Work/training permit

Persons with temporary residence status require a work permit from the Foreigners’ Registration Office in order to work. This permit is tied to a specific employer; therefore, a concrete job offer is required in advance. As a rule, approval for employment must also be obtained from the Employment Agency.

Tolerated persons who are required to live in a reception facility are to be permitted to work after six months. Otherwise, they are to be permitted to work after just three months. However, this applies only if no specific measures to terminate their residence have been initiated. The Foreigners’ Registration Office has discretion in this matter.

Anyone who wants to pursue vocational training through a company needs a work permit. The same rules apply as for taking a job.

For school-based vocational training, however, a work permit is not required. You do not need to obtain permission from the immigration office.

A person with temporary residence status from a so-called “safe country of origin” is prohibited from working if they have not filed an asylum application or if their asylum application has been rejected or withdrawn, unless the withdrawal occurred following a consultation with the BAMF. In addition to the member states of the European Union, the list of safe countries of origin currently includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Ghana, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, the Republic of Moldova, Senegal, and Serbia. These countries are listed in Appendix II of the Asylum Act. They are considered safe because, in the opinion of the German government, neither political persecution nor inhuman or degrading punishment or treatment takes place there.

As of June 12, 2026, work permits may also not be issued to tolerated persons who are nationals of Egypt, Bangladesh, India, Colombia, Morocco, Tunisia, and Turkey.

NOTE: The ban on working does not apply to nationals of the Republic of Moldova and Georgia who were residing in Germany on a temporary stay permit prior to 1 September 2023. Similarly, nationals of Egypt, Bangladesh, India, Colombia, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey who were granted temporary leave to remain as at 6 May 2025 or who held a work permit on 11 June 2026 are not affected by the ban on working.

In addition, work bans apply to

• tolerated residents with an unconfirmed identity.

• Tolerated persons whose deportation is not possible for reasons attributable to them, e.g., because they are not making an effort to obtain a valid passport.

• Tolerated persons who entered the country solely to receive social benefits.

The work permit is applied for at the Office of Foreigners . To do so, the applicant must already have a job offer for a specific position, whether it be an apprenticeship, an internship, or a job. The application can be submitted by the person with temporary residence status themselves or by their employer with a power of attorney. The employer must submit a completed statement regarding the employment relationship . In the case of an internship, the internship agreement is sufficient.

The Foreigners’ Registration Office then reviews whether there are any grounds for a work ban. If so, employment cannot be authorized.

If not, the office seeks approval from the Federal Employment Agency. The agency verifies whether the working conditions are equivalent to those for German nationals. If it approves the employment, the Foreigners’ Registration Office issues the work permit. It is entered into the certificate of temporary residence.

Starting in the 49th month of residence in Germany, approval from the Federal Employment Agency is no longer required.

Persons with temporary residence status whose identity is unclear and who do not make a reasonable effort to clarify it are subject to a residence requirement and a ban on employment. This status can be resolved at any time by clarifying their identity.

Anyone who has no passport or an expired passport is required to obtain a new passport or a passport substitute. If there are reasons why the obligation to cooperate in obtaining a passport cannot be fulfilled, these must be substantiated to the immigration authorities. In such cases, the authorities may waive the passport requirement.

Identity verification does not necessarily have to be done through a passport. Official documents from the country of origin that contain biometric features and personal information may also be submitted as proof. These may include, for example, a driver’s license, an official ID card, or a civil status certificate with a photograph. If these cannot be obtained, suitable official documents from the country of origin without biometric features may also be accepted as proof, such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, certificate of residence, school transcripts, or school certificates, provided they are suitable for obtaining a passport or passport substitute documents.