Working in Germany After Graduation — British Students

Germany's post-study work route is available to all international students regardless of nationality — including British graduates after Brexit. After completing your degree at a German university, you are entitled to apply for an 18-month job-search visa (§20 Abs.3 Aufenthaltsgesetz) that allows you to remain in Germany while you look for a role matching your qualifications. You can work up to 10 hours per week during this period. Once you find a qualifying job, you apply for a work residence permit — typically the EU Blue Card if your salary meets the threshold.

Brexit closed the UK's automatic access to the EU labor market. German permanent residence — and eventual EU citizenship through naturalisation — reopens it. A British graduate who works in Germany for long enough to obtain permanent residence (Niederlassungserlaubnis) gains the right to live and work anywhere in the EU. German dual nationality has been permitted since April 2024, meaning you can hold both a UK and German passport. For British graduates who want EU mobility, the path through German study and work is currently one of the most accessible routes available.