Employment permit

Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) (State Office for Immigration)

You can find all official information on this topic on the website of this authority. Only this information is legally binding.

No, you are not allowed to work independently with a Duldung (temporary suspension of deportation) or an Aufenthaltsgestattung (temporary residence permit for asylum seekers).

The document always states: Self-employment not permitted.

You cannot apply for a permit in general, but only for a specific job. Two public authorities decide on your application: the Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) (State Office for Immigration) and the Agentur für Arbeit (Employment Agency). You submit the application to the LEA and the LEA consults with the Agentur für Arbeit (Employment Agency).

Here's how to submit the application:

1. Once you have found a job, your employer must fill out this document: Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis (Declaration of Employment Relationship).
2. You must scan this document and submit it via the contact form to the LEA.
3. Depending on which letter your last name begins with, you need to click on A2, A3 or A4. This will take you to a contact form.
4. In the subject line, select "Beschäftigung (bei Antrag ausgefüllt Stellenbeschreibung hinzufügen)".

Tip: If your apprenticeship or job has a fixed start date, write this under "Ihre Frage / Ihr Anliegen". This helps the LEA (State Office for Immigration) see immediately that your request is urgent.

If you have not applied for a permit for a specific job, but for a general permit, the LEA will send you a rejection.

Exception: If you have had a residence document in Germany for four years and do not have a work ban, employment may be permitted in general.

Otherwise, there are two common reasons:

1. Working conditions : Here, for example, they check how much you will be paid and how many vacation days you will get. There are rules for this in Germany, for example the minimum wage. There are rules for this in Germany, such as the minimum wage. The Agentur für Arbeit (Employment Agency) checks whether your employer complies with these rules. If not, the LEA will reject your application.
2. German residence-related reasons: The LEA decides whether starting a new job is appropriate in your residence situation. Your application may be rejected, for example, if you are expected to leave Germany soon or if you have not submitted a passport even though it would have been possible.

If you or your employer made a mistake in the application, you will usually receive an email first. It will explain what the mistake was—for example, if too few vacation days were stated in the Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis (declaration of employment relationship). You or your employer can then upload a new corrected document.

The decision may be sent by email or by post. It is made jointly by the LEA (State Office for Immigration) and the Agentur für Arbeit (Employment Agency), but it is the LEA that sends you the decision.

Attention: Check your spam folder regularly when checking your emails!

It may take several months to get a response. Consult with your employer in this regard in advance so they can take this waiting time into account.

Yes, as long as your Aufenthaltsstatus (residence status) has not changed, you need a new work permit for every new job. You need a new permit if you change your employer. You also need a new permit if you take on a completely new role within the same company.

Exception: If you have been in Germany for more than 4 years with a residence document , you no longer need a specific work permit, even if you have a Duldung (temporary suspension of deportation) or an Aufenthaltsgestattung (temporary residence permit for asylum seekers). During your next visit, the LEA will change the wording in your Nebenbestimmungen (additional provisions) from "Beschäftigung nur nach Erlaubnis der Ausländerbehörde gestattet" ("Employment only permitted with the permission of the immigration authority") to "Beschäftigung erlaubt" ("Employment permitted"). This does not apply if you have a work ban.

If you work without a permit, you or the company may have to pay a fine. The first time you work without a permit, you may have to pay a maximum fine of €5,000. The company can be fined a maximum of €500,000. In addition, both you and your employer may have to pay back taxes and social security contributions.

Attention: If your Aufenthaltsdokument (residence document) states that you need a permit, do not start working without one—even if your employer says otherwise. Seek advice from a counselling center.