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.
A complete German application (Bewerbung) usually contains:
The interview: learn about the company beforehand and be ready to explain why you chose this occupation and this employer.
Diplomas: for regulated professions (e.g. nurses, doctors, teachers) you need formal recognition. The federal portal Recognition in Germany has a Recognition Finder that shows which authority is responsible for your profession, and a hotline.
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.
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