Germany Work Visas and Immigration Support Through an EOR

For non-EU talent, Germany work visas and residence permits are often the first hurdle before a new hire can start work. An Employer of Record (EOR) cannot replace German immigration authorities, but it can streamline the process by providing compliant contracts, employer declarations, and ongoing HR support.​

How Germany work visas fit into hiring

Germany work visas generally come as national employment permits or EU Blue Cards, tied to a specific role, salary level, and sponsoring employer. Candidates usually apply from their home country or current residence, present a signed work contract and employer declaration, and receive a visa or pre-approval before obtaining a residence permit in Germany.​

Salary thresholds, qualification checks, and labor market assessments may apply depending on the route, so early planning is essential. For international companies hiring through an EOR, the key question is which entity appears as the employer on the contract and in immigration paperwork.​

What an EOR can and cannot do on visas

Some EOR providers in Germany have local entities and, in limited cases, can support or sponsor certain Germany work visas—for example, specific residence permits or Blue Card applications—on a case-by-case basis. In these scenarios, the employee’s contract is with the EOR’s German entity, while the worker is seconded operationally to your company.​

However, not every EOR can or will sponsor Germany work visas, and immigration rules distinguish between standard employment and temporary agency arrangements under the AÜG labor‑leasing regime. This is why it is critical to clarify upfront whether a given EOR supports visa cases, which visa categories they work with, and how they structure the contracts.​‍

Typical EOR support across the visa lifecycle

Even when an EOR is not the visa sponsor, it can still playa useful role across the Germany work visas process. Common types of support include preparing compliant German law employment contracts, issuing employer declarations, coordinating start dates and probation periods with visa timelines, and confirming salary and role details for embassy or consulate appointments.​

Once the visa and residence permit are granted, the EOR can onboard the employee into payroll, register them with social security and health insurers, and ensure compliance with local employment law from day one. For your team, this means one partner handles both immigration‑sensitive documentation and ongoing HR administration.​

Limits and pitfalls when combining EOR and Germany work visas

Germany’s immigration and labor‑leasing rules can interact in complex ways, so there are clear limits on what is possible. Certain residence permit routes impose restrictions on temporary agency work, and authorities may scrutinize arrangements in which an EOR acts as the legal employer while the worker is fully integrated into another business.​

If Germany work visas are central to your hiring strategy, you should therefore avoid assuming that any EOR can automatically sponsor non-EU workers. Instead, align with a provider that is transparent about which visa categories they handle, how they structure contracts, and where specialist immigration lawyers or separate sponsorship may still be required.​

How Agility’s EOR model fits into your immigration strategy

Agility’s core focus in Germany is compliant employment, payroll, and HR under local law, including AÜG labor‑leasing where applicable. That means your Germany work visas strategy should be designed first around the right immigration route for each hire and then aligned with a compliant employment model—whether direct entity sponsorship, local partners, or, where appropriate, EOR-based employment.​

For companies that already have visa‑eligible candidates in Germany or the EU, or are hiring EU nationals who do not require German work visas, Agility’s Employer of Record service in Germany can support a faster onboarding process and help maintain employment compliance once the right to work is confirmed.