The 120-Day Work Rule for Canadian Students in Germany

The rule changed in 2024

If you've seen the "120-day rule" mentioned for international students in Germany, know that the number is outdated.

Under amendments tied to the Skilled Immigration Act (Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz), the annual limit rose from 120 full days (240 half days) to 140 full days (280 half days), effective March 1, 2024, per Germany's official Make it in Germany portal . This is the limit that applies to Canadian students on a German student residence permit.

How the count works

A full working day is any shift longer than 4 hours, up to 8 hours. A half day is a shift of 4 hours or less.

Two half days equal one full day toward your annual limit, which gives you flexibility to mix short and long shifts across the year.

Germany counts these days on a calendar-year basis, January through December, not from the date you enrolled or entered the country. Only actual working days count toward the total. Public holidays, sick days and unpaid time off don't use up your allowance.

Stay within 140 full days or 280 half days, or a mix that adds up to the same total, and you work without needing separate approval from the Ausländerbehörde (immigration office) or the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency) .

The separate weekly cap during term

The annual day count and a weekly hour limit are two different rules that both apply at once.

During lecture periods, when your semester is active, you're generally limited to 20 hours of work per week so your job doesn't interfere with full-time student status. During semester breaks, you work full days without the 20-hour weekly ceiling, as long as you stay inside your annual 140/280 allowance.

What doesn't count against the limit

Work as a student assistant (wissenschaftliche or studentische Hilfskraft) at your own university typically falls outside the 140-day count, since it's treated as connected to your studies rather than outside employment. Confirm this directly with your university's international office before you start any job, since application varies by institution and by the exact conditions on your residence permit.

If you go over the limit

Exceeding 140 full days, or 280 half days, without prior approval means working without authorization, which can put your residence permit renewal at risk. If you want to work beyond the limit, for example for a demanding co-op placement, apply for permission through the Ausländerbehörde before you start those extra hours, not after.

Why the limit exists

Germany caps work days for non-EU students so studying stays your main activity while you hold a student residence permit, not a side activity around a job. The limit protects your visa status rather than your income, so treat it as a hard ceiling rather than a target to reach every year.

Internships and mandatory placements

A mandatory internship built into your degree's study and examination regulations generally doesn't count against the 140-day limit, similar to student assistant work.

A voluntary internship you take on your own initiative, outside the curriculum, does count as normal employment and uses up your day allowance. Confirm the classification with your program coordinator before you start any placement, since a wrongly classified internship can eat into your limit without you realizing it.

Tracking your days

Keep your own running log of shifts worked, including the date and whether each counted as a full or half day. Employers report your hours, but you're the one responsible for staying under the limit across every job you hold in a calendar year, not just one employer. If you work two part-time jobs at once, both count toward the same 140/280 total.

Summer and winter breaks

Semester breaks give you room to work full days without the 20-hour weekly cap, which is when many students bank most of their annual allowance. Plan heavier work blocks for these breaks and lighter shifts during term, so you don't run out of days before the calendar year ends.

Co-op and mandatory work terms

If your program includes a mandatory co-op or work placement built into the curriculum, check with your university whether it falls under the same exemption as a curriculum-linked internship. Programs with heavy co-op components sometimes need an early conversation with the Ausländerbehörde, so the placement doesn't use up your annual day allowance by mistake.

Freelance and self-employed work

Freelance or self-employed work generally needs separate approval from the Ausländerbehörde beyond the standard 140-day allowance for employed work, since freelancing sits under different rules entirely. If you're planning freelance projects alongside your studies, ask your immigration office about the requirements before you start any paid freelance work.

Where to check current details

Rules and thresholds around student work in Germany change through federal immigration law, so confirm the current day limits directly with your university's international office or the Ausländerbehörde handling your file before you plan a work schedule around them. Canadian students face similar country-specific rules elsewhere, including a new US alien registration requirement that exempts most F-1 students.