Many universities require internships nowadays to enhance the study experience and prepare graduates for real-life work environments. European universities encourage students to undertake their internships outside of their home country to gain international work experience. If you are a student or a fresh graduate and want to set foot in the German labor market, applying for an internship may be a wise next step. Three to six months of living in Germany will give you a taste of the expat life in one of the country's big cities (where most internship opportunities are), and help you decide whether pursuing future work opportunities in Germany is the right thing for you. So, if you want to boost your employability, continue reading! Germany is the world's fourth-biggest and most powerful economy in the world, and the European Union's largest economy, meaning that the country enjoys continuous economic growth due to efforts made by various national mechanisms. Besides high living standards, Germany offers endless work opportunities, especially in the automotive, mechanical, electrical, chemical industry, trade, finance, information and communication technology fields, which are the country's leading job-creators. Germany's labor market is very attractive to young international talent. Thanks to one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world, Germany is the leading entrepreneurship and career development destination in Europe. Students and new graduates will be considered lucky to start their careers in a country with an ever-growing economy and quality working conditions. The chances of turning your internship into a full-time job are very high in Germany, depending, of course, on your performance during the internship and the rapport you build with your employer. Internships can take place in public organizations, private institutions, international or national organizations, and universities, which many students prefer since they already have established networks in their higher education institutions. Usually, the degree programs that require or highly recommend an internship as part of the study will give students a time frame within which they have to start and complete their internship. In that case, we recommend you start your internship search and application process about six months in advance. Begin with making a list of businesses and organizations that you would love to intern with. Then, prepare your CV and cover letter documents, and feel free to contact the relevant departments directly with your internship inquiry. However, it's important to adjust your emails and cover letters depending on the company you send them to, and be explicit about why you are interested in this particular company, what you expect to gain from the internship, and what you will offer to the company. We cannot generalize, but most German companies will appreciate a German cover letter, which reminds us how important it is to have a good level of German language knowledge before considering Germany for an internship. Other ways to find an internship are through your university's careers office or dedicated internship websites. Non-EU citizens who want to intern in Germany will have to obtain a study-related internship visa from the German embassy in their home country. To do so, they have In other words, any obligatory internship linked to a study program is not subject to the Minimum Wage Act. Similarly, any internship less than three months in duration is not subject to the Minimum Wage Act unless the intern has already completed a three-month internship with the same organization. Voluntary internships completed before or during studies are subject to minimum wage as long as they last longer than three months, whereas post-study voluntary internships should always be subject to minimum wage no matter the length. Regarding holidays, interns are eligible for 2,5 days off per month of assignment. The company could grant exceptional vacation in case of special events (e.g., death, birth, weddings in your family, etc.).