International students

Foreign graduates who are not citizens of an EU member state or Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, or Switzerland can remain in Germany for up to 18 months after completing their studies to look for a job, according to current legislation. During this period, you must apply for an extension of your residence permit from the immigration office. During the 18 months, unrestricted employment is permitted.

If you find a job matching your qualifications within this period, you may be entitled to a residence permit for the purpose of gainful employment without being subject to further priority checks. After two years, you may be entitled to permanent residence.

For further questions regarding residence rights, please contact the relevant immigration office.

The contact details for Erlangen are available at www.erlangen.de.