How the 18-month job-seeker permit works
- Who gets it: graduates of a German university with a student residence permit have a legal claim to it (§20(3) Residence Act), if identity, health insurance and living costs are covered.
- How long: up to 18 months. It cannot be extended, so plan your search around that end date.
- Working: you may take any job while searching, full-time or part-time, related to your degree or not.
- Switching: with a qualifying offer, switch to an EU Blue Card or a skilled-worker permit from inside Germany.
- Timing is everything: apply before your student permit expires. Late applications are the most common way graduates lose their status.
If something goes wrong
- No appointment before expiry: apply in writing or online before the expiry date and ask for a Fiktionsbescheinigung.
- Lost a job during the search: see Lost your job on a visa?
- Hybrid programme in Berlin: check your situation with the university risk checker and get advice early.
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Sources: Residence Act §20 (English) · Federal administration portal: job search after studies · Make it in Germany: after graduation.