Do international students need a visa for an internship in Germany?
EU/EEA/Swiss students: no visa or work permit needed. Non-EU students: your student residence permit covers most internships — but the rules differ depending on whether the internship is required by your programme or voluntary. Mandatory internships (Pflichtpraktikum) don’t count against your work allowance and are exempt from Federal Employment Agency approval. Voluntary internships do count, and may require approval.
The standard allowance is 140 full days or 280 half days per year, or alternatively up to 20 hours per week during lecture periods. Full-time work is unlimited during official university holidays. Non-EU graduates can apply for an 18-month job-search residence permit after completing a German degree — during which any work is allowed.
This page is part of our broader guide to internships for international students, which compares work authorisation across the US, UK, France, Canada, and Germany.
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The 140/280-day rule — how much you can work
If you are a non-EU international student in Germany on a student residence permit, you can work up to 140 full days or 280 half days per year without Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) approval. Alternatively, you can work up to 20 hours per week during lecture periods.
How the day-count works:
- A working day of up to 4 hours counts as a half day (against the 280 half-day pool).
- A working day of more than 4 hours counts as a full day (against the 140 full-day pool).
- You can mix full and half days, as long as the total stays within the equivalent of 140 full days.
- During official university holidays (semester breaks), students can work unlimited hours.
- Student assistant roles at universities (Hiwi positions) are generally exempt from the 140/280-day restrictions entirely.
If you exceed the allowance or the 20-hour weekly rule, your employer may need approval from the Federal Employment Agency. Your local foreigners authority (Ausländerbehörde) can confirm how the rules apply to your specific residence permit.
Source: Make it in Germany — Study and work.
Mandatory vs voluntary internships — the key distinction
German law separates two categories of internships, and the rules differ in three important ways: work allowance, minimum wage, and Federal Employment Agency approval.
| Feature | Mandatory (Pflichtpraktikum) | Voluntary (freiwilliges Praktikum) |
|---|---|---|
| Counts against 140/280 days? | No — fully exempt | Yes — counts against your allowance |
| Minimum wage applies? | Exempt — can be unpaid | Only if over 3 months |
| BA approval needed? | No | Depends — see below |
Correction to a common claim: Some guides say mandatory internships may still count against the 140-day allowance. They do not. German university foreigners’ offices consistently state that Pflichtpraktika required by your study programme are excluded from the 140/280-day calculation entirely. Only voluntary internships count.
Federal Employment Agency approval for voluntary internships
Whether a voluntary internship needs Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) approval depends on your nationality and the nature of the placement.
| Internship type | EU/EEA/Swiss students | Non-EU students |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory internship (Pflichtpraktikum) | No approval required | No approval required if you have university confirmation that the internship is required by your programme |
| Voluntary internship, study-accompanying | No approval required | Usually no approval required if the internship accompanies your studies (up to 3 months), but it still counts against the 140/280-day allowance |
| Voluntary internship, not study-accompanying | No approval required | Employer may need to apply for BA approval. Contact your local foreigners authority first. |
If approval is needed, the employer applies to the Federal Employment Agency. Always clarify this with your employer and your local foreigners authority before starting a voluntary internship.
Minimum wage — when internships must be paid
Germany’s Minimum Wage Act (Mindestlohngesetz — MiLoG) sets out clear rules for when interns must be paid. The key distinction, again, is between mandatory and voluntary internships.
| Internship type | Minimum wage obligation |
|---|---|
| Mandatory internship required by your programme | Exempt from minimum wage under MiLoG §22, regardless of duration |
| Voluntary study-accompanying internship, ≤3 months | Exempt, but a reasonable remuneration under the Vocational Training Act may apply |
| Voluntary internship, >3 months | Minimum wage applies for the entire duration (not just the period beyond 3 months) |
Current minimum wage rates
- €13.90 per hour — effective 1 January 2026
- €14.60 per hour — effective 1 January 2027 (confirmed by the Mindestlohnkommission)
- The 2025 rate was €12.82 per hour
Source: Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) via IHK Hannover, 6 November 2025.
For how Germany compares to other countries on paid and unpaid rules, see our paid vs unpaid internships guide.
EU/EEA/Swiss vs non-EU students
| Student category | Visa/work permit needed? | Work conditions |
|---|---|---|
| EU/EEA/Swiss students | No | Same employment rules as German students; no further restrictions |
| Non-EU students with a student residence permit | Covered by student residence permit | 140 full days / 280 half days, or 20 hrs/week; mandatory internships exempt from BA approval and don’t count toward the allowance |
| Non-EU students coming specifically for an internship | Yes — residence permit for internship | Can intern up to 12 months without BA approval (conditions apply) |
If you’re comparing across EU countries, see our France internship visa guide — France uses the 964-hour annual cap instead of the day-count system.
After graduation — the 18-month job-search permit
After completing a German university degree, non-EU international graduates can apply for a job-seeker residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis zur Arbeitsplatzsuche) valid for up to 18 months.
- During these 18 months, you can take up any type of job — including internships related to your field — while you search for qualified employment.
- The permit is not renewable.
- Once you find qualified employment, you can switch to a residence permit for qualified work or an EU Blue Card.
- EU/EEA/Swiss graduates do not need this permit and can stay and work freely.
Tip: Use internships during the job-seeker phase to build German work experience and professional contacts, but start your qualified-job search early — the 18 months cannot be extended.
If you’re weighing Germany against other post-study routes, see our UK Graduate Route guide (18 months from 1 Jan 2027) and Canada PGWP guide (up to 3 years).
If your internship is remote or cross-border, the physical-location rule applies: work performed while physically in Germany counts toward German rules, even if the employer is abroad. See our remote internships guide for the three scenarios.
Common mistakes
Frequently asked questions
Do international students need a visa for an internship in Germany?
How many days can international students work in Germany?
Do mandatory internships count against the 140-day allowance?
Is Federal Employment Agency approval required for internships?
When must internships be paid in Germany?
How long is the German post-graduation job-seeker permit?
Do Hiwi (student assistant) roles count against the 140-day limit?
Can non-EU students do an internship after graduation?
Related guides
Internships for International Students
The hub — work authorisation and post-study rights across the US, UK, France, Canada, and Germany.
CPT vs OPT for F-1 students
The 12-month full-time CPT rule, tax treatment, unemployment limits, and worked examples.
UK internship visa and Graduate Route
Graduate Route 18-month change, GAE visa, and student work rights during term.
France internship visa and convention de stage
VLS-TS étudiant vs stagiaire, the three-party convention de stage, and 2026 gratification rates.
Canada internship work permit
The April 2026 co-op work permit change, the 50% rule, and PGWP tiers.
Remote internships for international students
Same-country, cross-border, and home-country scenarios — visas, tax, and work authorisation.
Paid vs unpaid internships
Legality by country — including Germany’s MiLoG §22 rules for interns.
Sources
Christian Chinonso is the founder of LearnViaHub, with 6+ years of research experience in international education — including GPA systems, scholarships, student financing, and study-abroad guidance — for students worldwide.