The short-term contingent employment program allows German employers to temporarily hire foreign workers to cover labor shortages during peak periods. This employment is not qualification-dependent and requires the Federal Employment Agency (BA) to have set a demand-based quota. (arbeitsagentur.de)
Key Requirements:
- Working Hours: Minimum of 30 hours per week.
- Collective Agreement: The employer must be bound by a collective agreement, and employment must comply with the applicable wage conditions.
- Travel Costs: The employer is responsible for covering the worker’s round-trip travel expenses.
- Employment Duration:
- Maximum 90 days within a 180-day period or
- Up to 8 months within a 12-month period.
Approval Process:
- Work Permit:
- For nationals of certain countries (so-called positive list countries), no visa is required for employment up to 90 days—a work permit issued by the BA is sufficient.
- For longer employment periods or workers from other countries, a visa is required, for which the BA issues a prior approval.
Applications for work permits or prior approvals can be submitted online to the BA. (arbeitsagentur.de)
