AtlasCarta
Pathways/Germany
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Germany · National (Germany)

Work

Post-Study Job Search Permit (§20 AufenthG)

For graduates of a German higher education institution to stay up to 18 months to find skilled employment.

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Pathway overview

For graduates of a German higher education institution to stay up to 18 months to find skilled employment.

Verified directly from make-it-in-germany.com: you need to have successfully completed your studies at a recognized German higher education institution (this permit follows directly from a Student Visa, §16b/§16c) and be able to secure your livelihood without public funds. Genuinely different from the Opportunity Card, which is for skilled professionals arriving from abroad without a German study history. Grants up to 18 months to look for skilled employment, during which any type of work — including self-employment — is permitted without restriction.

Eligibility requirements

Intended applicant
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Job offer
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Age
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Language
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Experience
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Costs and financial requirements

Main financial requirement
Not yet confirmed in structured format
Government fee
Not yet confirmed in structured format

Application process

Apply at your local Ausländerbehörde before your Student Visa expires

Status, validity and rights

Current status
Open
Initial validity
Not yet confirmed in structured format
Renewal
Not yet confirmed in structured format
Work rights
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Study rights
Not yet confirmed in structured format

Family inclusion

Not yet confirmed in structured format

Permanent residence and citizenship

Permanent residence

Not yet confirmed in structured format

Citizenship

Not yet confirmed in structured format

Eligibility to apply for permanent residence or citizenship never guarantees approval.

Required documents

An official pathway-specific document checklist has not yet been confirmed in structured format.

Official sources and verification

No reviewer-confirmed official source is available for public display yet.

Last published
2026-09-05
Last source verification
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Effective from
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Effective to
No end date published

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