How a Chef Can Move to Germany on a Spezialitätenkoch Work Visa

A chef from a third country can obtain permission to work in Germany under the special rule for Spezialitätenköchinnen und Spezialitätenköche, meaning chefs of national cuisine. This is not a universal work visa for any cuisine and any restaurant: German authorities check the candidate, the restaurant, and the terms of the employment contract.

This route is usually best suited to someone who can genuinely prepare traditional dishes from their home country, has relevant professional training or substantial documented experience, and has found a German restaurant recognized as a Spezialitätenrestaurant.

Who this route is suitable for

The national-cuisine chef visa is suitable if several conditions are met at the same time:

the restaurant in Germany specializes in the cuisine of a specific country;
the candidate is a citizen of that country;
the chef can prepare traditional dishes according to original recipes;
there is a full-time employment contract;
qualifications and experience are documented;
the Bundesagentur für Arbeit approves access to the labor market.

This is not a workaround for all standard immigration rules, but a separate regulated procedure under the Beschäftigungsverordnung. If the candidate has another, stronger route, for example a recognized qualification, family ties in Germany, or a different legal basis for work, it is worth comparing it with the Spezialitätenkoch visa in advance.

What the restaurant must be like

The German employer must show that the business is genuinely a Spezialitätenrestaurant. What matters is not only the selection of dishes on the menu, but the restaurant’s overall profile.

What is usually checked:

whether the dishes are mainly prepared according to traditional recipes from a specific country;
whether the restaurant appears to be a national-cuisine establishment rather than a general fast-food venue or mixed concept;
whether the menu matches the country being claimed;
whether there is full restaurant service, a kitchen, and an organizational restaurant structure;
whether the business is not a delivery service, snack bar, canteen, catering service, or general buffet format.

If a restaurant claims to offer “Asian”, “Eastern”, or “international” cuisine without a clear link to one country, that may be a problem. To obtain approval for the chef, it must be explained why a specialist from a specific country is needed to preserve the authenticity of the cuisine.

How many chefs a restaurant can hire

According to the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, approval for a Spezialitätenkoch is usually limited to two chefs per Betriebsstätte. In individual justified cases, more may be possible, but this is not an automatic right of the restaurant. The decision may consider, for example, the restaurant’s impact on the local labor market, staff training, and jobs for local employees.

That is why it is important for the employer to prepare the Betriebsbeschreibung, the menu, the employment contract, and the arguments explaining why the restaurant specifically needs a foreign chef of national cuisine in advance.

Requirements for the chef

The candidate must be a citizen of the country whose cuisine the restaurant represents. For example, a chef from Kazakhstan is not considered a suitable candidate for a Chinese Spezialitätenrestaurant simply because they know how to cook Chinese dishes.

The main set of requirements:

completed professional culinary training lasting at least two years;
at least two years of practical work as a chef in qualified establishments in the country of origin;
documents confirming education, experience, and qualifications;
ability to prepare traditional dishes according to original recipes;
an employment contract with a German employer.

If there is no comparable two-year Berufsfachschule training in the country of origin, the Bundesagentur für Arbeit may, in some cases, accept at least six years of professional experience in qualified establishments. This is not a simplification available on request, but an exception that must be supported with documents.

Additional requirements apply to some countries. For example, the current Merkblatt of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit separately lists special supporting documents for Chinese chefs.

Salary and working conditions

The employment contract must correspond to German conditions for comparable work. Not only the pay is checked, but also working hours, vacation, job title, duties, and the overall fairness of the conditions.

The Bundesagentur für Arbeit states that the Spezialitätenkoch position is comparable to the tariff position Chef de partie / Alleinkoch, and the salary in the contract must be stated as Bruttoentgelt. If there are doubts about the level of pay, the authority may assess it.

It is not a good idea to rely on exact figures from old articles or forums. According to the Entgeltatlas of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, the median monthly gross salary for the profession Koch/Köchin across Germany, using 2024 data, is around 2,882 euros, but for a Spezialitätenkoch, depending on the region, the level of the restaurant, and the Chef de partie position, the amount may differ. In 2026, it is safer to rely on current regional pay practice and the Bundesagentur für Arbeit review rather than on one fixed range.

How the process works

The typical sequence looks like this:

The restaurant and the candidate agree on the position, duties, and employment contract.
The employer prepares the business description, the menu, and documents relating to the job.
The candidate gathers a resume, education documents, and proof of experience and qualifications. If translations are needed, recognition or confirmation of the diploma should be clarified before filing; some documents may require review through ZAB or another competent authority.
The candidate submits an application for a national visa at the German mission responsible for their usual place of residence.
The mission forwards the documents to Germany, where the Bundesagentur für Arbeit reviews labor-market access.
After a positive decision, the candidate receives the visa, enters Germany, completes the first steps after moving for work, registers their residence, and arranges the subsequent residence permit with the Ausländerbehörde.

The Bundesagentur für Arbeit explicitly warns that the procedure should be started well in advance: approval can take several months. That is why the employment start date in the contract should be planned with some buffer.

What the Bundesagentur für Arbeit checks

When reviewing approval, the authority primarily looks at:

Vorrangprüfung, meaning whether there are suitable candidates on the labor market with priority access;
working conditions and salary compared with comparable workers in Germany;
the quality and profile of the restaurant;
the number of employees and already approved Spezialitätenköche;
the candidate’s documents and the link between their citizenship and the restaurant’s cuisine.

If there is a suitable unemployed chef in the region with priority access to the job, approval may be refused. That is why the employer must do more than simply “invite an acquaintance”; they must prove the need for a specialist in national cuisine.

Passport rule for Russian citizens

For Russian citizens, a separate important rule applies from January 1, 2026: for a new visa application, entry into Germany, and extension of a German Aufenthaltstitel, a biometric Russian international passport is generally required. A non-biometric passport may be used only in limited transitional situations, for example if it already contains a German visa or Aufenthaltstitel issued before January 1, 2026 and still valid.

This rule does not change the substance of the chef work visa, but it affects the ability to submit documents and enter Germany. If you have an old-style passport, first check the requirements of the German mission.

How long the status is granted for

Under the Spezialitätenkoch rule, approval to work is initially possible for one year and then for up to three more years. The total period of employment under this special basis is up to four years.

After that, new employment specifically as a Spezialitätenkoch is possible only after a three-year break outside the country. This does not mean a person must always leave Germany in every scenario: if other independent grounds arise during life in Germany, for example family ties and eligibility for family reunification, the situation must be assessed under a different paragraph of the Aufenthaltsgesetz.

Document checklist

Before applying, people usually prepare:

an employment contract with Bruttoentgelt and full-time employment;
Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis;
the restaurant menu;
a description of the restaurant and its Spezialitätenrestaurant concept;
the candidate’s resume;
diplomas, certificates, and training documents;
proof of work experience;
translations and certifications, if required by the mission;
a valid passport and, for Russian citizens in 2026, compliance with the biometric-passport rule;
documents for the national visa according to the German mission’s checklist.

Common mistakes

assuming that any foreign-cuisine restaurant qualifies as a Spezialitätenrestaurant;
applying without proof of two years of training or sufficient professional experience;
stating a salary below the comparable regional level;
failing to account for Vorrangprüfung;
planning the employment start date too early;
confusing the Spezialitätenkoch visa with a Blaue Karte or ordinary recognition of qualifications;
leaving the passport issue until the end, especially for Russian citizens.

FAQ

Can this visa be obtained without a culinary diploma?

Sometimes yes, if there is no suitable two-year training in the country of origin and the candidate can prove at least six years of qualified work as a chef. This exception must be supported with documents.

Does a chef need a Blaue Karte?

Usually, this procedure is not about a Blaue Karte. For a Spezialitätenkoch, a separate work-approval rule for a Spezialitätenrestaurant is used. If the candidate has a university degree and different qualifications, the alternatives should be compared separately.

Is it possible to stay in Germany permanently right away?

No. The special approval for a Spezialitätenkoch is limited in time. Long-term residence is possible only if there is another independent basis or after the conditions of another type of residence permit are met.

Does the diploma need to be recognized through ZAB?

That depends on the documents and the requirements of the specific procedure. During the initial preparation, it is worth checking whether recognition, an evaluation, or additional confirmation of qualifications is required. It is not advisable to submit an incomplete package if the German mission explicitly asks for proof of the level of education.