Apply online for a visa for taking up employment as part of a placement agreement

As a skilled worker from a third country outside the EU, you need a recognised professional qualification in order to work in Germany. You will need to have your qualification recognised before you enter the country.

In some special cases, the Federal Employment Agency in Germany enters into a so-called placement agreement with a foreign employment service, which make it possible to enter the country to take up employment before the qualification is recognised.

If you have received approval from the Federal Employment Agency to pursue qualified employment as part of a placement agreement, you can choose to apply for your entry visa online using the Consular Services Portal or you can go to your local German mission. Information on possible exemptions from the visa requirement can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.

Please note:

Some German missions abroad work together with service providers to check applications. These service providers help to ensure that applications are processed quickly and smoothly and may charge a service fee for this. You will find out during the application process whether the German mission or consulate responsible for you works with a service provider and what service fee is charged.