Planning to Work in Germany?
Our team of expert immigration lawyers check it for you and handle the application from start to finish.
- Our legal team will review your work visa case for free.
- We check your qualification, job offer and salary against the rules for your route.
- We prepare your application and follow up with the authority.
- We file a lawsuit if the decision takes too long.
Known From
Which Work Visa Route Fits You?
Vocational training
University degree
Work experience
No job offer yet
How We Help You
We'll handle everything for you.
Visa Application
We'll prepare and file your application.
Why Choose Us?
Expert Lawyers
Fair & Transparent
Honest Guidance
Complete Support
How Do You Apply for a Work Visa in Germany?
1
Choose your work visa route
We compare your qualifications, experience, and job offer with the vocational, degree, or work routes and tell you which permit fits.
2
Check your qualification
We check whether you need a recognition or comparability check and what proof it takes.
3
Prepare your work visa application
We prepare your forms and review your documents so the file is complete. If you are still abroad, your employer may be able to start the accelerated skilled worker procedure.
4
Apply at the right office
We check where you must apply before you travel, then submit your application.
5
Attend your appointment
We keep in contact with the authority while it reviews your file.
6
Receive your work visa or residence permit
If you apply from abroad, you first receive your entry visa, and your residence permit card follows in Germany.
If you apply in Germany, you receive the card. We stay with you until the authority decides.
7
Take it to court, if needed
If the authority has not decided after three months, we file a lawsuit for you (Untätigkeitsklage, § 75 VwGO).
Meet Your Immigration Lawyer
- Practicing law since 2016
- More than 250 successful court cases
- Offers advice in English, German, and Russian
- Specialised in immigration law
- Supporting expats for more than a decade
Don't Put Your Future on Hold
What Our Clients Say
Work Visa for Germany Explained
What is a work visa for Germany?
Germany has no single “work visa”. The everyday term covers the residence permits for people who work in Germany, plus the entry visa you receive first if you apply from abroad. The law calls them residence titles for employment (§ 18(2) AufenthG). Three routes cover most people with a job offer:
- Vocational training (§ 18a AufenthG)
- University degree (§ 18b AufenthG)
- Work experience (§ 6 BeschV)
Do you qualify for a work visa in Germany?
These four conditions apply to every route for a work visa in Germany, except where a rule says otherwise (§ 18(2) AufenthG).
| Condition | What counts |
|---|---|
| Job offer | A concrete job offer. You and your employer confirm that you will actually take the job. |
| Qualification | Your vocational qualification is recognized as equivalent to a German one, or your foreign degree is recognized or matches a German degree. |
| Employer approval | Approval from the Federal Employment Agency, unless a law, a state agreement, or the employment ordinance exempts your job (no. 2). Where it applies, your terms must not be worse than those of comparable employees in Germany. |
| Professional license | The license to practice, if your job is a regulated profession. It must be granted or promised. |
Not sure you meet all four qualifications for a work visa in Germany? We can check it for you.
How much do you need to earn for a work visa in Germany?
| Your situation | Minimum gross salary (2026) | Exception |
|---|---|---|
| Vocational or degree route, under 45 years old | None named in § 18(2) | None |
| Work experience route | €45,630 per year | Your employer is bound by a collective agreement and employs you on its terms |
| First permit under § 18a or § 18b at 45 or older, or a start on the work experience route at 45 or older | €55,770 per year | You show adequate old-age provision |
The Federal Ministry of the Interior publishes new figures each year by 31 December.
How long can you stay on a work visa in Germany?
A work visa runs for a set period, and the length depends on the law and on your job contract:
- Permit length: up to four years (§ 18(4) AufenthG).
- Shorter job or approval: if your contract or the Federal Employment Agency’s approval is shorter, the permit runs for that period plus six months.
To stay longer, you can apply for a permanent residence permit once you have held your permit long enough. For permits under § 18a or § 18b, how soon you can apply depends on your situation, and other conditions apply too (§ 18c(1) AufenthG):
| Your situation | You can apply after | Pension contributions needed |
|---|---|---|
| You hold a permit under § 18a or § 18b | 3 years | 36 months |
| You hold that permit and have finished German vocational training or a German degree | 2 years | 24 months |
(as of Oct 2026)
Pension contributions are the months you paid into the German statutory pension insurance through your work.
What is the accelerated skilled worker procedure for a work visa?
The accelerated skilled worker procedure (beschleunigtes Fachkräfteverfahren) is a route where your employer starts your work visa process while you are still abroad. You can use it for a work visa under § 18a or § 18b (§ 81a(1) AufenthG). It works like this:
- Your employer applies at the Ausländerbehörde with your power of attorney.
- The office and your employer sign an agreement that sets out the steps and deadlines.
- Where needed, the office starts your recognition procedure and obtains the Federal Employment Agency’s approval.
- The office tells the embassy about your visa application and gives its preliminary approval to your visa.
Your spouse and minor unmarried children can be included if their visa applications follow at about the same time (§ 81a(4) AufenthG).
How much does a work visa for Germany cost?
Here are the official authority fees for a work visa (as of October 2026):
| What you pay | Amount |
|---|---|
| Residence permit (§ 45 AufenthV) | 100 € |
| National visa, if you apply at an embassy (§ 46(2) AufenthV) | 75 € |
| Applicants under 18 (§ 50 AufenthV) | Half the fee |
Other costs may come on top, such as:
- Recognition of your qualification
- Statement of comparability for a foreign degree
- Legal fees, if you hire a lawyer
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a work visa lawyer in Germany?
No, you do not need a lawyer to apply for a work permit. However, if you are unsure about which route is best for you or don’t have time to deal with the German authorities, a lawyer can support.
A lawyer can help you choose the right route, check your qualifications and employer approval, and deal with the authorities if the decision is delayed.
Can you get a work visa for Germany without a qualification?
Yes, but only in some IT cases. IT specialists on the work experience route do not need a recognized qualification. However, they still need the work experience, the salary, and the approval of the Federal Employment Agency (§ 6(1) BeschV).
Other professions need a vocational qualification or a degree.
Can my family join me on a work visa?
Yes, family members can join you if they meet the family reunification conditions. For permits under § 18a or § 18b, your spouse does not need to prove basic German before joining you.
Your spouse can also work in Germany, because a residence permit holder may work unless a law prohibits or restricts it (§ 4a(1) AufenthG).
Other conditions, such as income, still apply. You can learn more about it in our guide on family reunification requirements.
We also help your family to apply for the family reunification visa and join you in Germany.
Can you change employers on a work visa in Germany?
It depends on your residence permit. A permit under § 18a or § 18b is issued for any qualified employment, so it is not tied to one employer by its statutory wording.
Your permit must state whether employment is allowed and whether it is restricted. If it was issued for a specific job, other work is prohibited until the Ausländerbehörde permits it under § 4a(3) AufenthG.
Check the endorsement on your permit before resigning or signing a new contract. We can also check this for you.
What happens to my work visa if I lose my job?
If you lose your job on a work visa, you must report the end of the employment to the Ausländerbehörde within four weeks of learning about it.
Your residence permit does not automatically end on the day your job ends. What happens next depends on the type of permit, its conditions, and any decision by the Ausländerbehörde.
We can assess your options while your permit remains valid.
What is an Untätigkeitsklage?
An Untätigkeitsklage (“action for failure to act”) is a lawsuit you file at the administrative court (Verwaltungsgericht) when an authority sits on your application without deciding it. It doesn’t ask the court to grant you the permit directly — it asks the court to make the authority finally do its job.
In immigration cases, the authority is usually the Ausländerbehörde, but it can also be the Bundesverwaltungsamt (citizenship), a Standesamt, or a German embassy.
When can I file an Untätigkeitsklage?
You can generally file an Untätigkeitsklage once three months have passed since you applied and the authority has not decided, without a good reason for the delay (§ 75 VwGO).
- A shorter wait is possible if special circumstances in your case call for it. § 75 gives no examples, so we can help assess this for you.
- If the authority has a good reason for the delay, the court pauses the case until a date it sets.
What can the court actually order?
Depending on your case, the court can:
- Require the authority to decide on your application.
- Order the authority to issue the permit, if you clearly meet the requirements and the law leaves it no discretion.
A court cannot guarantee a positive decision if you don’t meet the requirements. If your application is weak, forcing a decision can produce a faster rejection. We tell you that before you spend money.
What is the difference between Untätigkeitsklage and einstweiliger Rechtsschutz?
An Untätigkeitsklage is the standard route: it resolves the delay properly, and takes weeks to months.
Einstweiliger Rechtsschutz (provisional injunctive relief) is the emergency route, used when waiting itself will cause you irreversible harm. E.g., you’re about to lose a job offer, your Fiktionsbescheinigung is expiring, a family member is stuck abroad. It’s much faster, but the court has to accept that your situation is genuinely urgent.
The two are not mutually exclusive, and in the right case filing both applies real pressure. Which route fits you is a strategic decision. We explain you what strategy makes sense in your situation in the beginning.
Will filing a lawsuit make the authority treat me badly?
No. This is the fear we hear most often, and it isn’t how the system works. Officials are bound by law, not by mood, and processing your application faster is exactly what the court obliges them to do. A decision on your permit has to be made on the legal requirements alone.
Filing a claim is a normal, routine legal step in Germany.
Do you handle both the letter and, if needed, the lawsuit?
Yes, we offer complete service at a flat rate.
Based on your case, we try to resolve it out of court, file a lawsuit, or move forward with provisional injunction relief. We stay with you until you get your work visa.
Even after you receive your work visa, you can reach us if you have any issues, questions, or concerns.
Which cases do you handle?
Any delay in a German immigration matter, including:
- German citizenship (Einbürgerung)
- Permanent residence (Niederlassungserlaubnis, Daueraufenthalt-EU)
- Blue Card and work permits
- Family reunification and spouse visas
- Residence permit extensions and change of purpose
- Settlement of EU/EEA family members
- Delayed appointments and unanswered Widerspruch
If you’re not sure your situation fits, ask. The assessment is free either way.
Do I have to appear in court?
Usually not. So far, we haven’t seen a case where a court hearing is scheduled.
Most delay cases are resolved in writing or end once the authority decides. Personal attendance is rarely required.
What does winning the lawsuit mean?
Winning a delay lawsuit means the authority makes a decision on your application. The decision can be in your favor or against you.
Once the authority decides, the case ends. If you could expect a decision before you filed, the authority bears the costs (§ 161(3) VwGO). We then request reimbursement on your behalf.
Does my legal insurance cover the cost of the lawsuit?
Whether your legal insurance covers a lawsuit against the authority depends on your policy.
Some legal insurance plans in Germany include administrative law cases, which can cover a lawsuit over a delayed work visa.
Contact your insurer to confirm whether it covers the costs of an Untätigkeitsklage.
Will taking legal action make the Ausländerbehörde slow things down further?
No. The authority has to decide on your application whether or not you take legal action. A delay lawsuit exists for the case where the office has not decided within a reasonable time (§ 75 VwGO). The office decides whether you meet the requirements of your route, not whether you went to court.
Do I get the legal fees back after winning the lawsuit?
In Germany, if you win a lawsuit, the opposing party (in this case, the immigration office) typically covers your legal fees, including court and lawyer costs. However, the specifics can depend on the individual case and ruling.
It’s always best to confirm with your lawyer for details specific to your situation.
What if my work visa application is rejected?
A rejection is a decision, not a delay, so a delay lawsuit no longer fits.
The rejection notice should state how and by when you can challenge it, so check it right away. We can help assess your case.