Germany’s Working Holiday Visa for Australians
Germany isn’t just an economic powerhouse and one of Europe’s largest countries – it’s also a very interesting place to live. With world-class infrastructure, lively cities, adorable villages and great beer, what more could you want?
If you’re an Australian aged between 18 and 30 years old, you can apply for a German Working Holiday visa. This allows you to live in Germany for up to a year, during which time you can leave and re-enter the country as often as you like. You may also work during your stay in Germany, but only for up to six months with any single employer.
This page contains information about Germany’s Working Holiday Visa for Australian citizens, as well as living in Germany. It was last updated on 4 March 2023.
If you have previously applied for a working holiday visa in Germany but your stay was interrupted by COVID-19, you may be able to reapply to resume your working holiday.
Key facts about Germany
- Population: Approx. 84 million
- Official language: German
- Capital city: Berlin
- Largest cities: Berlin, Hamburg, Munich (München), Cologne (Köln), Frankfurt, Stuttgart
- Name of the country in German: Deutschland
- Currency: Euro
Germany Working Holiday Visa requirements
In addition to Australians, Germany offers Working Holiday visas to citizens of Argentina, Chile, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and Uruguay. Please check the German embassy of your own country for information relevant to you.
To apply for a German Working Holiday Visa as an Australian citizen, you must meet the following requirements:
- Aged between 18-30 years old (inclusive) at the time of application
- Your main reason for visiting Germany is for cultural exchange
You cannot apply for this visa if:
- You will be accompanied by dependent children during your stay in Germany
- You have already held a German working holiday visa
Documents needed to apply for this visa
When applying for a Working Holiday Visa for Germany as an Australian citizen, you will need to provide the following documents:
- A completed, printed and signed online application form
- A recent passport photo (35x45cm)
- Passport (with an expiry date at least 3 months after you complete your stay in Germany)
- Evidence of travel/health insurance, including at least €30,000 (approx. AUD50,000) coverage for medical evacuation, repatriation of mortal remains and coverage for pandemics
- Copy of your return flight ticket to Germany and/or proof of sufficient funds to buy one (approx. AUD2,100 for a return ticket or AUD1,500 for a one-way ticket if you already have an outbound ticket)
- Bank statements showing proof of sufficient funds (at least AUD7,100 unless you can prove you have free accommodation for at least the first 3 months, in which case the amount is AUD1,800). If applying after arrival in Germany, this requirement reduces to €2,000 (approx. AUD3,200).
A visa fee of €75 (or AUD equivalent) applies. You can pay this at the time of application by credit card or cash.
Once your visa is processed, you can either return in person to collect your passport. Or if you provide a prepaid, self-addressed registered mail envelope at the time of your application, the Consulate General will return your passport by mail.
More information is available on the German embassy’s website. We recommend that you read the information provided by the German embassy in detail before applying for this visa.
Travel insurance requirements
You will need to make sure that your travel insurance meets the minimum criteria specified by the German embassy. Not all travel insurance policies provide adequate cover, so check the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) carefully before purchasing travel insurance. You can also see our guide to working holiday travel insurance here.
Your travel insurance will need to be valid for your entire length of stay, and provide a minimum cover of €30,000 (approx. AUD50,000) in all of the following subcategories:
- Medical evacuation
- Repatriation of mortal remains
- Coverage for pandemics
When lodging your visa application, you will need to provide the certificate of insurance and the PDS/table of benefits, which clearly show at least €30,000 (or AUD equivalent) of coverage for all of the subcategories listed above.
If your travel insurance coverage is deemed inadequate, the German authorities will not process your visa application.
How to apply for a Germany Working Holiday Visa
There are two ways that Australians can apply for a German Working Holiday Visa:
- In person at the German Consulate General in Sydney up to 3 months before your intended arrival date in Germany (strongly recommended)
- In person at an “Ausländerbehörde” (local immigration authority office) after arrival in Germany (not recommended)
Applying in Australia
The German embassy recommends applying in advance, via the Consulate General in Sydney, as this will allow you to work as soon as you arrive in Germany. You will not be allowed to work in Germany until you receive your visa.
We also strongly recommend that you apply in Australia.
You will need to make an appointment with the Consulate General well in advance of submitting your visa application. It generally takes 1-2 weeks for your visa to be processed and your passport to be returned to you.
Ensure you have all required documents with you when applying for your visa. The Consulate General will not accept incomplete visa applications – even if you flew all the way from Perth to apply in Sydney for your visa!
If your visa application is not accepted, you will need to make a new appointment to apply for a second time. The next available appointment could be weeks away.
Applying in Germany
It is technically possible to apply for this visa in Germany, but many Australians have reported difficulties with getting appointments and contacting the relevant departments on arrival. To save yourself a lot of stress, we suggest that you apply in Australia.
If you do want to apply for your working holiday visa after arriving in Germany, you’ll need to ensure you’ve received your visa within 90 days of arrival.
If you apply in Berlin, your visa could be processed on the same day. But in the wurst-case scenario (pardon the pun!), it could take 4-6 weeks to process your visa.
Arriving in Germany
You will need to deal with a little bit of German bureaucracy after you arrive. That may seem like a scary prospect, but it’s not as bad as it may sound!
Once you have a new address in Germany, you must register with the local municipal government (this procedure is known as the “Anmeldung”). This generally needs to be completed within 7 days. However, in some states (e.g. Berlin) it’s 14 days and in others (e.g. Rheinland-Pfalz) it’s immediately. You will also need to register if you change address, and de-register when you leave Germany.
To complete your Anmeldung, you’ll need to fill out a form (this will probably be in German) and visit your local government office with proof of identity. Check the requirements for your state as these may vary.
Once you’ve registered, you will receive two important documents which you will need to get a job or access services in Germany (e.g. opening a bank account):
- Anmeldebestätigung/Meldebescheinigung (certificate of registration confirmation)
- Steueridenitifikationsnummer (tax ID number)
If you decide to work in Germany, you may need other documents down the track and you’ll probably need to get a local health insurance policy. But the main thing is to complete the Anmeldung as soon as possible.
Once you’ve registered, unfortunately you’ll probably have to pay Germany’s infamous TV & radio tax. The cost is €18.36/month per household. Pretty much everyone has to pay this – even households without a TV or radio!
Germany also has a “church tax”, but you would only need to pay this if you declare a religion when registering in Germany. Leave this field blank to avoid paying this income tax!
Living in Germany as an Australian
Berlin is probably the most popular place to live in Germany for young people and internationals. There’s good reason for this – it’s so much more than the capital and largest city! It’s a multicultural metropolis which also has lots of nature, open spaces, a fascinating history, excellent culture and nightlife, and so much to see & do.
Germany is a large country and there are differences between the various regions, including cultural and language/accent differences. The “German food” most people associate with the country is actually Bavarian food; you’ll find all sorts of different cuisines in the north of the country.
Living in Germany is generally affordable. But wealthy cities like Munich, Hamburg or Frankfurt may be more expensive to live than places like Berlin, Leipzig or Dresden.
Germany is well-connected by high-speed trains, and there are large international airports in Frankfurt, Munich, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne and Berlin. (Frankfurt and Munich are by far the two largest airports as Lufthansa has bases there.) If you live in any city in Germany, you should have no problem getting around by public transport or even bicycle.
English is widely spoken in large cities like Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich, but is less common in smaller towns and among older people. At least a basic knowledge of the German language will make life much easier for you when living in Germany.
Germany’s bilateral visa exemption for Australian citizens
By the way, Australia and Germany do also have a bilateral agreement that allows Australians to stay up to 90 days at any one time in the country without a visa. Under this agreement, there is no limit to the number of times Australians may re-enter Germany.
However, the bilateral agreement does not come with the right to work in Germany and you would need to travel to a non-Schengen country at least once every 90 days to reset the clock. So, a working holiday visa could still be a better option if you want to live and work in Germany as an Australian citizen for up to a year.
While best efforts are made to keep this information updated, we do not guarantee its accuracy. If you spot an error, would like to suggest new information to be added or simply have a question, please let us know in the comments. We’ll endeavour to respond or update the article as quickly as possible!
Hi. I would be keen to live and work in Germany, however I want to study. Any advice?
If you would like to study in Germany, a student visa (“Studentenvisum”) may be more appropriate. See https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/visa-service/buergerservice/faq/-/606850
Hello, Your website is very helpful. I am having trouble confirming online that the German government currently allow Australians to apply for a working holiday visa after arrival in Germany. My son doesn’t have time to apply before leaving Australia, so we would like to confirm it is still possible to get the visa after he arrives. Perhaps you can suggest a current web page? Thanks so much!
Hi Heather! Have a look at: https://australien.diplo.de/au-en/service/01-visa/working-in-germany/2073676#content_7
In particular, this page contains the following information:
“Australian citizens (as well as New Zealand, Israeli and Japanese citizens) are able to apply for a residence permit after entering Germany at the local immigration authority (‘Ausländerbehörde’) without applying prior for the visa in Australia. But, we recommend to apply for the Working Holiday Visa in advance, because the visa issued is valid for the whole first year and it allows you to start working immediately after arrival.”
Hi, my partner would like to apply for a working holiday visa on arrival. How long does it usually takes to get approved? As one of our friends applied for one on arrival and got it straight away, however on your website it states 4-6 weeks. Any idea why? Is it different for each state?
Regards,
Annie
I have heard mixed reports about this. One website (https://www.nomadenberlin.com/german-working-holiday-visa) says it normally takes 4-6 weeks, but the official Berlin government website (https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/305265/standort/121885/en/) says the residence permit is normally issued on the same day.
I have personally spoken to other Australians who’ve had their working holiday visa processed at the immigration office in Berlin on the spot, so if this is also the recent experience of your friend, I think that is the most likely scenario if you are applying in Berlin. 🙂
The processing times could be different in other cities.
I’ll update this page with this info.
Hi,
I would like to secure a job before going to work in germany any recommendations on websites that are legit in which I can search for jobs.
Thank you
I’m not sure that I would recommend trying to find a job before you arrive in Germany. It would be quite difficult to do so, particularly for the types of jobs you would normally work with a working holiday visa (keep in mind the maximum employment during is six months per employer), and most employers would want to at least interview you in person and check that you can legally work in Germany before offering a job.
Regarding websites – Xing, StepStone and Indeed are all legit, but there are many others. Many jobs are advertised directly by the employer and/or in-store (for retail/restaurant work).
One tip when applying for a job in Germany – note that it’s customary to include a photo of yourself on your resume.
Hi there, I am travelling into Germany at the beginning of June and need to apply for a working-holiday visa. I’m just wondering where I can apply for one and what I need to apply for it? I have all my legal documents and insurance ect just wondering if there is anything else?
Have a read of the article above and the links to the German government websites which contain the info you need.
Hi Matt,
could you reccomend a travel insurer that satisfied the requirement for “pandemic” coverage, all of the australian ones ive looked at seem to include all pandemics except covid19 in their general exclusions. Thanks!
Did you end up finding insurance that the consulate will accept? Having the same problem with finding coverage for pandemics and my appointment is next week.
Response would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Reply
Does a German Working Holiday Visa allow me to work in other EU countries?
No, it doesn’t.
Have a read of https://workingholiday.au/europe-working-holiday-visa/
Hi, I want to travel to Europe for tourism purposes but stay there for around 5 to 6 months. Reading above, it seems that I will need to have a place of residency but I don’t intend to live in Germany. Do I then need to still have a place?
The German working holiday visa only gives you the right to stay in *Germany* beyond the 90 out of every 180 days you are allowed to stay the Schengen Area as a tourist. A German visa doesn’t necessarily give you the right to reside/stay in other European countries for more than 90 days. So, if you don’t intend to live in Germany, this is probably not a suitable visa for you.
Hi Matt – thanks for this it is very helpful. Are there any restrictions on earnings or the types of positions you can take? I understand you can only work for the same employer for 6 months, but are there any other restrictions? I recently arrived in Berlin and was hoping to find work in the film industry. Thanks!
I’m not aware of any such restrictions on the type of work that can be carried out. The German Foreign Office website states: “To help finance the stay, jobs can be taken up with different employers of the visa holder’s choice.”
https://australien.diplo.de/au-en/service/01-visa/working-in-germany/2073676#content_7
Good Evening !! My daughter interest to live in Germany at the end of this year . I just wondering With Work Holiday Visa !! I am be able to studying .. attend class for germany language as well ?
I believe it would be fine to take a short course, such as a German language course. If she would study for a longer period, a student visa might be more appropriate.
Hi, I am looking at applying for the youth mobility working visa and intend on working in Germany sometime this year. In just over a month I will be over my 90 days within 180 days in the Schengen area and I was wondering, given I am able to obtain this youth mobility visa, if I am allowed to travel to the other Schengen countries once those 90 days are up? For reference, I have a place to live in Germany. Thank you for your help
No, I believe the limit of 90 days out of every 180 days would still apply to other Schengen Area countries other than Germany. This is a visa specific to Germany and only gives you the right to live, work and stay in Germany beyond the usual 90/180 days in Schengen countries.
Please see: https://workingholiday.au/europe-working-holiday-visa/
Hi,
I am currently filling out the Videx long-term visa application form to get the Working Holiday Visa. In the section “Reference”, what is it asking for? I don’t have a company/organisation sponsoring me. Do I put “Reference person”, and if so must this be someone I know in Germany? Or can it be a relative here in Australia, or even a hotel I’m planning to stay in in Germany?
Would so appreciate the help of someone who’s gone through this process before! My appointment is very soon!
Thanks,
Finn
I’m not exactly sure as this was not a requirement back when I applied, but if you’re applying for a working holiday visa I would suggest that listing the details of a “Reference person” would be most appropriate. I assume this could just be a relative or friend who can vouch for you, and that they don’t need to be in Germany as the drop-down box lets you choose any country when entering their address.
Hi, thanks so much for this article, was a great read 🙂 Do you know if we can change a working holiday visa to a work permit/visa if we secure a more permanent job? Thanks, Emily
Hi Emily. You wouldn’t be able to “change” your visa type, but if you wanted to secure a more permanent job in Germany down the track and had a sponsor etc., there’s no reason you couldn’t later apply for a different type of visa that you are eligible for.
This page contains general information about other types of working visas in Germany: https://australien.diplo.de/au-en/service/01-visa/working-in-germany/2073676
Hi, my daughter (Australian) is hoping to obtain a working holiday visa AFTER she arrives in Germany, as she currently lives in the USA so can’t apply in Australia beforehand.
It is a little confusing as one website seems to imply that you MUST register to live and apply in Berlin. However your information here sounds as though she would be able to apply elsewhere at the local immigration authority in her region. (In her case somewhere near Lorrach would be ideal.) IS this correct? Would that mean she still has to post her passport to Berlin??
Does her insurance have to cover one year after the date of her visa appointment?
Thank you for any clarity you can bring !
I don’t have any first-hand experience with applying in Germany, but according to the German government website you should be able to apply at any Ausländerbehörde (immigration office) in Germany. There is one at Lörrach – https://www.loerrach.de/de/Stadt-Buerger/Rathaus-Buergerservice/Ihre-Ansprechpartner/Fachbereiche/Aufgabenbereich?view=publish&item=level1&id=26
It is possible that applying in Lörrach could be slightly more complicated because they probably would not have processed many of these types of visas there before, but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be possible or why she would need to post her passport to Berlin.
The travel insurance would need to meet the requirements for the visa (minimum coverage for certain things) and be valid for her entire stay in Germany.
Hello all,
Just a question regarding applying for the working holiday visa in Germany.
I’m currently living with my girlfriend in Hanau and in the process of anmeldung here. Firstly, will I need to travel to Berlin to to apply for the working holiday visa or can these be also completed at the Australian Consulate in Frankfurt?
You shouldn’t necessarily need to travel to Berlin, but you definitely can’t apply for a German working holiday visa at an Australian consulate. The Australian government doesn’t issue these visas – the German government does.
As per my response to the previous question (see above), you should be able to apply at any Ausländerbehörde (immigration office) in Germany.
Hello,
Im hoping to apply for the WHV once In Berlin, does this mean I will need to find somewhere to live and register with the Anmeldung first before applying? or do they accept / approve applications if I’m staying somewhere temporary (hostel, hotel etc) until finding accommodation and work
Thanks for your help!
Maddi, have a look at this page: https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/305265/standort/121885/en/
One of the required documents when applying for a working holiday visa in Berlin is “proof of main residence in Berlin”. This can be either in the form of a “Certificate of registration at the main residence” (i.e. the Anmeldung/Meldebestätigung) or a “Rental agreement and written confirmation of occupancy from the landlord”. The website I’ve linked above has an example of a rental agreement that would be accepted.
Hello,
Can I apply for the via at an Ausländerbehörde that is not in Berlin? Do you happen to know if there is one in Munich?
Thank you in advance!
Please see my answers to the previous questions which asked about this.
You should be able to apply in Munich but I have not personally tried this.
Thanks so much for your blog. I am confused by this requirement for the German working holiday visa. Could you explain this a little more? It appears to only apply to people with dependent children?
You cannot apply for this visa if:
You will not be accompanied by dependent children during your stay in Germany
The official wording from the German government states that you must “not be accompanied by dependent family members (e.g. children) during your stay”.
Basically, this means that this visa does not entitle you to bring any children with you to Germany under the same visa. If you happen to have a child/ren but they won’t be coming with you to Germany at all, then there shouldn’t be a problem.
Hi Matt, Thank you for providing all of this information. I understand there is a maximum 6 month employment with one employer, however is there any such restriction on hours per week that can be worked?
I am also interested in if there are any other visas for working in germany, that are longer than one year however not having a qualification? I am studying online at an australian university, however will not finish this study until 2 years into my stay in Germany – therefore I plan to stay multiple years but work ‘unskilled’ jobs until graduated. Thank you in advance 🙂
There’s no restriction on number of hours worked as far as I’m aware.
Regarding other types of visas, this is not something we cover on this website sorry.
Hi Matt,
I am currently in the process of attaining a WHV for Germany. My intentions are to spend the first while of my trip travelling the many places of Europe and then the rest of my time living and working in Berlin.
Is the Anmeldung process required upon my arrival to Germany even if i am not living and working right away?
As far as I’m aware, the Anmeldung is required once you have moved into a regular place of residence in Germany.
Hi, I can see that you need to have travel/expat insurance to apply for the working VISA. Do you need to prove that you have insurance paid for the whole year? Or can you show that you are paying on a month to month basis?
Thank you!
Your travel insurance needs to be pre-paid and valid for the entire duration you plan to stay in Germany. If you plan to stay for a full 12 months, your travel insurance needs to be valid at least that long.
Hi Matt, I am desperately looking for advice in what is proving to be a very confusing process. My 22 year old daughter arrived in Germany 2 weeks ago with the intention of just applying for the working holiday visa in Berlin. She ended up sick on arrival and spent the first week in bed, the second week in hospital. She’s now out and needs to work through the process. My understanding is that in order to apply for a working holiday visa, you need a residence permit first. And in order to get this, you need to prove that you have a place to live (she will be living with a friends parents in their house). It’s also my understanding that all of this needs to happen within the first 14 days (which is tomorrow). However, there are no appointments at the local office that gives the residence permit. Additional to this, there does not seem to be any appointments available at all at the office that does the working visa. So that’s two appointments she must get asap, and she can not even secure a date. Is this really the case? I also read something else somewhere that was conflicting but I’m not sure if it’s true, if her friends parents fill in a certain residence form proving she is living there, then she doesn’t need the appointment right now for the residence permit in order to get the visa. Is this true? As you can see, it’s all so confusing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Sorry to hear about all of these troubles. I’m not sure if this is still the case, but when I was in Germany, you could apply for the Anmeldung and a working holiday visa by simply turning up in the morning at the relevant offices and waiting in the (long) queue. This may have changed now.
I’m not sure about the possibility for her friends’ parents to fill in a registration form for her – they would know more about this.
I understand that it’s not at all ideal and may not be practical for your daughter, but my honest opinion is that it might be easier for her to return to Australia at this point, apply for a visa in Australia, and then return to Germany once she has the visa.
I’ve heard a few stories about similar difficulties with applying for this visa on arrival, so will update the guide to emphasise that it’s best to do it in advance.
I would definitely recommend applying for the visa before arriving in Germany. I made the mistake of waiting until I arrived because I wanted to travel first and be able to utilise as much of the yearlong working holiday visa as possible after finishing my travels. It is very difficult to get hold of the correct authority. In Bremen the wait time just to get a call back from the correct department of the Ausländerbehörde is 1-2 weeks, this is before even booking an appointment.
I agree – I will update the guide to make it clear that it’s best to apply for the visa before arriving in Germany.
Hello 🙂 I am on a working holiday 1 year visa in Berlin at the moment and one of the conditions are that I have to change jobs every 6 months. However I am at a job I really like and the 6 month mark is approaching, do you know about being able to extend working at that job? Is there a letter I can get from the employer? My visa won’t run out for another 4 months but I want to stay there. I have tried researching online but couldn’t find anything about it. Any information would be greatly appreciated
Hi Lindsay. Glad you’re enjoying your time in Berlin 🙂
If the rule is that you can only work for up to six months with the same employer, then I don’t imagine the German government is going to give any flexibility with that. In Deutschland, Regeln sind Regeln 😉
So, while I don’t think you would have much luck continuing beyond six months on your working holiday visa, perhaps you could look into the possibility of your current employer sponsoring you for a different type of visa (i.e. a work visa)?
Hi Matt,
I’ve got my appointment at the consulate in sydney next week, however ive hit a snag in finding travel insurance that fulfils the requirement of covering pandemics/epidemics, are you able to reccomend a provider that the consulate will accept?
Did you end up finding insurance that the consulate will accept? Having the same problem with finding coverage for pandemics and my appointment is next week.
Response would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
What insurers would you recommend for a 1-2year trip combining general holiday a working holidays?
Sorry Jacinta for the slow reply.
Please see here for travel insurance recommendations: https://workingholiday.au/travel-insurance/
Hi Matt,
For the work holiday visa for Germany.
Do you understand that the medical insurance is for at least 30,000 euros and must include repatriation /evacuation and repatriation of human remains.
I can find unlimited medical but the repatriation is limited to 25,000 euros
This seems to cover the requirements or is it 30,000 euros for medical, 30,000 for repatriation and 30,000 for repatriation on death?
Just hoping to find clarification here.
Thank-you
Hi Madeline, the €30,000 requirement is for all of those things individually – including repatriation costs. You may need to find a different policy which includes more coverage for repatriation costs, as not having this would be grounds for your visa to be refused.
Please read this guide for more details: https://workingholiday.au/travel-insurance/
Hi Matt, it appears that there is a six month limit of working for a single employer
Would it be legal to work six months with one business and a further six months as a freelancer?
Is the six month rule strictly enforced?
Ideally I would want one year with a single employer… I’m Australian, professional graduate, age 25…
Perhaps changing visa after six months would be the best option…
great page by the way. very helpful!
Interestingly, the Federal Foreign Office website no longer specifies the six-month limit per employer. I’m not sure if that is the result of a change in policy or just a new webpage – https://australien.diplo.de/au-en/service/01-visa/working-holiday/2596268
You would need to check with the German authorities regarding the answer to that question. But I would note that there is a separate freelancer visa (https://australien.diplo.de/au-en/service/01-visa/working-in-germany/2073676#content_3).