Internships in Germany: pay, rights and who needs a permit
2 min read · 8 steps · Updated 3 October 2026
A voluntary internship in Germany that lasts longer than three months must be paid at least the minimum wage, 13.90 euros an hour in 2026, and gives the same holiday and working hours as other staff. Shorter voluntary internships and compulsory internships that are part of a degree do not have to be paid.
An internship (Praktikum) is the usual way into a German company for students, career changers and people whose foreign qualification is not yet recognised. What you are entitled to depends on which kind of internship it is, so settle that before you sign.
This is general information, not legal advice. For your own case, speak to an advice centre.
Step by step
Know the three kinds
School internships take one to two weeks in years 8 to 11. A compulsory internship (Pflichtpraktikum) is required by a university or training course, and its length is set in the study regulations. A voluntary internship is anything you do on your own initiative, from two weeks to several months.
Check the pay
For a voluntary internship of more than three months, the legal minimum wage applies from the first day: 13.90 euros an hour in 2026. For three months or less, the company decides whether and what it pays. A compulsory internship does not have to be paid, although many companies pay something.
Check hours and holiday
In a voluntary internship of more than three months you have the same rights as employees: about two days of paid holiday for each month, and the normal working hours of the company. In a compulsory internship, the working hours follow the company, but there is no legal claim to holiday.
Get a contract
A written contract is not always required by law, but ask for one. It should name the start and end, the tasks, the supervisor, the weekly hours, the pay and the holiday.
Check your insurance
If a paid internship lasts more than three months and pays more than the mini-job limit (603 euros a month in 2026), you pay social security contributions and need health insurance of your own. Family insurance through parents or a spouse ends.
Check whether you need permission
People with a residence permit that allows work, and recognised refugees, can do internships freely. With a tolerated stay (Duldung) or during the asylum procedure, you need the permission of the immigration office first. Students from outside the EU: a voluntary internship counts towards your allowed working days, a compulsory one does not.
Find a place
Search the job portal of the Federal Employment Agency and sites such as praktikum.info, meinpraktikum.de and praktika.de, or write to companies directly. Most places expect German at a working level.
Ask for a certificate
At the end you are entitled to an internship certificate (Praktikumszeugnis) that describes your tasks and assesses your performance. It matters for later applications.
Good to know
An unpaid internship that runs for many months with the work of a normal employee is not allowed. An advice centre such as Faire Integration can check your case.
An internship can lead to vocational training: Ausbildung in Germany.
Related: how much can international students work in Germany, minimum wage and mini-jobs in Germany in 2026 and how to apply for a job in Germany.
Rules, amounts and deadlines change. Check the official source named at the end before you act, and ask the office in your city, because procedures differ from town to town.
In short: Voluntary internship over three months: minimum wage, holiday, normal hours. Three months or less and compulsory internships: pay is up to the company. Get a contract and a certificate. Duldung needs permission.
- Handbook Germany: Internship
Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.