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The world's largest expat community

Find Out How to Get a Job and Work in Hamburg

  • Connect with fellow expats in Hamburg

  • Join exciting events and groups

  • Get Information in our Hamburg Guides

  • Exchange tips about expat life in Hamburg

Discover Events & Make New Friends

If you’re wondering how to navigate the challenges of life abroad, you’re not alone. Join InterNations and connect with a community of like-minded expats in Germany! You’ll find many ways to network, socialize, and make new international friends.

Don’t miss a variety of welcoming online and in-person events. Join groups to pursue your hobbies — from sports to music, there’s something for everyone With InterNations, you’ll quickly feel at home wherever life takes you.

What Members are saying

Everyone should join InterNations to enjoy everything from business events to networking to cultural and travel experiences.

Ranim, InterNations Cairo

InterNations helped me meet many people of different cultures - now I'm more open-minded and happier!

Nicholas, InterNations Yaounde

InterNations Worldwide at a Glance

5M

Members

420

Cities Worldwide

200+

Destination Guides

5M

Members around the world

420

Cities Worldwide

6,000

events and activities each month

6,000

events each month

200+

Destination Guides

  • Andrey Vasilyev

    Thanks to InterNations, I joined an after-work soccer team of other expatriates even before moving to Hamburg.

Employment in Hamburg

Local Economy

Hamburg is a powerhouse of the German and European economies. The city is Germany’s wealthiest city with the highest GDP in the country and a high employment rate at 92.1% of the working age population. As a result, there are lots of opportunities for expats considering working in Hamburg.

For centuries, Hamburg has been a commercial hub of northern Europe. It is also a very important banking city, home to Germany’s oldest bank, the Berenberg Bank. Many expatriates in the financial sector come to Hamburg to work in the banks and other financial institutions.

The real driver of Hamburg’s economy is the Port of Hamburg, though, which processes over 134 million tons of goods a year. Although Hamburg is inland – 110km from the coast, it is considered a sea port because it is able to accommodate large ocean-bound ships. The huge amount of international trade has also brought many consulates to the city, and hundreds of expats and their families with them.

Work Permits in Hamburg

The process for obtaining papers to legally work in Germany depends on your nationality. For EU citizens, as well as those from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, the process is relatively straightforward. As long as you can prove your citizenship with a valid passport, you just need to register at the local authority – Bürgeramt or Einwohnermeldeamt.

For expats wanting to work in Hamburg from outside the EU, it’s a bit more complicated to obtain a residence permit and work permit. For a highly skilled expat, the best route is to apply for an EU Blue Card, which gives you the right to work and live in Europe. The general requirements are a university degree and a current contract of employment of at least 46,400 EUR, although this monetary requirement is lowered for some professions where there is a shortage of skilled workers available in Germany.

Income Taxation in Hamburg

Once you are working in Hamburg, you will be liable to pay income tax. The threshold at which you start to pay income tax varies according to whether you are filing as a single person or a married couple. Your income is then taxed at a progressive rate. There is also a ‘solidarity surcharge’ of up to 5.5% of the tax itself, which contributes to a special fund to pay for the cost of reunifying with the states of former East Germany.

There are tax deductions that can reduce the amount you have to pay, including children and dependents, certain insurance premiums, and some charitable and political contributions.

See all upcoming events for expats in Hamburg

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