Temporary Jobs & Placements
Temporary Jobs
Students from the EU and the EEA
Basically students from the European Union and the EEA stand practically on equal terms with German students and have free access to the German job market.
However, there are restrictions for students from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Hungary. If you come from one of these countries you only have limited access to the job market. You need authorisation from the Federal Employment Agency. This authority checks whether or not a German citizen or any other EU-citizen is available to do the job.
Non-EU students
International students who do not come from the EU or EEA are allowed to work 90 full or 180 half days in a year. To do this they do not need authorisation from the Employment Agency, i.e. the German authorities. International students who do not come from the EU cannot go self employed or work freelance! If you want to work more than 90 full or 180 half days you need the approval of the Employment Agency and the Aliens Department. Whether you receive the approval depends on the situation of the job market in your place of study. In regions with high unemployment you will have little chance of working more than 90 days. One exception, however, is the occupation of academic or student assistant. This work can be carried out for more than 90 days. The Aliens Department must still be informed if you wish to work as an academic or student assistant!
For more information please contact the following homepages:
- University’s Studentenwerk (student services: www.internationale-studierende.de/en/during_your_studies/jobbing/allowed_to_work/)
- Arbeitsagentur (Employment Agency: arbeitsagentur.de)
Placement
If you do not come from the EU or the EEA and have a work placement in Germany it counts as normal work - even if the placement is unpaid! Every day of your work experience will be subtracted from your 90 days.
For example, if you have already worked 90 days you must get authorisation from the Aliens Department and the Federal Employment Agency to be able to do a work placement.
The only exceptions are work placements that are a compulsory part of your studies.
Social insurance contributions and taxes
In Germany several different types of social contribution as well as taxes are deducted straight from your earnings. The rules for students are, however, often generous. You pay either lower contributions or none at all.
Income tax
Every employee in Germany has to pay taxes. The amount depends on your income.
If you have a so called "mini-job" earning 400 € per month, you do not have to pay taxes.
If you earn less than 7,664 € a year you will get back the taxes you have paid at the end of the year if you submit an income tax return to the tax authorities.
Pension insurance
All employees in Germany must make a contribution from their earnings to the state pension scheme. Usually this amounts to 9.75 % of income.
Student contributions are normally lower. With an income of between 400 and 500 Euro per month the amount is just 1.94 %. Whoever earns more, pays higher contributions. As of an income of 800 Euro per month students pay the full share of 9.75 %.
Health insurance/nursing care insuranceEven if they have a side job students are usually insured as students and not as employees. In that case they do not have to make any income related contributions towards health insurance. Under some circumstances, if they work more than 20 hours a week, students have to pay a contribution to health insurance. Clarify this beforehand with your employer! Unemployment insuranceStudents do not normally pay unemployment insurance contributions. This means, though, that they cannot claim unemployment benefit if they lose their side job.
(Source: Deutsches Studentenwerk)
http://www.internationale-studierende.de/en/prepare_your_studies/financing/jobbing/