Why essential costs, not salary
In an emergency you stop spending on holidays and eating out, so the fund only has to cover what you cannot cut: housing, food, insurance, transport and debt payments. That is usually well below your take-home pay, which makes the target smaller and more reachable than the common “three to six salaries” advice.
How the months are worked out
Every household starts with three months, enough for most job searches or a large repair. Each risk you tick adds months, because it either makes income stop more suddenly or makes the gap last longer. The total is capped at twelve months; beyond that, cash loses value to inflation faster than the extra safety is worth.
Engineers on a work visa
If your residence permit depends on your job, losing the job can start a deadline to find a new one or leave. A bigger buffer buys time to choose the next role instead of taking the first offer. Check the exact rules for your permit with the immigration office, as they differ by country and permit type.
If you live in Germany
Employees who have paid into unemployment insurance for at least 12 of the last 30 months usually receive Arbeitslosengeld: 60% of previous net pay, or 67% with a child. That softens a job loss but does not replace your income, and the Verbraucherzentrale still recommends keeping two to three net monthly salaries in an instant-access savings account.