SUSE cuts 190 jobs: what Blue Card holders in Germany should do now

On 2 November 2026, SUSE told its staff it will cut 10% of its jobs worldwide. That is about 190 of roughly 1,900 people. SUSE is an open-source software company (it makes software whose code anyone can read). Its headquarters are in Nuremberg, and Indian engineers work there or remotely from other parts of Germany.

We already explained that you have 3 weeks to fight a dismissal in Germany, even from India. That post covered the Labour Court deadline. This one covers what is new: the SUSE news, the AI reason behind it, and the exact Blue Card time limits.

What did SUSE announce?

CEO Dirk-Peter van Leeuwen sent an internal memo. Affected staff are being told by 4 November. One-to-one meetings start the following week.

It is not confirmed how many of the 190 jobs are in Germany. So don't assume your team is safe or at risk. Ask your manager and your works council (more on that below).

Why is SUSE blaming AI?

The CEO named "automation and AI" as the reason. He said modern tools let teams move faster with less overhead (less cost and effort). So some existing roles are needed less.

This is different from most layoffs. SUSE did not blame a weak economy or hiring too many people. It said AI is replacing some of its own staff.

SUSE has changed hands before. It is a German company, founded in 1992. The Swedish private equity firm EQT (an investment firm that buys companies) bought it in 2018. It listed on the Frankfurt stock market in 2021 and went private again in 2023.

My view: treat this as an early warning for Germany's business software sector, not a one-off. Keep your CV current even if your job feels safe.

What protection do you have under German labour law?

Four things matter most.

Kündigungsschutz (protection against unfair dismissal)

It applies if you have worked at SUSE for more than 6 months.

Betriebsrat (works council)

This is the elected group that speaks for employees. The company must consult it before any dismissal is valid. For mass layoffs, it negotiates a Sozialplan (social plan), which sets the severance terms.

Abfindung (severance pay)

Severance is money paid when you leave. German law does not guarantee it by default. In a social plan, though, the usual amount is 0.5 months' salary for each year you worked there.

Here is an example. Say you earn EUR 5,500 gross a month and worked 6 years. That is 3 months of pay, or EUR 16,500 before tax. Your own plan may differ.

The 3-week rule

You have exactly 3 weeks from the day the paper termination letter arrives in your mailbox. In that time you must file a Kündigungsschutzklage (unfair dismissal claim) at the local Arbeitsgericht (Labour Court). Don't wait.

How long does your Blue Card last after losing the job?

Your Blue Card does not end the day your job ends. Section 18g of the Residence Act (AufenthG § 18g) gives you time to find a new job. The time depends on how long you have held the card.

These are the 2026 rules. If you read this much later, check the law text, because rules can change.

What should you do step by step?

1. Tell the Agentur für Arbeit at once. This is the employment agency. You must report the coming job loss immediately to protect your ALG I (unemployment benefit).
2. Tell your Ausländerbehörde. This is the immigration office. Report that your contract is ending early. This activates your 3 or 6 month grace period.
3. Don't sign an Aufhebungsvertrag blindly. This is a termination agreement. If you sign it voluntarily, the Agentur für Arbeit can block your ALG I for 12 weeks. Have a lawyer read it first.
4. Decide on a legal challenge. If you want to fight the dismissal, file the Kündigungsschutzklage within the 3 weeks.

What salary must your next job pay?

Any new offer must meet the 2026 standard Blue Card salary threshold of EUR 50,700 a year. That is about EUR 4,225 a month gross (pay before tax). Our post on which Blue Card threshold is yours has more detail. You can also check the official page on Make it in Germany.

If you have held your Blue Card for more than 12 months, you don't need the Ausländerbehörde's permission to change jobs. You still have to tell them.

What is the one thing to do today?

Write down the date any termination letter reaches your mailbox, and count 3 weeks from it. Then put that date and your grace period end date in your phone calendar. Those two dates protect both your job rights and your right to stay.

Source for the layoff details: Dealroom report on the SUSE cuts.

Cover photo: andreas160578 on Pixabay