Hotline: ‘Working and Living in Germany’
Are you preparing to come to Germany, or have you already arrived? The official ‘Working and Living in Germany’ hotline offers personalised advice on Visas, job hunting, recognition of qualifications and learning German – free of charge in English and German.
The ‘Working and Living in Germany’ hotline can be reached by telephone on this number:
+49 30 1815 – 1111
An official service provided by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) and the Federal Employment Agency (BA).
The hotline offers advice on:
- Job search, work and careers
- Recognition of foreign qualifications
- Visa and residence
- Learning German at home and abroad
Hotline opening hours:
- Monday to Thursday from 09:00 to 16:00 (CET)
- Friday from 09:00 to 12:00 (CET)
- Languages spoken: German and English
Fees
The advice is free of charge for you – however, telephone charges may apply: Callers from German landlines will be charged the standard local rate. Charges from mobile networks may vary. For callers from abroad, the international rate applicable to their tariff plan will apply.
Hotline closing times
Please note that our helpline is closed on the following days:
- 6 January 2026 (Epiphany)
- 3 April 2026 (Good Friday)
- 6 April 2026 (Easter Monday)
- 1 May 2026 (Labour Day)
- 14 May 2026 (Ascension Day)
- 25 May 2026 (Whit Monday)
- 4 June 2026 (Corpus Christi)
- 24 December 2026 (Christmas Eve)
- 25 December 2026 (Christmas Day)
- 31 December 2026 (New Year’s Eve)
Privacy notice
The ‘Working and Living in Germany’ helpline is operated by the (External link) Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) (External link) and the Federal Employment Agency (BA) (External link) .
The protection of privacy and personal rights is a key priority for the BAMF and the BA. We would therefore like to inform you of the following:
Your telephone enquiries are categorised into four main areas and, depending on the relevant area of expertise, are handled either by the BAMF or the BA:
- Job search, work and careers (BA)
- Recognition of professional qualifications (BAMF)
- Visa and residence (BAMF)
- Learning German (BAMF)
Where necessary, your calls will be transferred between the BAMF and the BA to ensure you receive the best possible service. If it is not possible to transfer your call to a BAMF or BA member of staff, your personal data (surname, first name, email address and telephone number) and the nature of your enquiry will be recorded by a member of staff and forwarded by email to the relevant colleague at the BAMF or the BA. The exchange of information takes place exclusively via encrypted emails.
The personal data you provide will be collected, used and processed by the BAMF and the BA solely for the purpose of advising you via the telephone helpline. Your data will not be passed on to third parties. The information you provide to the BAMF and the BA is voluntary. Your data will be deleted immediately.
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