Can you work in Germany speaking only English?
Sometimes. It depends on the employer and the role. We know of no official figure for how many jobs in Germany run in English. Plan on the basis of each posting, not on a general rule. A posting in English does not prove that the team works in English, so ask.
Larger cities in figures
These official figures describe each city's population and labour market. They are not a measure of jobs in English.
| Area | Population | Residents without German citizenship | People in work | Regional unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berlin | 3,685,265 | 22.5% | 2,197,400 | 6.5% |
| Munich | 1,505,005 | 28.5% | 1,213,900 | 2.9% |
| Frankfurt | 756,021 | 29.5% | 770,700 | 3.5% |
| Hamburg | 1,862,565 | 19.3% | 1,358,500 | 5.2% |
| Cologne | 1,024,621 | 19.5% | 815,600 | 3.9% |
| Stuttgart | 612,663 | 27.4% | 553,000 | 3.5% |
| Germany | 83,577,140 | 14.8% | 45,987,000 | 3.8% |
Population on 31 December 2024, people in work as the average for 2024. Unemployment covers ages 20 to 64 in 2025, for the wider region around each city. It is a survey measure, so it can't be compared with the registered rate the Federal Employment Agency reports. These are official statistics, not job board data. Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder, Regionaldatenbank Deutschland. Tables 13312-01-05-4, 12411-03-03-4, 21311-01-01-4. Data licence Germany attribution 2.0. Regional unemployment: Eurostat, lfst_r_lfu3rt, accessed 2026-10-31. Data changed: shares calculated and regions matched to cities by englishspeakingjobs.de. Eurostat is not responsible for this reuse. All data sources.
What jobs pay
| Occupation | Median gross a month |
|---|---|
| Computer science, IT and communications | €5,790 |
| Finance, accounting and tax consulting | €5,131 |
| Business management and organisation | €5,000 |
| Advertising, marketing, commercial and editorial media | €4,893 |
Median gross monthly pay across Germany, April 2025, excluding bonuses and other special payments. These figures cover all employees in the occupation, not only roles in English. Source: © Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis), 2026, table 62361-0030, Verdiensterhebung. Data licence Germany attribution 2.0. Data changed: English occupation names are our own translation. All data sources.
See the salary guide for more.
How to apply
- Prepare a CV for Germany. Keep it factual and chronological. A photo is optional.
- Write a focused cover letter. Say why this role, your strongest relevant result, and why you are applying.
- Check that the link still works. Listings close, so open the posting before you prepare anything.
- Prepare for interviews. Be ready to talk through your experience with specific examples, and ask about working language.
Where to look
EnglishSpeakingJobs.de lists jobs in Germany whose postings are written in English. You can search by title and location and filter by the German level a posting states. The board is small, so also use company career pages and general job boards. Read how we read German requirements.