Work in Germany
Jobs in Germany
EU Blue Card, no lottery, and a clear split between Berlin startups and Munich pay.
Editorial
Reviewed April 2026 (visa) and August 2026 (salary). Guidance only — not immigration legal advice. Market estimates, not job offers. How we source this
Work permit
EU Blue Card
Mid software engineer · Berlin
€81,420
Studio rent · Berlin
$1,100/mo
Visa
EU Blue Card
The EU Blue Card is the main skilled route for non-EU graduates: a qualifying job offer, a recognised degree, and a salary above the Blue Card threshold (lower for shortage occupations such as IT). There is no lottery. The Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) lets some job-seekers enter to look for work. Employer sponsorship is a work contract plus local Ausländerbehörde steps, not a US-style petition. Confirm the current threshold on Make it in Germany — it is indexed.
English-speaking tech teams are common in Berlin. German becomes important for government paperwork, healthcare, and most non-tech employers.
Make it in Germany — EU Blue Card ↗ · Short-stay visa checker
Job market
How hiring actually works
Berlin pays less than Munich and far less than Zurich, but has the densest English-speaking startup market in the German-speaking world. Munich skews toward automotive, enterprise, and higher base salaries. Worker protections and health insurance are strong; bureaucracy is the tax you pay for them.
Cities on this page: Berlin, Munich. Search on Global Job Scanner is account-gated; create a free account to run a live Germany query.
Pay
Mid-level salaries, local currency
Same model as the salary checker (2025–2026 market estimates, Q1 2026 FX). Not an offer.
| City | Software Engineer | Product Manager | Data Scientist |
|---|---|---|---|
| BerlinEUR | €81,420 | €83,720 | €76,360 |
| MunichEUR | €92,920 | €95,680 | €87,400 |
Compare Berlin against another city · Rent and budget in the cost of living calculator
Questions
Before you book a one-way ticket
What visa do I need to work in Germany?
EU Blue Card. The EU Blue Card is the main skilled route for non-EU graduates: a qualifying job offer, a recognised degree, and a salary above the Blue Card threshold (lower for shortage occupations such as IT). There is no lottery. The Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) lets some job-seekers enter to look for work. Employer sponsorship is a work contract plus local Ausländerbehörde steps, not a US-style petition. Confirm the current threshold on Make it in Germany — it is indexed.
What does a software engineer earn in Germany?
A mid-level software engineer in Berlin is about €81,420 in our 2026 model (local currency, market estimate — not an offer). Compare other roles in the table on this page or the salary checker.
Can I get by in English?
English-speaking tech teams are common in Berlin. German becomes important for government paperwork, healthcare, and most non-tech employers.
Search
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