Stuttgart is one of the best cities to study or work in Germany due to the diversified labor job market. Stuttgart is the capital city of Baden-Württemberg and one of the main cities of Southern Germany. It has more than 636,000 residents within a metropolitan area of over five million inhabitants.
To live and work in Stuttgart, non-EU citizens will need to register at the Foreigners' Registration Office and apply for a residence and work permit. Then, regardless of your nationality, you must register your place of residence at a Citizens' Service Center in your district. Also, if you work or are planning to work in Stuttgart, you should consider opening a German bank account as soon as possible by providing your passport, registration certificate confirming your home address in Stuttgart, and possibly a payslip from your employer, if applicable.
Stuttgart's economy
Local authorities describe Stuttgart's economy as a futuristic business district. In fact, the region greatly encourages foreign investment, as well as the creation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Being fairly close to Lake Constance and the Alps, Stuttgart is also a tourist destination, receiving large numbers of visitors passing by to enjoy the city's rich historical and cultural heritage as well as the surrounding valleys and nature parks.
Stuttgart's economy is primarily based on automotive manufacturing. Many big automotive manufacturers, such as Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) and Porsche, have set up their head offices there. Additionally, many of the world's most influential companies, such as Hewlett-Packard and IBM, have their European headquarters in Stuttgart. Science, research, high technology, information and communication technology, and financial services also contribute significantly to the city's economy. Moreover, the Stuttgart Stock Exchange is deemed to be the country's second most important stock exchange after Frankfurt. You are also likely to come across a significant number of job opportunities in the financial and credit services sectors. Last but not least, Stuttgart is known for its wine and beer production (as is the majority of Germany!).
Good to know:
Among the major companies operating in Stuttgart are Daimler, Porsche, Bosch, Zeiss, Yves Rocher, Stihl, Bonduelle, and Valeo.
Useful links:
Find a Citizens' Service Centre in Stuttgart
Mercedes-Benz Group (Daimler)
Stuttgart's labour market
Stuttgart offers plenty of job opportunities. However, one should keep in mind that, at the same time, Stuttgart is a popular destination for job seekers, including expats who have no trouble adapting to life in Southern Germany. The unemployment rate in the Baden-Württemberg region is relatively low, especially when compared to other parts of Germany, while most of the active labor population is employed in the industrial, trade, healthcare, and transport sectors.
Expats in Stuttgart are more likely to be employed by mechanical engineering, information and communication technology, pharmaceutical, electrical engineering, environmental technology, biotechnology, and multimedia companies. A large number of job opportunities are also available in research and financial services.
Finding a job in Stuttgart
Job vacancies for positions in Stuttgart can be found online, on Expat.com's Jobs in Stuttgart page, and in local newspapers. If you are particularly passionate about working with a specific company, speculative job applications and letters of interest are always welcome. In general, Germans value professional networking via Linkedin, so consider updating your profile and signifying that you are actively searching for work.
Despite the city's international profile, the German language is essential, and knowledge of other languages is considered an advantage. Note that in Stuttgart, you will also have to adapt to the Swabian dialect, which might be challenging at the beginning. If you are looking merely for English-speaking jobs, your chances of finding a job will be lower, but it is not impossible, especially in places such as Outletcity Metzingen, where multinational companies are hosted. When preparing your job application in Stuttgart, consider the following:
- Have you had your international qualifications recognized? To find out more about this step, check Expat.com's article on obtaining professional recognition in Germany.
- Are you able to talk about your CV in German?
- Have you registered with the Federal Employment Agency?
Good to know:
The area near Lake Constance is a popular tourist region with seasonal job opportunities, especially for students.
Useful links:
Anabin database (German) to evaluate foreign educational qualifications
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