Visa & residence
140/280-day rule
The 140/280-day rule lets non-EU students in Germany work 140 full days or 280 half days per calendar year without separate authorization from the foreigners' office. A day over four hours counts as a full day; mandatory internships are exempt.
Non-EU students holding a German student residence permit may work 140 full days or 280 half days per calendar year without needing approval from the Ausländerbehörde or the Federal Employment Agency. The allowance was raised from 120/240 days in March 2024 by the Skilled Immigration Act (Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz). A working day of up to four hours counts as a half day; anything longer consumes a full day.
The day budget resets every January 1 and combines across all employers. Days worked in a mandatory internship (Pflichtpraktikum) and student-assistant jobs at your own university do not count against the limit. If you need to work more than the allowance, you must request authorization from the Ausländerbehörde before exceeding it; processing can take several weeks.
What it means for working students
Keep your own log of date, employer, and hours; no authority tracks this for you, but they can audit it when you extend your permit. The 140-day rule and the 20-hour weekly rule operate independently: a 20-hour week during lectures burns two to three full days of your annual budget. Older permits that still say 120 days are automatically upgraded to 140; the printed number does not need amending.