Can I work part-time on a student visa in countries like France, Germany, or Ireland?

Question

Hema A · Accepted Answer

Yes, international students are allowed to work part-time in Europe, but the limits depend on the country &mdash; and you must be actively enrolled in a full-time course at a recognized institution.

In France, students can work up to 20 hours per week during the semester and full-time during breaks. No separate work permit is required as long as the student residence permit is valid.
In Germany, the 120 full days or 240 half days rule applies to all paid work &mdash; including part-time jobs, internships, and freelance gigs. Anything beyond this needs special permission from the local immigration office.
In Ireland, students on Stamp 2 status can work 20 hours per week during term and 40 hours during holidays, but only if their course is on the ILEP-approved list.

Whichever country you're in, make sure part-time work doesn&rsquo;t conflict with your study obligations. Immigration authorities can check if it&rsquo;s affecting your academic progress.

V Ritik · Answer

Yes, part-time work is allowed on student visas in France, Germany, and Ireland, but each country has its own rules.
In France, international students can work up to 964 hours per year, which averages to about 20 hours per week during the semester. Students are legally protected by labor laws and must be paid at least the minimum wage. Campus jobs and roles in restaurants or retail are common, especially in cities like Paris and Lyon.
Germany allows up to 120 full days or 240 half days of work per year. Many students take up working student roles (&ldquo;Werkstudent&rdquo;) or internships in finance, analytics, or tech that are directly related to their degree. These pay better than typical part-time jobs.
In Ireland, students can work 20 hours per week during term and 40 during holidays. One major plus  is   Ireland has many on-campus roles in university caf&eacute;s or admin departments that are easier to get without needing fluent local language skills.

Ishaan M · Answer

It&rsquo;s totally doable to work part-time while studying in Europe, but the setup isn&rsquo;t identical across countries.
&bull; In France, 20 hours a week is the limit, and jobs are taxed even if earnings are low. Most roles are in hospitality or retail unless the student speaks French. &bull; Germany&rsquo;s system is flexible &mdash; 120 full days or 240 half days per year. Students working in &ldquo;Werkstudent&rdquo; roles related to their studies often earn around &euro;12&ndash;&euro;16/hour. &bull; In Ireland, part-time work is straightforward. No permit needed, and English-speaking jobs are much more accessible compared to France or Germany. &bull; In Germany, if part-time income becomes regular, some banks might ask for proof or documentation. It's best to confirm this while setting up the account. &bull; Also, combining internships with part-time limits can be tricky in Germany, so it helps to plan them around semester breaks.

Divakshi Arora · Answer

Yes, you can work part-time on a student visa in France, Germany, and Ireland, but each country has its own rules , and you must be enrolled in a recognized full-time program for it to be legal.
In France, international students can work up to 964 hours per year, which averages 20 hours per week during the academic term and full-time during holidays. No extra permit is needed if your residence card is valid, but your studies must remain the priority.
In Germany, the rule is 120 full days or 240 half days per year &mdash; and that applies to all kinds of employment, including paid internships. If you want to exceed this, prior approval from the Ausl&auml;nderbeh&ouml;rde is required.
In Ireland, students on Stamp 2 can work 20 hours/week during term and 40 hours/week on holidays, as long as they&rsquo;re studying in an approved full-time program from the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP).