Facts & Figures

Facts & Figures

Bavaria is located in the southeast of Germany and thus in the geographical center of Europe. Find out more about the State of Bavaria!

Bavaria in Figures

Population

Located in southeastern Germany, Bavaria shares borders with Austria, the Czech Republic and Switzerland. With about 70,550 km2, Bavaria is the largest state in Germany by area and almost twice the size of Switzerland (41,000 km2).
About 13.1 million people (as of 2019) live in Bavaria, of which about 1.5 million in the state capital, Munich. Other major Bavarian cities include Nuremberg, Augsburg, Regensburg, Ingolstadt, Würzburg, Erlangen and Fürth. The rural regions, which make up about 85% of the Free State, also shape Bavaria’s daily life and economy and provide jobs for nearly 8 million people (about 60% of the Bavarian population).

Location and infrastructure

Bavaria is an excellent site to develop new markets and a gateway to other countries in Central and Eastern Europe.

In addition to its pivotal geographic position, the state’s infrastructure plays a key role. Bavaria counts two international airports (Munich and Nuremberg), a road network with a total length of 42,000 km, a rail network of 6,120 km and 4 freight transport centres.

Research and development

Numerous world-renowned research institutes have their headquarters in Bavaria, including the Max Planck Society, the Fraunhofer Society, the Helmholtz Association, and the Leibniz Association.

Furthermore, the State of Bavaria offers excellent training opportunities and a wide range of study programs: Bavarian students benefit from 10 universities, 24 universities of applied sciences, the Academy of Television and Film Munich, as well as numerous private institutions of higher education.

Work in Bavaria

Canadian citizens may visit Germany or travel there for work without a visa for up to 90 days. In order to live or work there, they will require a specific permit. The application must be filed with the German Consulate General in Toronto exclusively. Visa applicants will have to provide a health insurance.

Citizens 18 to 35 years of age may apply for a simplified work permit under the “Youth Mobility Agreement”. The application must be made in person at the Germany Embassy in Ottawa, the German General Consulates in Toronto or in Vancouver, less than 3 months prior to departure. To learn more about this program, please read the Work and travel in Germany guide.

Detailed information and fill-out forms for Canadian citizens at www.canada.diplo.de

Canadians already in Germany may apply for a visa on-site, with the proper authority, usually the Foreigners’ Office in their city of residence.

The city of Munich Foreigners’ Authority offers foreign specialists and executives a specialized service in order to accelerate all foreign-related processes, from visa to residence permits. www.muenchen.de/ArbeitundWirtschaft

Since 2012, highly qualified non-EU citizens applying for “in demand” jobs can apply for the EU Blue Card, which fast-tracks them to a residency (work) permit.

Equivalencies of foreign qualifications are a matter of the German Chambers of Commerce (IHK). The central office IHK-FOSA (IHK-Foreign Skills Approval) is located in Nuremberg. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research offers a website with all pertaining info, steps, forms and useful tips regarding the procedure of obtaining an official equivalence to foreign qualifications: www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de