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Working in Germany through legal routes

Written by KarirAman editorial team Approved by Kaiser Khan (editor), Updated

Legal routes to Germany for Indonesians: Triple Win nurses, the Opportunity Card, Ausbildung and the EU Blue Card. Language rules and red flags.

Summary

  • According to the German Embassy in Jakarta, professional qualifications must be recognised in Germany early, before the work visa application.
  • The Triple Win programme recruits Indonesian nurses through cooperation between Germany's Federal Employment Agency and BP2MI, with registration through a SISKOP2MI account.
  • The Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) is a residence permit to look for work in Germany for up to one year, with German at A1 or English at B2 as a minimum.
  • The German Embassy does not work with visa agencies; forms, checklists and appointment booking cost nothing.
  • Under Law 18/2017 Article 30(1), Indonesian migrant workers may not be charged placement costs.
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On this page
  1. Which legal work routes exist for Germany?
  2. Which route fits you?
  3. What is the minimum wage in Germany?
  4. What about studying and scholarships in Germany?
  5. How can you check that a German job offer is genuine?

Which route fits you?

The right route depends on your education, profession and language skills. As of 7 October 2026, KarirAman covers four legal routes to Germany. On every route, recognition and the national visa go through official German government channels, not brokers.

Legal routes to work in Germany for Indonesians (as of 7 October 2026)
RouteWho it is forRun from Indonesia by
Triple Win (nurses)Registered nurses with a nursing diploma, an active STR and at least one year of work experienceKP2MI/BP2MI (government to government) with Germany's Federal Employment Agency and GIZ
Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)Holders of a professional qualification or degree recognised in their country, to look for work for up to one yearIndividual application
Ausbildung (vocational training)Trainees with a training contract at a German companyIndividual application
EU Blue CardUniversity graduates with a job offer that meets the salary thresholdIndividual application

What is the minimum wage in Germany?

Germany's statutory minimum wage is set per hour and is already scheduled to rise again on 1 January 2027, under the Fifth Minimum Wage Adjustment Ordinance (MiLoV5). It is a legal floor, not an offered wage, and is before tax and social insurance. Ausbildung trainees have their own minimum training allowance.

Germany's statutory hourly minimum wage
Area or group Official floor Approximate rupiah value
Germany, from 2026 Applies to: Statutory hourly minimum wage for employees in Germany EUR 13.90 per hour In force from about IDR 278,107 rate as of 8 October 2026
Germany, from 2027 Applies to: Statutory hourly minimum wage in Germany, in force from 1 January 2027 EUR 14.60 per hour In force from about IDR 292,113 rate as of 8 October 2026

Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de)

What about studying and scholarships in Germany?

Studying is another way into the German job market. Graduates of German universities can get a residence permit for up to 18 months to look for work (AufenthG section 20). DAAD Indonesia gives information on study, research and scholarships in Germany for applicants from Indonesia. LPDP scholarships are different: recipients must return to and contribute in Indonesia, according to LPDP statements reported by the media in February 2026, so LPDP is not a way to move abroad for work.

How can you check that a German job offer is genuine?

Check three things before you pay or hand over documents. First, if an agency in Indonesia is involved, it must be listed as active on the SISKOP2MI list of licensed agencies (P3MI), because individuals may not place migrant workers (Law 18/2017 Article 69). Second, you apply for the German national visa yourself through the Auslandsportal and an embassy appointment, without intermediaries. Third, check whether your profession needs recognition on the official Recognition in Germany portal; in Indonesia, the ProRecognition project run by AHK Indonesien (EKONID) also gives recognition advice. For the government-to-government nurse programme, KP2MI has a G to G Germany section on its official site.

Which official channels can you contact?

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to speak German to work in Germany?

It depends on the route. The Opportunity Card requires German at A1 or English at B2 as a minimum. The permit to use the nursing title Pflegefachfrau or Pflegefachmann requires the German needed to practise, and Triple Win participants take a B2 German exam in Germany. For Ausbildung, proof of sufficient German is required unless the training provider has checked it or you join a preparatory course.

Can an agent speed up a German embassy visa appointment?

No. The German Embassy in Jakarta says it does not work with intermediaries or agencies, and agencies have no special access to appointments. The only payment is the visa fee charged by the embassy.

Can graduates of German universities stay to look for work?

Yes. Under section 20 of Germany's Residence Act (AufenthG), graduates of studies or Ausbildung in Germany can get a residence permit to look for work for up to 18 months, provided their living costs are covered.

Which language tests do you need to work in Germany?

The language tests the legal routes to Germany ask for: Ausbildung (in-company vocational training): German: Proof of sufficient German for the training, unless the training provider checked it or you join a preparatory course; Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte): German: At least basic (einfache Kenntnisse); Or English: At least B2; Triple Win programme for nurses: German when applying: An advantage, ideally B1; not required; German course in Bandung: A1 to B1, provided by the programme; German exam in Germany: Pass B2 to convert the work visa to a residence permit.

What is the minimum wage for working in Germany?

The official pay floor for the Ausbildung (in-company vocational training) route in Germany is EUR 724.00 per month, in force from 1 January 2026 (Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB)). This is the legal minimum in Germany, not an offered wage.

Who wrote and reviewed this page?

Written by KarirAman editorial team Published Updated

Prepared with AI assistance. Checked against official sources and approved for publication by Kaiser Khan (editor). Approval date: .

Sources

The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.

  1. Fachkräfteeinwanderung (Imigrasi tenaga kerja terampil), Kedutaan Besar Jerman Jakarta Kedutaan Besar Republik Federal Jerman Jakarta · accessed
  2. Nationale Visa (Botschaft der Bundesrepublik Deutschland Jakarta) Deutsche Botschaft Jakarta (Auswärtiges Amt) · accessed
  3. Triple Win Pflege Indonesia: Perekrutan tenaga perawat bagi Jerman secara berkesinambungan Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Zentrale Auslands- und Fachvermittlung (ZAV) · accessed
  4. G to G Jerman (KP2MI) Kementerian P2MI/BP2MI · accessed
  5. § 20a Aufenthaltsgesetz: Chancenkarte Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) · AufenthG § 20a · accessed
  6. § 16a Aufenthaltsgesetz: Berufsausbildung; berufliche Weiterbildung Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) · AufenthG § 16a · accessed
  7. § 18g Aufenthaltsgesetz: Blaue Karte EU Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) · AufenthG § 18g · accessed
  8. § 2 Pflegeberufegesetz: Voraussetzungen für die Erteilung der Erlaubnis Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) · PflBG §§ 1-2 · accessed
  9. § 20 Aufenthaltsgesetz: Arbeitsplatzsuche für Fachkräfte Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) · AufenthG § 20 · accessed
  10. DAAD Regional Office Jakarta (Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, East Timor) DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) · accessed
  11. 8 Orang Awardee LPDP Kena Sanksi, Kembalikan Dana hingga Rp2 Miliar (Republika) Republika · official statement via media · accessed
  12. ProRecognition: Anerkennungsberatung (Botschaft Jakarta) Deutsche Botschaft Jakarta (Auswärtiges Amt) · accessed
  13. Anerkennung in Deutschland: Recognition Portal Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB) · accessed
  14. Undang-Undang Nomor 18 Tahun 2017 tentang Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · UU 18/2017 · accessed
  15. SISKOP2MI: Profil Lembaga P3MI, detail dan daftar sanksi administratif KP2MI/BP2MI (SISKOP2MI) · accessed
  16. Fünfte Mindestlohnanpassungsverordnung (MiLoV5) Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) · MiLoV5 · accessed
  17. Mindestausbildungsvergütung (BIBB) Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB) · accessed
How to cite

KarirAman (2026). Working in Germany through legal routes. Updated 7 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/germany/

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