Apply for a Residence Permit for Employment of Certain Nationals

How do you obtain a residence permit for employment as a national of certain countries?

Are you a national of certain countries and want to work in Germany? Then you can obtain a residence permit for employment without needing a qualification as a skilled worker. The authority will decide on your application on a case-by-case basis.

Are you a national of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or the United States of America? Then you can obtain the residence permit after visa-free entry.

Are you a national of Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino, or Serbia? Then you need a national entry visa (D visa) issued by a German foreign mission for the purpose of employment.

You will receive the residence permit for the duration of the consent issued by the Federal Employment Agency. For an extension of the residence permit and when changing employer, you need a new consent from the Federal Employment Agency.

Note: If you are a skilled worker with academic or vocational training, please refer to "Further information" – there you will find the more suitable residence title.

This is how the procedure works: Submit the online application "Temporary residence title for employment". Have your documents ready, ideally as PDFs. You can also photograph and upload them during the application process. Permitted formats are PDF, JPG, JPEG, and PNG. A single file may be at most 7 MB, all files together at most 100 MB. Before you can submit the application, you must pay the processing fee.

At the end, you will receive a PDF confirmation. This certifies that your current residence title (national D visa or residence permit) remains valid – unless your residence title has already expired on the day of application. Be sure to save the confirmation and print it out if possible.

Note for families: If your spouse and children also live with you in Berlin and need a residence permit, do not submit a separate application or book an appointment for them. Simply enter your family members at the corresponding sections in the online application. The State Office for Immigration will contact you regarding their residence permits.

The LEA will then review your application and contact you. If needed, additional documents will be requested. If your application is reviewed positively, you will receive an appointment for a personal interview. Bring all documents in their original form.