Minimum wage of €13.90 an hour in 2026 (€14.60 from January 2027), unemployment of 3.8% – well below the EU average – and 157 occupations short of skilled workers, from nursing and construction to cooks and drivers. Find out where to look for a job, how to apply in German and what to do in your first weeks.
Start with the official portals:
Most applications are sent online – by email or through the employer’s own form. If you email it, put everything into one PDF file (max. 2 MB). Speculative applications – to companies that have not advertised a job – are common in Germany and worth trying.
For step-by-step advice on job search, CVs and interviews in any EU country, see our How to find a job abroad – 10 practical guides.
Key figures: Eurostat (population on 1 January 2026; unemployment and employment rates 2025; minimum wages July 2026); for the United Kingdom – Office for National Statistics; for Liechtenstein – national statistics. Country information: EURES – Living and working conditions, public employment services and the official government websites listed under each country. Rules, thresholds and amounts can change – check the official sources before you move. Updated: October 2026.