🇩🇪 Job offer letter in Germany: what to include
Updated July 2026 · General information, not legal advice
German employment law is famously protective, and much of it applies regardless of what the offer letter says. That makes the offer letter more, not less, important: any term that conflicts with statute simply will not hold, and German candidates read offers carefully.
Germany's Verification Act (Nachweisgesetz) also obliges employers to document the essential terms of employment in writing — so the offer should already be aligned with what the contract will say.
Quick facts
- Probation (Probezeit)
- Up to 6 months; 2 weeks' notice during probation
- Statutory notice after probation
- 4 weeks to the 15th or end of a month; employer notice grows with tenure
- Minimum annual leave
- 20 working days (5-day week); 25–30 is market standard
- Salary convention
- Gross annual or monthly ×12 (sometimes ×13)
- Written terms
- Essential terms must be documented (Nachweisgesetz)
What to include in a German offer letter
A German offer typically states:
- Position, start date and place of work
- Gross salary and how it is structured (12 or 13 payments, bonus, vacation pay)
- Probation period and the shortened notice that applies during it
- Vacation days (statutory minimum is 20 for a 5-day week; most offers say 25–30)
- Weekly working hours
- Notice periods after probation
- Collective agreement or works-council coverage if applicable
Probezeit — the German probation period
Probation may last up to six months. During it either side can terminate with two weeks' notice, without the general dismissal-protection rules that apply later. After six months in a company with more than ten employees, the Dismissal Protection Act (Kündigungsschutzgesetz) applies, and termination becomes significantly harder — which is why German employers take probation reviews seriously.
Notice periods
The statutory baseline after probation is four weeks' notice, effective to the 15th or the end of a calendar month. The employer's minimum notice then grows with tenure — reaching seven months for employees with 20 years of service. Contracts can extend notice, and it is common to mirror the employer's extended notice for the employee.
Salary and vacation
Quote salaries gross. Annual figures are standard in tech; traditional industries often quote monthly gross ×12 or ×13. Vacation above the 20-day statutory minimum is one of the most-negotiated terms — 28–30 days is common in competitive offers.
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Create a free offer →Frequently asked questions
Is a signed offer letter binding in Germany?
Yes — once accepted, an offer with the essential terms can constitute the employment contract. Be precise: German courts will hold you to it, and statutory minimums override anything less favourable.
Can probation be longer than 6 months in Germany?
No. Six months is the maximum for the shortened-notice probation period. Longer 'trial' arrangements do not delay statutory dismissal protection.
How many vacation days must a German offer include?
The statutory minimum is 20 working days on a five-day week, but 25–30 days is the market norm for professional roles.
Related guides
This guide is general information for employers, not legal advice. Employment rules change and collective agreements may set different terms — confirm the specifics with local counsel before sending an offer.