Working in Nuremberg

Local Economy

Nuremberg’s local economy is based around both traditional and modern markets. The city is famous for its traditional food products, most notably gingerbread cakes (Lebkuchen), and still has a thriving food industry.

The famous Nuremberg Egg pocket watches are also still made in the city. Since the 19th century, Nuremberg has been one of the major industrial cities in Germany, and much of its local economy is still based around engineering and the manufacturing of electrical equipment by firms like MAN SE and Siemens, which is the largest employer in the city. Many expatriates working in Nuremberg are similarly employed by Siemens, or one of the other engineering or manufacturing companies in the city, mainly in senior management or technical roles.

In general, many people that work in Nuremberg do so in market research, and the city is home to a third of all the market research companies in Germany. English teaching and the service industry are also good choices for expatriates.

Work Permits for Nuremberg

As Germany is a member of the European Union, EU/EEA nationals or Swiss people moving to work in Nuremberg will not need to apply for a work permit (Croatians are the only, temporary exception to this rule), but they will need to register their residency.

Non-EU nationals will need to apply for one if they are to legally work in Nuremberg. You are more likely to be granted a work permit if you have a special skill or trade that would be of a benefit to the German economy, or you already have employment in place and can be sponsored by your prospective employer.

There are currently three types of permit for working in Nuremberg: a general work permit (Arbeitserlaubnis), a specialist professional residence work permit (Blue Card EU), and a self-employment work permit. Of the three, the specialist professional residence work permit is the easiest to obtain. For more information on the application process, please consult our dedicated article on Getting a Work Permit for Germany.

Income Taxation in Nuremberg

As an expatriate living and working in Nuremberg, you will be required to pay income tax on your earnings. Germany’s progressive tax system means that the amount you pay depends on your earnings, and ranges from 0–45%. Anyone earning less than 8,004 EUR does not have to pay income tax.

There is also a solidarity charge of 5.5% on your paid income tax, i.e. when paying for example 1,000 EUR in taxes, you’ll be charged an additional 55 EUR. Your income tax and social security contributions will be taken from your earnings at source by your employer through PAYE; if you are self-employed, you will need to provide a tax return to declare your earnings from which your tax payment will be calculated.