Which German visa, blue card or work permit is right for me?

For your convenience, we have provided an overview of some of the most common visa solutions here: