Germany guide · verified 2026-07-04
Working While Studying in Germany, and Staying After
Working & staying on
Students can work meaningful hours to support themselves, and Germany's real draw is the back end: an 18-month permit to find a job after graduating, then a straightforward route to the EU Blue Card and permanent residence.
Work while studying
140 full days / 280 half days per year
A day up to 4 hours counts as a half day. Also framed as up to 20 hrs/week during lecture periods; unlimited in semester breaks. Now codified in §16b(3) AufenthG (raised from 120/240 on 1 March 2024).
Student assistant (Hiwi) roles
Generally outside the day cap
Academic assistant jobs at the university are treated separately, confirm current specifics.
Post-study permit
18 months to seek qualified work (§20 AufenthG)
Non-renewable; the clock starts at graduation; full work allowed during it. Must follow directly from the §16b study permit.
EU Blue Card
€50,700/yr, or €45,934.20 for shortage jobs & recent grads (2026)
The reduced threshold covers shortage occupations (IT, engineering, natural sciences, maths, health) and graduates within 3 years of their degree, most Indian STEM graduates. Thresholds are revised every year (effective 1 Jan), so re-confirm. Leads to settlement (permanent residence) faster, especially with B1 German.
Work part-time within the day cap
Students may work up to 140 full (or 280 half) days per year, or up to 20 hours/week during lecture periods, with unlimited hours in the breaks. Typical jobs: working-student (Werkstudent) roles, Hiwi positions, hospitality. Keep within the cap, exceeding it breaches the residence permit.
Switch to the 18-month job-seeker permit at graduation
OptionalApply for the §20 residence permit to look for qualified employment as soon as you have proof of graduation, it follows directly from the student permit, lasts up to 18 months, is non-renewable, and lets you work without restriction while you search. Applying late risks refusal.
When: Immediately after graduatingMove onto the EU Blue Card or a work permit
OptionalOnce the student has a graduate-level job offer meeting the Blue Card salary threshold, €50,700/year in 2026, or the reduced €45,934.20 for shortage occupations (IT, engineering, sciences, maths, health) and graduates within 3 years, convert to an EU Blue Card. These figures are revised annually, so confirm the current year's. The Blue Card shortens the road to permanent residence (settlement to ~21 months with B1 German). Below the threshold, a standard qualified-employment residence permit applies.
Where this fits
This is one step of the full Germany journey: admission, tests, application, visa, money, arrival and stay-back, every figure cited to an official source.
More on Germany
Bramica is independent and takes no commission from any university, recruiter or agency. This page is information, not immigration advice. Rules, fees and thresholds change; confirm the current requirement on the official source before acting on it.