Work and research in Germany
Foreigners wishing to work in Germany usually need a residence permit, which can be applied for either at the Foreigners Registration Office (Amt für Ausländerangelegenheiten) in the town you will be staying in, or during the process of applying for a visa.
However: academic staff, visiting academics and technical staff working in research teams do not need any special permit on the part of the German Federal Employment Agency. In these cases the Foreigners Registration Office can itself issue permits to take up academic work and enter this information in the residence permit.
Foreigners Registration Office
EU and Swiss nationals, as well as nationals of states belonging to the European Economic Area, enjoy freedom of movement in Germany and do not need any work permit. Nationals of the new member states (except for Malta and Cyprus) do not currently enjoy full freedom of movement. However, in many cases researchers are exempted from this in the context of the so-called Guidelines for Researchers.
More information on the Guidelines for Researchers
Additional information from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
Employment regulations for spouses
Spouses who are not academics themselves and who want to work in Germany generally need permission to do so from the Federal Employment Agency. They have to apply to the local Foreigners Registration Office for a residence permit allowing any such employment, providing evidence of a definite offer of work. The Foreigners Registration Office will then forward the application to the Federal Employment Agency, which will check to see whether German or EU nationals have to be given preferential consideration for employment. This process can take a few weeks or even several months.Advice from the Münster University Dual Career Service
Employment contracts/Appointments
Conditions of work are set out in an employment contract which academic staff sign with the university. In contrast, professors who are civil servants, as well as academic civil servants, are appointed to their posts – i.e. they receive an official document testifying to their appointment.Salary
Civil servants salaries are governed by the Federal Civil Service Remuneration Act and by the relevant regulations pertaining to the Länder (Federal States). Professors’ salaries are laid down in a separate regulation, the so-called W-Besoldung. Salaries for academic staff are based on the tariffs agreed for public service employees in the Länder.Salaries for academic staff
Health and social insurance
Civil servants are not insured under the statutory social insurance scheme, but through the University. They only have to take out private health and care insurance.More information on health insurance
