Living and working in Germany

There are a number of different avenues ex-pats may take when looking for the appropriate visa for living in Germany. We’ve covered the main categories you may need to know about:

Tourist visa: Residents of other Schengen countries, as well as those from the US, UK, New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina, can all stay in Germany for up to 90 days without a visa. This will be stamped on your passport upon arrival.

Schengen visa: For foreigners from any other country, you may need to apply for a Schengen visa, which permits you to visit any country in the Schengen area for up to 90 days. This type of visa is not suitable if you are wanting to work in Germany, however.

Residency permit: You’ll need to apply for a residency permit at the nearest German embassy in your home country. If you are a non-EU citizen, you may apply for a resident permit for general employment, as a professional with specialist skills, or as a self-employed person. Depending on your own circumstances, you may be either granted a permanent or a limited residence permit.

Lifestyle

Germany is a lively place to live, with a powerful economy and excellent infrastructure that offers many ex-pats a high standard of living. The stereotype that German people love rules does hold some truth – as an ex-pat, it will bode well for you to do some research into the customs and rules that German people stick to in order to avoid a telling off when out and about in public!

While some ex-pats find the more rigid lifestyle and formal locals difficult to adapt to, others will fall in love with the modern and diverse culture Germany has to offer.

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Popular Places to Live in Germany

Berlin

Berlin is known for its lively nightlife, creative spirit, low cost of living, and thriving international scene. The digital nomad scene in Berlin is booming, with co-working spaces and networking events hosted on a regular basis to help other foreigners living in the city connect. Berlin is a multicultural and open-minded city, with plenty of opportunities to mix with people from Germany as well as all over the globe, and is a great place to be for any ex-pats looking to really get stuck into life in a big city.

Munich

Munich is a great city for ex-pats working or studying in Germany, with a lively student scene and high quality of life on offer. Home to Oktoberfest, Munich is a city that will really meet all of your expectations of what life in a German city is like.

Hamburg

Hamburg is Germany’s second-largest city, but despite this, residents boast more living space per person than any other major city in the world! This beautiful port city is interwoven with canals and rivers with bridges connecting the streets and has plenty to offer in terms of food and drink, things to see, and activities to do. Expats will enjoy a lively international scene here with plenty of other foreigners choosing to settle in Hamburg – so if you’re still getting to grips with the language, you’ll at least find people you can talk to while you learn!