Whether you have found a new opportunity, are moving, or want to embark on a new adventure like starting your own business or studying, there are many reasons why you might want to resign from a job in Germany. As you might expect, there are a few rules and procedures that must be followed when you want to quit a job in Germany. This page walks you through the process, highlighting some key things to bear in mind.
If you decide to resign in Germany, you will need to let your employer know in writing that you are leaving, and then serve a minimum notice period, as specified in your contract. Failure to comply with your minimum notice period may result in you losing some of your salary.
One of the most important matters to consider before quitting your job is any potential implications it might have for your residency. If you are living and working in Germany on a residence permit, you will need to speak with your local Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde) before quitting your job. They can advise you on the implications that resigning might have on your immigration status.
The procedure will differ depending on which type of residence permit you have, but as a general rule of thumb, if you have lived and worked in Germany for less than two years, you will need permission from the Immigration Office to change jobs, as your permit may be tied to your current employer. If you have lived in Germany for more than two years, your permit is probably no longer tied to your employer, leaving you free to change jobs.
In any case, however, you should consult with the Immigration Office, as they may need to issue you with a new residence permit or update their records. You may also want to seek the advice of a relocation company or a lawyer.
Before you resign from your job in Germany, it’s a good idea to know exactly what your notice period is. Indeed, if you are looking for a new job, potential employers will want to know exactly when you can start working for them.
You should be able to find details about your notice period in your work contract. If your contract does not contain a notice period clause or refers to German law, then the statutory notice period applies. The statutory notice period depends on how long have worked for the company:
“To the end of the calendar month” means that if you hand in your resignation on the first of the month, the notice period will not start until the beginning of the next month. For instance, if you resigned on September 1, your notice period would start on October 1. However, if you resigned on September 30, your notice period would also still start on October 1. The same applies to the wording “to the 15th”. This means if you resign on September 14, your notice period would start on September 15, but if you resign on September 16, your notice period would start on October 15.
Note that statutory notice periods can be extended in employment contracts, but never shortened, and they may never exceed the notice periods that employers must observe (as set out in our termination of employment page).
In certain circumstances, it may be possible to quit your job with less notice. German employment law allows so-called “extraordinary termination” under extreme circumstances, for instance if your employer is withholding your salary, if workplace conditions violate your safety, or if you are subject to harassment or bullying. In this case, it would be wise to consult with a lawyer to understand your rights and obligations.
While you may wish to schedule a face-to-face meeting with your line manager or HR team to let them know you are resigning, German employment law states that an employee must inform their employer in writing if they wish to terminate their employment. This means you must also submit a resignation letter (Kündigungsschreiben or Kündigungserklärung) for the resignation to take effect.
Your resignation letter can be short, containing just a few key details, including:
If you work in an English-speaking office, you can write your letter in English. Otherwise, it’s best to write the letter in German.
In Germany, resignation letters need to be submitted in hard copy. It is not sufficient to attach the letter as a word document to an email. You need to print it out and sign it. You can then hand it personally to your employer, or send it in the post.
Note that your resignation is only official from the day your employer receives your letter, not from the day you send it. Generally, your notice period starts the day after the resignation letter was received, and so the timing of this may affect the length of your notice period. For that reason, it’s probably best to personally hand your letter over to your employer so you can be sure when they received it. If you need to post it, choose recorded delivery.
When you print out your resignation letter, you should make two copies, and keep one for your own records. If you later apply for unemployment benefits (see below), you may be asked for a copy of your letter.
Your employer is not obliged to confirm or accept your resignation, but it’s a good idea to request that they do. This way, you can firm up in writing when your last day of employment will be, to avoid any disputes down the line.
Large companies especially may want to schedule an exit interview with you as a departing employee. This gives both employer and employee a chance to have a candid discussion about the employee’s experience working for the company. It will usually be held with your line manager or an HR representative. You can expect to be asked about:
Whatever the circumstances surrounding your departure, it’s wise to remain pleasant and professional. You want to leave the employer with a good lasting impression of you - not only for your reference but potentially for future opportunities - so you should focus on the positive aspects of your role, while providing some carefully-considered constructive feedback, if you have any.
You are not obliged to seek a reference letter from your employer, but many people do so. Under German employment law, you have the right to request a reference, and if you do your employer is legally obliged to provide one.
In Germany it’s common practice to ask for a reference letter (Arbeitszeugnis) when you leave the company - with many people even requesting it in their formal resignation letter. The benefit of this is that you then immediately have something on file in case a potential employer requests a reference in the future.
If you quit your job, you will not lose your unused holiday days. In general, you have two options:
Most commonly, you will be asked to use all of your remaining holiday days during your notice period. As a general rule, you do not have the right to have your holiday days paid out. You can read more about how this process works in our annual leave guide.
When you leave your job, your employer should also issue you with a vacation certificate (Urlaubsbescheinigung) to give to your new employer. This important document lays out how many vacation days you have taken or been compensated for so far this year.
Your new employer can then use this to calculate how many holiday days you are still entitled to. This prevents new employees from claiming a double holiday entitlement, but also protects your remaining holiday entitlement even if you change jobs. If you have already used up your entire annual holiday entitlement by the time you change employers, you will not be entitled to any more holiday days that year.
After leaving your job, depending on your circumstances you may wish to apply for unemployment benefits in Germany. You should bear in mind that if you have left your job voluntarily (i.e. resigned), then a blocking period (Sperrzeit) of three months applies. During this time, you are not entitled to receive unemployment benefits, but the Agentur für Arbeit will usually cover the cost of your health insurance.
In any case, unless you are switching immediately to a new job, you should still register yourself as unemployed as soon as you know the date of your last day of employment. The Agentur für Arbeit will let you register as unemployed up to three months in advance. You will need to provide a copy of your resignation letter. In some circumstances, they may waive the blocking period.