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Obtaining a work permit for seasonal employment for foreign nationals

Service Description

People from third countries can take up seasonal employment in Germany if the Federal Employment Agency has concluded a placement agreement with the employment services of the respective country of origin (currently with Georgia and Moldova). On this basis, the Federal Employment Agency can issue a work permit for seasonal employment. The work permit can be issued for assignments in agriculture.

As an employer, you must apply for the work permit from the Federal Employment Agency. The seasonal employment may not be longer than 90 days per 180-day period and may not exceed 6 months within a 12-month period.

Placement of seasonal workers

You can commission the Federal Employment Agency to find you a seasonal worker (currently from Georgia and the Republic of Moldova). To do this, fill out the order confirmation and employer's declaration.

If you already know seasonal workers from Georgia or the Republic of Moldova and would like to employ them, please use the form for requesting seasonal workers by name.

Process flow

If you would like to employ a seasonal worker but do not yet know any, you can ask the Federal Employment Agency to find you a seasonal worker (currently from Georgia and the Republic of Moldova):

  • Go to the application page of the Federal Employment Agency, fill out the order confirmation and employer's declaration and submit them to your responsible employer service.
  • The information sheet will inform you about further requirements and the next steps.
  • Please sign the order confirmation and send it to the Employer Service of your local employment agency. This order confirmation also serves as an application for a work permit.
  • The Federal Employment Agency will check your application and ask you to submit proof of pay, working hours and other working conditions.

If you already know seasonal workers from Georgia or Moldova and want to employ them, the following procedure applies to you:

  • Go to the application page of the Federal Employment Agency, please fill out the form to request seasonal workers by name.
  • The Federal Employment Agency will check your application and ask you to submit proof of pay, working hours and other working conditions.

If your application is approved, you will receive a work permit for the seasonal worker from the Federal Employment Agency.

Requirements

In order to obtain a work permit, you must be able to prove that the seasonal workers you wish to employ

  • have adequate health insurance,
  • have suitable accommodation,
  • have a concrete job offer or a valid employment contract,
  • the employment lasts a maximum of 90 days per 180-day period and
  • will work at least 30 hours per week.

The work permit will not be issued if

  • the foreign national is already residing in the federal territory, unless
    • the person has entered the country to take up the seasonal employment for which the work permit is being applied for, or
    • the work permit is applied for for seasonal employment that follows on from previous seasonal employment.
  • the seasonal worker has submitted an application for asylum or
  • the seasonal worker has not fulfilled the obligations of a previous seasonal employment or
  • the seasonal worker has already worked or is to work as a seasonal worker for 90 days within a period of 180 days, or
  • the seasonal employee works less than 30 hours per week or
  • your company is in insolvency proceedings or
  • your company is not (or no longer) in business.

Which documents are required?

If you would like to employ a seasonal worker but do not yet know any, the following documents are required:

  • Proof of pay, working hours and other working conditions for your seasonal workers, for example employment contracts or an entry in the order confirmation and employer's declaration application form
  • Informal notification of health insurance cover
  • Information on accommodation for your seasonal workers on the order confirmation and employer's declaration form
  • Copies of the seasonal workers' travel documents, e.g. passports

If you already know seasonal workers from Georgia or Moldova, the following documents are required:

  • "Application form for the request by name of seasonal agricultural workers from third countries"
  • Proof of sufficient health insurance for the seasonal worker
  • Copies of the travel documents of the seasonal workers, e.g. passports

What are the fees?

Fee: free of charge
There are no costs.

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

You must provide information on pay, working hours and other working conditions for your seasonal workers immediately after being requested to do so by the Federal Employment Agency.

Objection Deadline: 1 Month

Processing duration

Processing Time: 4 - 8 Weeks
At least 4 weeks if the seasonal worker to be hired is already known. Otherwise, a processing time of approx. 8 weeks should be expected.

Legal basis

Applications / forms

  • Appeal. Detailed information on how to lodge an appeal can be found in the notification of your application.
  • Social court action

Appeal

Forms available: Yes
Written form required: Yes
Informal application possible: No
Personal appearance necessary: No
Online services available: No

Further Information

Author

Federal Employment Agency (BA)


Forwarding service: Deep link to the original portal

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.

Technically approved by

Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS)

Professionally released on

20.04.2023

Source: Zuständigkeitsfinder Thüringen (Linie6PLus)

Competent Authority

Bundesagentur für Arbeit (BA), Hotline für Arbeitsmarktzulassung

Postal address
Villemombler Straße 76
53123 Bonn, Stadt
Telephone
+49 800 4555520
Remark: free of charge
Telephone
+49 228 7132000
Remark: General questions on the subject of labor market admission
Fax
+49 228 502082060
E-Mail
Contact us
WWW
Central international and specialist placement service
Opening times

Employer Service of the Federal Employment Agency:
Monday 08:00 - 18:00
Tuesday 08:00 - 18:00
Wednesday 08:00 - 18:00
Thursday 08:00 - 18:00
Friday 08:00 - 18:00

General questions on the subject of labor market admission:

Monday 09:00 - 16:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 16:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 16:00
Thursday 09:00 - 16:00
Friday 09:00 - 16:00