Germany relaxes a series of regulations for international students

Germany allows international students to work 140 days a year, lowers age and German language standards for vocational students, amid severe labor shortage.

The new regulation comes into effect from the beginning of March. Students from countries outside the European Union (EU) are allowed to work 140 days a year, an increase of 20 days compared to before.

For vocational students, the age limit for application is 35, up from 25 under the old regulations. The German government also increased the maximum residence period for this group from six to nine months and reduced the German language requirement from B2 to B1.

Students who come to Germany but are still looking for a school or are taking language courses, bridging courses, people with a residence permit for vocational training and interns are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week. This is a new point compared to before.

"This creates flexibility, making it easier for students to secure their living and transition to the labor market. It also makes Germany more attractive for international students to come and study and stay after graduation as qualified workers," the Ministry of Education and Research said in a statement.

In addition, Germany has simplified the licensing process for foreign workers. Previously, applicants in certain professions such as health care and law had to complete the process of recognizing their qualifications before entering the country, which usually took about four months. Under the new regulations, this process is carried out after the worker arrives in Germany. The requirements remain the same. Workers must have a contract, a professional certificate with a minimum training period of two years or a university degree and a German language certificate at level A2.

In some occupations that are not strictly controlled, foreign workers previously had to have a recognized degree. Now, they can come to Germany to work if they have the right expertise, experience, a job offer and are paid the minimum wage in Germany.

A corner of the campus of Technical University of Munich (TUM) - the world's top 37 school according to QS 2024. Photo: A.Eckert/TUM Fanpage

The change comes amid a severe shortage of skilled workers in Europe's largest economy. Forecasts show Germany will be short 7 million skilled workers by 2035 due to an aging population, according to Reuters.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has highlighted the role of international students in addressing this situation. Early last year, the DAAD called on governments, universities and businesses to develop strategies to attract and double the proportion of international students who stay in the country after graduation to around 50,000 per year by 2030.

“They are highly qualified and well integrated, we should make more strategic use of their potential as highly skilled professionals,” said Dr. Joybrato Mukherjee, President of DAAD.

Last academic year, there were around 458,000 international students in Germany, a record high and an increase of more than 50% compared to 10 years ago. The most popular field of study for international students was Engineering (more than 31%), followed by Law, Economics and Social Sciences.

There are three reasons why more and more international students choose to study in Germany. First, most public universities are tuition-free, with international students only paying an administrative fee of 150-250 euros (4-6.6 million VND) per year. Second, the average cost of living here is about 930 euros/month (1,000 USD), lower than in the UK or the US (1,250-1,500 USD).

Finally, after graduation, students have the opportunity to stay and work for up to 18 months. According to Study in Germany, a website about studying in Germany, nearly 70% of international students want to stay and find a job after graduation.

Doan Hung ( According to ICEF Monitor, DAAD )

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