Step by Step to the Job Market and Informations About the Legal Regulations
With this short introduction into the world of working Germany, we aim to help international student and young talents. We present some relevant informations about the German job market, how to enter it, strategies to search for jobs and supporting institutions.
Key Contacts
The Career Service at the University of Wuppertal (Bergische Universität Wuppertal) has a bunch of services to help students, alumni, and scholars — national and international — get ahead in their careers and make it from academia to the real worls.
What they help with: CV checks, application photos, workshops, job portal access / informations, consultation regarding job and study.
Further Informations: Career Service
The In Touch Programme is a support programme at the University of Wuppertal that helps international students at all stages of their studies and, in coorperation with other departments and faculties, prepares them later before graduation for working life in Germany. Similar to the Career Service, the In Touch Career Programme offers international students support with career planning and job searching, as well as digital career resources, language training and intercultural training, events and workshops, especially for those who are in last stages of their studies.
What they help with: Enrolment, residence permit support, welcome service
Further informations: In Touch Career Programme
The Sprachlehrinstitut offers a wide range of language courses, including courses to promote work-related language skills such as German@work and English@work for international students. These courses, together with associated coaching events, not only teach language skills, but also nurture them with the professional knowledge and intercultural competences necessary for a successful career in Germany.
What they help with: Support language knowledge, especially German language, regarding study and professional, as well as placement test.
Further Informations: Sprachlehrinstitut
The first core service if this institution is helping international residents and newcomers to find their path into the job market, including career orientation, accessing language courses, and getting recognitions of people's professional qualifications. The other second core service is focusing in all legal aspects of employment-related residence, including processing and advice on permits for work, vocational training the EU Blue Cards, family reunification, research stays, self-employment, also guidance in the legal requirements for hiring and employing international staffs for employers.
What they help with: Job integration and navigating German's employment laws
Further informations: Kommunlaes Integrationszentrum
The Federal Employment Agency (BA) is Germany's main public body responsible for employment services, vocational training, unemployment insurance, and labour market integration. It has special divisions including International and Specialized Services (ZAV—Zentrale Auslands- und Fachvermittlung) for international job markets and Institute for Employment Research (IAB—Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung), a labour market research institute.
What they help with: Job counselling, unemployment benefits
Further informations: Bundesagentur für Arbeit for Internationals
The IHK (Industrie- und Handelskammern, engl.: Chamber of Industry and Commerce) is the go-to partner for all things business-realted in Germany. With 79 regional chamber nationwide, the IHK supports companies of all sizes and industries—from start-ups to global players—helping them to grow and suceed in an increasingly competitive market. These public-law corporations are deeply rooted in their local regions and serve the business community. They understand regional economic dynamics and collaborate with member companies to improve conditions for prosperity and growth.
Further informations regarding IHK in Wuppertal
FAQ's Corner
Even if your residence permit has expired, you can continue working if you have submitted your application for renewal in good time. More information can be found in the citizen information bulletin dated 1 July 2025.
The University of Wuppertal would like to stay in touch with you even after you have completed your studies or your study or research stay in Wuppertal.
The alumni portal supports you as a Germany alumni in maintaining your connection to Germany/Wuppertal.
On the platform, you can network with other alumni, as well as German and international organisations and companies. You can also take advantage of exciting online offers, such as webinars, expert chats, specialist groups, job exchanges, German language courses, and other educational and career opportunities.
Have you successfully completed your studies? If so, please take part in our survey on job prospects after graduation. Click here to take part.
Is your study visit to Germany/Wuppertal not going as you had planned or imagined?
Do you sometimes have the feeling of being overwhelmed in lectures or examinations?
Would you prefer to work and earn money in Germany straight away?
If you believe that your studies are not suitable for you and you would rather take a different path, such as vocational training or taking up gainful employment, then since 2 April 2024 you have new opportunities to switch from a residence permit for study purposes to a residence permit for gainful employment thanks to the further development of skilled labour immigration law by the Federal Government.
This means that as an alternative to studying at the University of Wuppertal, you have the option of working in Germany/the Bergisches Land region or completing an apprenticeship.
Those who are trained in Germany are the skilled workers of tomorrow. - Let us advise you:
Labour and skilled workers service centre
Bendahler Str. 27 (in the Wicküler City shopping centre, 2nd floor)
42285 Wuppertal
Make an appointment: servicestelle.arbeit.ki@stadt.wuppertal.de
At the University of Wuppertal, the central student guidance and counselling services will help you find the right path for you:
https://www.bergauf.uni-wuppertal.de/de/zweifel-am-studium.html
The University of Wuppertal's Career Service shares and publishes information on various job fairs and job portals that you can use for your job search.
Rebrand your Cover Letter & CV. Click here for useful tips on how to polish up your profile.
The Kinds of Work during Your Study
From theory to practice: internships offer the ideal opportunity to get a taste of future professional life. They are therefore an important support in your career planning, as they not only give you initial professional experience that looks good on your CV, but also offer valuable guidance on the career path you want to take in the future.
An internship is a temporary job. For mandatory internship, the length is set in the study regulations. For voluntary internships, there are no legally required length, but the pay is a big factor. Most voluntary internships last between 1.5 and 3 months. But there are also cases of half-year- and a year-long internship. The durations is often specified by the company in the job advertisement or determined individually with the intern.
The right time for an internship depends heavily on its duration. Shorter internships are easier to fit into the semester break, for example, while longer ones may require a "practical semester" to be planned
Unlike an internship, a working student position usually involves working for a company for a longer period of time in exchange for better pay. The prerequisite for a working student position is enrolment at a higher education institution, i.e. student status. During term time, students can work up to 20 hours per week, but during the semester break, this can be increased to full-time by arrangement. Working as a working student enables you to apply your theoretical knowledge in practice and develop professional preferences. As well as acquiring hard and soft skills, you also build up a professional network.
If the company and the respective chair offer the opportunity, the thesis can be written in the company, i.e. with practical relevance. On the other hand, the company can benefit from your scientific background, and on the other hand, you can benefit from the direct practical relevance in your empirical part. This also offers you the opportunity to get to know a company that could enable you to start your career. In addition, you can also make important contacts and gain relevant professional experience. This option needs a pre-discussion with your supervisor.
Special Events just for you
In collaboration between Career Service and In Touch Programme from International Center; our very first International Career Week
Some useful events that you won't to be missed!
Last but not Least
How can I prepare for professional life during my studies? Students can gain insights into professional life and make important contacts during their studies. However, with so many options available, it is easy to lose track. On the one hand, there are opportunities to expand your hand skills. Yet on the other hand, there are also opportunities to expand your soft skills. When considering the best way to prepare for professional life, you should ask yourself the following questions: Am I already aiming for a specific profession? What skills should I bring with? What do I hope to gain from the job? How much time do I have available?
The topic of "networking during your studies" is a particularly important one that is often underestimated by students. We often encounter the term "vitamin B", which signals to us that many opportunities are made possible through personal contacts.
Career networks such as Xing/LinkedIn are social networks that enable users to establish professional contacts, search for vacancies and, from the emplocer's perspective, fill these vacancies. You create a user profile, which is similar to a digital CV ans is effectively "permanently" available on the job market. This gives HR managers the opportunity to contact you directly and allows you to take advantage of the job markets available there. To increase chances, your user profile should be professional and up to date!
The Start-Up Center an the University of Wuppertal supports students, graduates and employess on their way to start their own business. We offer exciting events in the topic of start-ups, where you can meet founders from the University of Wuppertal and get inspiration and, of course, support for your next start-up project!
For more information: Start-Up Center BUW
Some success stories building your own business are also available.
Interested for taking German's language course to expand your future career? Click here!
