PR and Career opportunities

Things to know about Student Work in Germany

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Kashyap Matani
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Legally, as an international student,  you are permitted to work for 120 full days or 240 half days each year with a German Student Visa. However, these may vary based on a lot of factors, like location, type of job( if you are supposed to put in extra man hours for the work), etc.

Here are some basic rules you need to follow:

  1. If you wish to work, you will require a permit from Alien Registration Office (Agentur für Arbeit) and financial officers. The permit will have the maximum number of working hours written on it. Generally, students are permitted to work 20 hours a week during college hours and full time during vacations. Rules vary depending on whether you’re from EU or not.
  2. If you are enrolled in a preparatory or language course, the regulations could be tighter. You will need explicit permission to work in these cases.
  3. The minimum wage is 8.84 euros an hour (raised in 2017).
  4. For anyone earning less than 450 euros a month, there is no income tax to be paid. Research assistants need to pay no taxes at all. Also, if you have been working or a time period of less than 50 continuous days over the period of one year, you do not need to pay tax.
  5. It is advised that students don’t work for more than 20 hours a week, not only because it is illegal but also it raises certain additional costs.
  6. Working on University campus can be beneficial for a student. This is because in some cases, longer working hours are permitted and taxes may also be exempted.

Please note that violating any federal laws or government policies will result in expulsion from the country so do not even think of disobeying them.

What jobs can I get while working as a student?

  • Graduate / Research / Teaching Assistant
  • Work as a waiter, server, support member, etc. at bars, cafes, and such
  • English Tutor. If you’re really good at the language.
  • Internship in your field, etc.

German Student Visa Requirements in 2022

What are the documents required for seeking Visa after your Graduation?

  • Passport
  • University degree certificate or official document from your university confirming that you successfully completed your studies
  • Document proving you have health insurance
  • Proof that you have means of supporting yourself financially

For how long can I stay in Germany after my course?

International students with a residence permit can extend their stay and seek work for up to 18 months after graduating provided that the job is related to their field of study. Graduates from EU/EEA countries can stay on to seek work without any restrictions or permits. After two years of employment in Germany, once can try applying for a permanent residency status. It is not essential but definitely beneficial to be proficient in the German language when seeking work in Germany.

What are the job opportunities like in Germany after graduating?

As we all know, Germany is very well known for its Automobile Industry. Therefore, having a degree in automobile engineering or related industry engineering fields is beneficial. Other booming industries include Telecommunication, IT and Computers, Finance, etc.

The average salaries for various positions are:

Job Title

Average Annual Salary

Automotive Engineer

€50,000

Data Scientist

€50,000

Telecommunication Network Engineer

€54,000

Automation Engineer

€47,000

Senior Systems Administrator

€58,000

Hope this helps! And remember, do no violate any rules and regulations.

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