Visa Requirements and Employer Responsibilities

Hiring foreign skilled workers is subject to legal and administrative regulations. Whether a visa is needed depends on the skilled worker’s country of origin.

Citizens of the EU/EEA and Switzerland
Nationals from EU, EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway), and Switzerland may enter and work in Germany without a visa.

Citizens from third countries
Nationals from other countries generally require a visa or residence permit to enter and work in Germany.
Exceptions apply to nationals from Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, who may enter Germany without a visa and apply for their residence permit locally.

Employer obligations
When employing skilled workers from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, employers have specific obligations under § 4a para. 5 of the Residence Act:

• Verifying that the skilled worker has a valid residence permit allowing employment in Germany
• Retaining a copy of the valid residence permit (electronic or paper)
• Informing the immigration authority if employment ends prematurely – this must be done within four weeks of becoming aware of the termination. The purpose is to allow the immigration authority to determine whether the validity of the residence permit should be shortened.