About 300,000 foreign workers enter Germany for seasonal work in agriculture every year. The German Statistics Office officially counted 286,300 employees in 2016 and 274,400 in 2020. Seasonal work in Germany is regulated by the German Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz or AufenthG) and the Ordinance on Seasonal Employment (Beschäftigungsverordnung or BesV).
if you come from an EU state, you do not need a work permit to work in Germany. However, you will need to register with the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit or BA) within 14 days of arriving in Germany.
If you come from a third country, you can work up to 90 days out of 180 days in total. You will need to apply for a work permit from the German embassy or consulate in your home country. The German foreign office recommends applying at least eight to ten weeks before you hope to start work.
Eligibility Criteria for Germany Seasonal Work Visa 2023
To be eligible for a seasonal work visa, you must meet the following requirements:
- You must be a national of a country that has a bilateral agreement with Germany on seasonal employment.
- You must have a valid passport or other travel document.
- You must have proof of health insurance.
- You must have sufficient funds to support yourself during your stay in Germany.
- You must have a job offer from a German employer.
Application Process for Germany Seasonal Work Visa2023
The application process for a seasonal work visa is as follows:
- Apply for a work permit from the German embassy or consulate in your home country.
- Once you have been granted a work permit, you must apply for a visa from the German embassy or consulate in your home country.
- Once you have been granted a visa, you must register with the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit or BA) within 14 days of arriving in Germany.
If you are not a citizen of an EU member state, you will need to apply for a work permit from the German embassy or consulate in your home country. Once you have been granted a work permit, you will also need to apply for a visa.
Processing Time
The processing time for a seasonal work visa is typically 6-8 weeks.
Job Sites
Certainly, here are some website links where you can search for seasonal jobs in Germany:
- Indeed: www.indeed.de
- Glassdoor: www.glassdoor.de
- Monster: www.monster.de
- EURES: ec.europa.eu/eures
- Season Workers: www.seasonworkers.com
- Jobbörse (German Federal Employment Agency): www.arbeitsagentur.de/en
- Backpacker Job Board: www.backpackerjobboard.de
