Work Limit in Germany for Nepali Students: The 140/280 Day Rule Explained
Since 1 March 2024, when the Skilled Immigration Act changed the rule, international students in Germany have worked under a yearly account of 140 working days. Most people still call it the "140 full days or 280 half days" rule. That shorthand is not wrong, but it skips the part that decides how much you can actually work: how each week is counted. Count your weeks correctly and a 20-hour job fits inside the limit all year. Count them wrongly and you risk a fine and a review of your residence permit.
The rule in Section 16b(3) of the Residence Act
A residence permit for study allows employment of up to 140 working days per year, held in what the law calls an Arbeitstagekonto, a working-day account. Each calendar week is counted in whichever of two ways is better for you:
- By the day. A day with up to 4 hours of work counts as half a day. A longer day counts as a full day.
- By the week. A week counts as 2.5 days if you work up to 20 hours in it during the lecture period, or if it falls outside the lecture period, whatever the hours, full-time included.
The foreigners authority compares both methods week by week and applies the more favourable one, as the city of Leipzig explains in its information sheet on the working-day account. Three details from that sheet are easy to miss:
- The account runs per calendar year, not per semester or from your arrival date. Use up 140 days by October and you wait until January.
- Paid holiday and sick days are not counted.
- You must keep your own records of when and how long you worked.
What typical weeks cost you
| Your week | Counted by the day | Counted by the week | Deducted from your account |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 shifts of 4 hours in the lecture period (12 h) | 1.5 days | 2.5 days | 1.5 days |
| 2 shifts of 8 hours in the lecture period (16 h) | 2 days | 2.5 days | 2 days |
| 4 shifts of 5 hours in the lecture period (20 h) | 4 days | 2.5 days | 2.5 days |
| 3 shifts of 8 hours in the lecture period (24 h) | 3 days | not available above 20 h | 3 days |
| 5 shifts of 8 hours outside the lecture period (40 h) | 5 days | 2.5 days | 2.5 days |
Short shifts are cheapest when counted by the day; longer or more frequent shifts are cheapest by the week. Work every single week of a year at up to 20 hours in lecture weeks and full time in the breaks, and you use 52 x 2.5 = 130 days, still under 140. The account only gets tight when you regularly go over 20 hours during lecture weeks, which, as Leipzig's sheet notes, also ends your student status for social insurance.
Work that does not count
- Student assistant work (studentische Nebentaetigkeit), such as a HiWi post at your university or a research institute, is not counted at all.
- Mandatory internships that your examination regulations require are not counted, according to the foreigners offices in both Leipzig and Munich.
Voluntary internships are where local practice differs. Munich counts a voluntary internship against the 140 days. Leipzig treats voluntary or merely recommended internships as employment that needs approval. Ask your own foreigners office before you sign the contract.
What needs permission first
Self-employment and freelancing are not covered by a study permit. Permits issued in Leipzig carry the note "Selbstaendige Taetigkeit nicht erlaubt" (self-employment not permitted), and Munich requires approval from its immigration office for any self-employed or freelance work. If a job offer calls you a freelancer or an independent contractor, check with the foreigners office before you start.
Working beyond the account also needs a permit from the foreigners office plus the consent of the Federal Employment Agency, and Munich says it grants this only in cases of special financial hardship. Without approval, Leipzig warns of fines of up to EUR 5,000 and a review of whether to revoke your residence permit.
Earnings limits that sit on top of the day count
The account limits how much you work, not how much you earn. Two money thresholds decide what reaches your pocket:
- Mini-job: pay is capped at EUR 603 a month for 2026 (Minijob-Zentrale). At the statutory minimum wage of EUR 13.90 an hour, that is about 43 hours a month.
- Income tax: taxable income up to the 2026 tax-free allowance (Grundfreibetrag) of EUR 12,348 owes no income tax (Section 32a Income Tax Act).
For Nepali families planning the budget: part-time earnings come after arrival and do not replace the proof of funds the Embassy checks before the visa, which is explained in our blocked account guide. Which jobs students actually find, and what they pay, is in our guide to part-time jobs.
Other permits, other work rules
| Residence permit | Work allowed |
|---|---|
| Study, including a Studienkolleg or a preparatory language course tied to an admission (Section 16b) | 140-day working account |
| Language course that does not prepare for university (Section 16f) | Up to 20 hours a week |
| Searching for a university place, up to 9 months (Section 17) | Up to 20 hours a week, plus trial work of up to 2 weeks in total |
| Job search after graduation, up to 18 months (Section 20) | Any job; see our post-study permit guide |
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