Working in Germany
Europe's biggest economy and the #1 skilled-worker magnet — heavy demand in trades, care, logistics and engineering.
Salary & savings by occupation
10 jobs| Occupation | Gross /mo | Net /mo | Savings (housed) | Savings (self-paid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truck DriverSkilled · demand Very high | €3,150 | €1,980 | €1,520 | €1,070 |
| HVAC TechnicianSkilled · demand High | €3,100 | €1,950 | €1,490 | €1,040 |
| ElectricianSkilled · demand Very high | €3,000 | €1,890 | €1,430 | €980 |
| WelderSkilled · demand Very high | €3,000 | €1,890 | €1,430 | €980 |
| PlumberSkilled · demand High | €2,950 | €1,860 | €1,400 | €950 |
| CarpenterSkilled · demand High | €2,850 | €1,800 | €1,340 | €890 |
| Tiles & Ceramic WorkerSkilled · demand High | €2,800 | €1,760 | €1,300 | €850 |
| Machine OperatorSemi-skilled · demand Very high | €2,800 | €1,760 | €1,300 | €850 |
| Cook / ChefSkilled · demand High | €2,700 | €1,700 | €1,240 | €790 |
| Construction WorkerSemi-skilled · demand Very high | €2,550 | €1,610 | €1,150 | €700 |
“Housed” savings assume the employer provides accommodation; “self-paid” deducts typical shared rent of €450/mo. Net pay uses Germany's typical take-home rate of about 63% of gross.
Work permit & visa
EU Blue Card / Skilled Worker visa. Job offer plus a recognised qualification; the Skilled Immigration Act and the Blue Card (for higher salaries) are the main routes. Typical processing runs about 8–16 weeks once the employer-side steps are done. A formal English test such as IELTS is usually not required for these trades.
Official reference for Germany: make-it-in-germany.com ↗
Indicative estimates, not a job offer. Salary, cost and savings figures are modelled from each occupation's rough EU average and a per-country wage index, and exclude employer-specific terms, exchange-rate swings and personal tax. Visa rules are summarised for general guidance. Always confirm pay and immigration rules with the official source or embassy, and never pay a fee for a job offer you have not verified.