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After completing a degree in Germany, a graduate from a non-EU country can usually remain for up to 18 months to look for qualified employment. During that period, the graduate may take any type of job.
This is commonly called the "job seeker visa", but for someone already living in Germany it is normally a residence permit for job search after a stay in Germany under Section 20(1)(1) of the Residence Act.
Last reviewed: 6 June 2026. Residence procedures and document lists vary by foreigners authority. Confirm the requirements with the authority responsible for your registered address.
| Your situation | Route to examine |
|---|---|
| You completed a German degree and do not yet have a qualified job | Section 20 post-study job-search permit |
| You already have a qualified job offer | Section 18b skilled-worker permit |
| You have a matching qualified job and meet the salary threshold | EU Blue Card under Section 18g |
| You want to build a business or freelance long term | Self-employment permit under Section 21 |
Swipe horizontally to see more
You do not have to obtain the 18-month permit first if you already qualify for a work residence title. A direct switch from the student residence permit may be possible.
Section 20 covers a person who successfully completed studies in Germany while holding a study residence status under Section 16b or 16c.
The basic requirements are:
The authority decides which documents prove those requirements.
An Indian degree by itself does not create eligibility for this particular German-graduate route. Other job-search routes may apply to people with foreign qualifications.
The permit can be issued for up to 18 months. It cannot be extended beyond the statutory maximum.
Do not assume that every authority calculates the period from the date the physical card is collected. Hamburg's official student guidance, for example, treats studies as completed once the university has confirmed in writing that the final examination was passed.
Keep every dated completion document and ask your local authority how it calculates the period.
Official federal guidance states that graduates may take any type of job during the post-study search period. This is substantially broader than the student work rules.
Current Berlin guidance also states that the permit allows unrestricted gainful activity, including self-employment.
That means the permit can support:
The purpose of the permit remains finding an activity that supports a longer-term residence title. A long-term freelance or business plan requires a separate Section 21 assessment.
Read the exact wording on the residence card and supplementary sheet before starting self-employment.
If you want to stay in Germany, submit the application for the new residence title before the current student title expires.
Under Section 81(4), a timely application for an extension or another residence title generally causes the existing title to continue until the foreigners authority decides. Section 81(5) provides for a certificate documenting that effect, commonly called a Fiktionsbescheinigung.
Practical steps:
An appointment request alone may not always be treated the same as a complete application. Follow the local authority's published process.
Do not travel outside Germany while relying on an application confirmation until the authority has confirmed that the document permits re-entry.
There is no single national document checklist for every city. A typical authority may request:
The printed diploma may arrive after the university has recorded the result. Ask the examination office for a letter confirming that all requirements have been completed successfully.
The authority decides whether the letter is sufficient.
Subject: Confirmation of successful degree completion
Dear Examination Office,
I need official proof of successful completion for my residence permit application.
Could you please issue a dated confirmation that I have passed all required examinations for [degree and programme] and that the final certificate is pending?
Name:
Matriculation number:
Date of final examination or submission:
Kind regards,
[Name]
Section 20 requires secured livelihood, but the law does not impose one universal EUR 11,904 blocked-account checklist for every post-study applicant.
Depending on the authority and the applicant's circumstances, evidence may include:
Ask the authority which amount, period, and evidence it requires. Do not copy the student-visa blocked-account figure into a post-study application without checking. If bridge work is your evidence, keep a running log of gross and net pay using the Work & Earnings Tracker format — the day-limit columns no longer apply on this permit, but the pay log still gives the authority a clean income record on request.
Graduation can change the insurance category and contribution. The student tariff does not simply continue indefinitely.
Contact the insurer before completion and obtain:
There is no reliable universal EUR 220 to EUR 250 post-graduation premium. The amount depends on the insurance system, income, and personal circumstances.
The Residence Ordinance sets a EUR 100 fee for issuing a temporary residence permit. Reductions or exemptions can apply in specific cases.
Payment methods and any local document costs vary.
Official federal guidance says a third-country graduate with a qualified job offer can apply for a skilled-worker residence permit or an EU Blue Card.
The usual employer documents include:
The foreigners authority may involve the Federal Employment Agency.
A graduate with an academic qualification may qualify for a residence permit under Section 18b when the offer is for qualified employment.
Qualified employment means the role normally requires knowledge and skills acquired through higher education or qualified vocational training. Auxiliary work is not sufficient.
Current official guidance explicitly states that a Section 18b job does not have to be related to the qualification. This is different from the EU Blue Card.
A regulated profession still requires the necessary professional licence.
There is no general Blue-Card-style salary threshold for Section 18b. However:
A salary below the Blue Card threshold does not automatically make an offer ineligible for Section 18b.
The permit can be issued for up to four years. If the employment contract is shorter, official guidance states that the permit is generally issued for the contract duration plus three months.
The authority determines the final validity period.
The Blue Card has stricter job-to-qualification and salary requirements than Section 18b.
The applicant generally needs:
| Blue Card category | 2026 minimum gross annual salary |
|---|---|
| General threshold | EUR 50,700 |
| Shortage occupation | EUR 45,934.20 |
| Last degree obtained less than three years ago | EUR 45,934.20 |
| Qualifying IT specialist without a formal degree | EUR 45,934.20 |
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The lower-threshold cases generally require Federal Employment Agency approval.
For a recent graduate, the lower threshold can apply to an entry-level job in any profession if the last degree or equivalent qualification was obtained less than three years ago. The job must still satisfy the Blue Card qualification-match rules.
Variable bonuses should not automatically be treated as part of the qualifying salary. Ask the authority how it evaluates the fixed remuneration in the contract.
The current list includes categories such as:
Use the official occupation classification rather than deciding from the job title alone.
The Blue Card is normally issued for the contract duration plus three months, up to a maximum of four years.
If changing jobs during the first year of Blue Card employment, notify the foreigners authority. It can check whether the new role still meets the conditions.
| Question | Section 18b | EU Blue Card |
|---|---|---|
| Must the job be qualified? | Yes | Yes |
| Must it match the degree or qualification? | Generally no | Yes |
| General fixed salary threshold? | No Blue Card threshold | EUR 50,700 in 2026 |
| Lower threshold for recent graduates? | Not applicable | EUR 45,934.20 |
| Federal Employment Agency involvement | Normally | Lower-threshold Blue Card cases |
| Fast Blue Card settlement route | No | 27 months with A1 or 21 months with B1, plus other conditions |
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The Blue Card is not automatically the right choice simply because the salary is high enough. The job, qualification, contract, and individual settlement plans all matter.
The old article's five-year statement for Section 18b graduates is incorrect.
Under Section 18c(1), a skilled worker who successfully completed studies or vocational training in Germany can qualify for a settlement permit after:
The two-year rule is not automatic permanent residence. Every listed condition must be met.
A Blue Card holder can qualify after:
Compare both routes in your individual case. A German graduate holding a Blue Card may have more than one legal route worth examining.
Begin while the final semester is still in progress. Recruitment duration varies widely, so avoid fixed assumptions such as every process taking three to six months.
Build a target list using:
German employers do not universally require:
Follow the advertisement and employer portal. A focused CV should show:
Use How to Create a German CV for a structured review.
Useful columns include:
| Column | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Role and company | Identify the exact application |
| Required qualification | Check whether the role is qualified |
| Degree match | Essential for Blue Card analysis |
| Fixed gross salary | Compare with the annual threshold |
| Contract length | Check Blue Card six-month minimum |
| Language requirement | Avoid applying with a false proficiency claim |
| Application date | Plan follow-up |
| Contact and status | Keep communication organised |
| Permit route to verify | Section 18b, Blue Card, research, or another route |
Swipe horizontally to see more
Do not tell an employer that a permit is guaranteed. Explain the route accurately and let the authority decide.
I completed my degree in Germany and can apply for a work residence title from within Germany.
Depending on the final role, salary, and contract, the relevant route may be a Section 18b skilled-worker permit or an EU Blue Card. For the application, I may need the signed contract, detailed job description, gross annual salary, weekly hours, start date, duration, and the employer declaration requested by the foreigners authority.
Salary depends on occupation, collective agreement, experience, region, company, and working hours. A field-wide table cannot reliably predict whether one offer is fair.
Use:
Calculate net pay only with current personal inputs such as tax class, health insurer, church-tax status, children, and federal state.
There is no universal language level for every graduate job.
Regulated professions, public-facing work, public administration, education, and healthcare can have formal or practical German requirements. International research and technology teams may operate in English.
Even where English is the working language, German can expand the available employer pool and supports the B1 requirement relevant to accelerated settlement routes.
State your real CEFR level. Do not list B1 or B2 without being able to work at that level.
The Section 20 search permit can allow self-employment during its validity, but it is temporary and non-renewable.
For a longer-term business or freelance activity, apply for the appropriate Section 21 permit. The assessment depends on the type of activity and may require:
Do not call this a generic "freelance visa" with one universal checklist.
A doctorate can involve:
The correct title depends on the contract, funding, duties, and doctoral arrangement.
Starting another degree or vocational training also requires the appropriate residence title. Discuss the change with the authority before the current title expires.
Submit the correct application before the current title expires and retain evidence.
It is a maximum period. Ask how the authority calculates the starting point from successful completion.
Post-study livelihood evidence is assessed for the Section 20 application. Ask for the local amount and acceptable evidence.
The matching requirement is central to the Blue Card, but Section 18b generally permits any qualified employment.
German-university graduates can have a special two-year route if all Section 18c requirements are met.
Confirm which fixed salary components the authority accepts.
Read the current residence document and obtain confirmation where the permitted activity is unclear.
No. Section 20 excludes extension beyond the statutory maximum for this route.
Yes. Official guidance permits any type of job while searching for qualified employment.
Current official Berlin guidance says the permit allows unrestricted gainful activity, including self-employment. Check the wording issued by your own authority and remember that long-term self-employment requires a separate residence title.
Generally no. It must be qualified employment. Regulated professions still require permission to practise.
Yes. Official Blue Card guidance requires the job to match the qualification.
A Section 18b permit may still be possible if the position is qualified and the other conditions are met.
Official federal guidance says a residence permit can be possible for part-time qualified employment if the income secures livelihood. The foreigners authority decides the individual case.
Do not rely on a blanket yes or no. Family-reunification eligibility depends on the family member's status, timing, livelihood, housing, and the applicable provisions. Ask the foreigners authority before making plans.
Do not assume an application receipt permits re-entry. Ask the authority whether your passport, existing title, and Fiktionsbescheinigung support the intended trip.
This article provides general information and is not immigration, legal, employment, or tax advice. The foreigners authority and, where involved, the Federal Employment Agency decide the individual application.
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