The summer season in Germany begins in June and lasts until the end of August. These three months of the year offer an opportunity for various summer jobs in different sectors (e.g., hospitality, agriculture, education, etc.). However, seasonal jobs can be competitive due to the high demand, especially among students and young adults, flexibility for employees, and their short-term nature. Finding a summer job in Germany is relatively easy for students and allows good earning opportunities. Students from the EU or EEA are on the same terms as German students and have free access to the German job market. During term break, students are allowed to work full-time for a full two months a year (or 50 working days). Different rules apply during lecture time, and regular students can work for only half time, up to 20 hours a week. Students from outside the EU-EEA can work up to 120 full or 240 half days a year. If you want to work more, approval by the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Employment Agency is needed. This also applies to work placements. Even unpaid work experiences count as work, and every day will be subtracted from the 120 days. Employed teenagers between 15 and 18 are protected by the Jugendarbeitsschutzgesetz (Youth Labor Protection Law), which imposes restrictions on the types of work performed by teenagers, hours of work, and types of shifts. For example, teenagers are entitled to 30-minute breaks for every 4.5 hours of work, and teenagers under 16 must finish their shift by 8 PM and start no earlier than 6 AM. Also, teenagers must have two weekends per month off.
If you enroll in a German language school and arrive in Germany on a German Language Course Visa (which is different from the Student Visa for higher education studies), you cannot work in Germany. Nationals of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Israel, Chile, and Brazil, aged between 18 and 30, can stay in Germany for up to one year on the grounds of experiencing the culture and daily life in Germany while undertaking short-term jobs to support themselves. Visa requirements, conditions, restrictions, minimum age, length of stay, and fees may vary according to your country of origin. In general, it is necessary to be the holder of a valid passport issued in one of the above-mentioned countries, have sufficient financial guarantees to sustain oneself in the country, have valid return tickets, have a minimum study level and some knowledge of German (except if the purpose of the stay is to take German classes). The WHV application must be filed in a German embassy or consulate abroad. Summer jobs can be competitive due to the high demand, especially among students and young adults, flexibility for employees, and their short-term nature, which most applicants are looking to benefit from. Hence, applicants must be strategic in order to secure a position and close a good deal with their employer. For summer jobs, often, references matter more than an impressive CV and cover letter. For example, if you are looking for a job in a bakery or a restaurant, your employer may be more interested in your social values, customer service experience, and personal interactions rather than your academic background and research interests. Hence, they will want a person to confirm that you are a genuinely kind person, caring about others, and willing to work hard, even under pressure. These kinds of personal references don't necessarily have to come from previous employers — they can be provided by a tutor, a family friend, or a mentor. If a resume and cover letter are required at the application stage, make sure to translate your CV and cover letter into German. Don't forget to include a rather formal picture of yourself. Research German resume models and list all relevant work experience. Europass is a European website that allows you to create your resume in compliance with recruiters' expectations depending on the foreign country you would like to work in.