The need for international education has become very common among students owing to the fact that the learners are more conscious of their learning needs, and their career goals, and hence, desire better exposure and resources to fulfill their need for higher education.
However, the pursuit of higher education abroad also brings along with it the undeniable question of finance and cost. Studying abroad is expensive, what with the tuition fees, the travel expense, and the rent and necessities. This is why many students, who are studying abroad, look for part-time jobs to have an additional source of income and also earn some industry exposure.
And given the fact that Germany, in recent years, has emerged as the most favored study-abroad destination for students, let us explore the part-time jobs for international students in Germany. On average, the living cost in Germany is considered affordable at around 11,208 EUR per year. This cost is subject to vary depending on the city and your type of accommodation; either way, a part-time job in Germany will help you add to your savings and comfortably and independently sustain yourself.
Nonetheless, international students in Germany, that is students who do not belong to the European Union or the countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, must take care to follow the following rules while applying for part-time jobs in Germany. If you are from any of these countries listed above, you will enjoy the same benefits as German citizens. For instance, you will be eligible for a few insurances should you wish to work for more than 20 hours a week. This rule, however, does not apply to international students.
You can work only 120 full days (8 hours a day or 40 hours a day) or 240 half days in a year (anything less than the full-day limit). Thus, you can work 2.5 full days a week during a semester, which may exceed during summer breaks. However, you have to ensure that you do not exceed the annual limit of 120 full days. You cannot take on freelance work or be self-employed.
If you need to or want to work beyond the prescribed work hours allowed to you, you will have to take a permit from the local employment agency (Agentur für Arbeit) as well as the foreigners’ registration office (Ausländerbehörde).
If you are an international student who is just taking a language or a preparatory course in Germany, you can work only during your recess periods. For this, however, you must take permission from both the Federal Employment Agency and the Immigration Office.
If you are living in an area that has low unemployment rates, you will typically receive permission to work more than your prescribed hours as an international student in Germany. However, if you are employed as an academic assistant, you will not be limited by working hours. All the same, you will have to inform the foreigner’s office about your role and employment status.
Recruiters will post their vacancies and part-time job offers on websites, job portals, and even university bulletin boards. Hence, if you are looking for a job opportunity in Germany, you must carefully browse through information boards and job posting sites to land the role that meets your needs. Moreover, you can also connect with the career center at your university to look for vacancies and part-time roles that suit you. Additionally, you can ask your friends and acquaintances for job referrals and information on openings.
From waiting at bars, and serving at restaurants, to working in your industry or as an academic assistant, you can take up a range of roles as a part-time worker in Germany. However, remember the more hours of work at a post unrelated to your area of study, the longer your period of study will be. Some of the popular part-time roles for international students in Germany are as follows:
You Can Work as An Academic Assistant in The Following Roles:
If You are Taking Off-Campus Jobs, The Roles Available to You Will be as Follows:
While a part-time job in Germany can pay you enough to have pocket money or add to your income, it cannot fend for your living expenses. The minimum wage in Germany in 2022 was 12 EUR per hour and, generally, this amount is revised every two years based on a number of factors. Overall, your total income will obviously depend on the skills you bring to the table and the industry or kind of role that you take on.
For instance, production, trade fairs, and academic organizations will pay you a higher per-hour wage than the minimum wage. Also, a few industries may pay you less overall but specific jobs can pay you more. The daily wage and/or the total pay is also largely dependent on the regional labor market, that is to say, if you are living and working in a large city in Germany, you will typically be paid more than if you were employed in a small city in Germany.
As a part-time worker in Germany, if you are earning up to 450 EUR per month, you do not need to pay tax. However, if your per-month income exceeds 450 EUR, you will have to get a tax number. Thus, the tax amount will be deducted from your monthly wages and returned to you by year-end once you file your tax returns. As a part-time student in Germany, you do not need to pay social security contributions – you will be eligible for the same only if you are permanently employed.
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Book your Free Counselling Session now!Yes, if you are enrolled in a full-time program in Germany. If you are in Germany for language or preparatory courses, you will have to seek permission from the Federal Employment Agency and the Immigration Office and work during recess periods only.
The minimum wage, as of 2021, was 12 EUR per hour. This amount is revised every two years, based on a number of factors.
It can definitely be an extra source of money but alone, it cannot provide for your living cost as a student in Germany.
A full-day of work is 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week and a half-day will be anything less than the full-day.
You will need to pay tax only if your monthly income exceeds 450 EUR.
