Many foreign people travel to Germany in search of jobs because the country’s job market is highly respected internationally and unemployment is on the decline there.
It is feasible to get employment and settle in Germany, but there are basic steps that must be taken. You can enter Germany with a job seeker visa if you are interested in working there.
The German job seeker visa enables people to stay in Germany for a predetermined amount of time while they look for work. However, not everyone requires this kind of visa in order to look for work in Germany. In little time at all, you will learn more information.
It is difficult to get a visa for a job seeker to Germany; you must be eligible, meet all conditions, and apply carefully. Let us go through all you should know today.
Work Permits and Employment-based Visas
The German government has made an effort in recent years to promote immigration of highly trained professionals by easing restrictions on work permits and employment visas for Germany. Continue reading to learn more about Germany’s work permit requirements and categories.
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Germany’s Work Visa Requirements
You can work in Germany without a work visa if you are an EU citizen, just like a German. To work, non-EU citizens need a visa or residency permit.
German Work Permit Fees and Process
You can work in Germany without a work visa if you are an EU citizen, just like a German. To work, non-EU citizens need a visa or residency permit.
Business Visa
If you wish to visit Germany for business and you are not from the EU or a country that is a part of the visa waiver program, you will need a business visa. You are permitted to go to and remain in Germany for up to 90 days within a six-month period with a German business visa. If you wish to travel to Germany to do business, sign contracts, attend meetings, and other similar appointments, you must have a business visa.
Family Reunion Visa
There are generally rather rigorous rules for bringing along a spouse and/or children for non-EU nationals. Since there frequently is a backlog of applications to be processed, you should aim to apply for a family reunification visa as early as you can.
Family Reunion Visa Regulations
- You must earn sufficient income to support your family financially.
- You need to provide housing for your family.
- In some cases, your spouse must prove basic knowledge of the German language.
- Your children must be younger than 18 and unmarried.
None of this applies if you came to the country legally as a skilled worker or if you are an EU or EEA citizen.
Andorrans, Australians, Canadians, Hondurans, Israelis, Japanese, Monacons, New Zealanders, San Marinos, South Koreans, and Americans all have their own set of rules. The following paperwork might be required of you and your fiancé(e) if you wish to get married in Germany:
- Passport.
- Birth certificate, and birth certificates of any children you have together.
- Proof you have been in Germany for at least 21 days (e.g. a Meldebescheinigung)
- Proof you are single.
- Application from the Standesamt or civil registration office (after you apply there in person with your partner).
The following may also be required:
- A Certificate of Freedom to Marry, No Marriage Affidavit, or Certificate of No Impediment, which prove you are single.
- Marriage certificates from any previous marriages.
- Proof of financial means, e.g. bank statements or salary slips.
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Skilled Migration and the European Blue Card
Individuals from the EU, as well as those from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, do not need to have a visa or other formal authorization in order to work in Germany.
However, the influx of workers from EU nations into Germany may not be sufficient to make up for the shortage of competent workers. This indicates that competent foreign people may be able to obtain a work permit or a skilled worker visa (also known as a “EU Blue Card”).
You are qualified for an EU Blue Card, which costs 140 EUR (165 USD), if you hold an undergraduate or graduate degree and have a job before moving to Germany that pays at least 55,200 EUR (65,000 USD) as of 2020.
Individuals with the Blue Card are permitted four years of residence in Germany. You can apply for a settlement permit (permanent residence permit) after 21 to 33 months. After just 21 months, you might be admitted if you already have B1-level German.
As soon as you receive a Blue Card, your spouse and dependent children are also eligible to enter the country and apply for work permits.
Graduates and Shortage Occupations
In Germany, there are almost 1.2 million open positions, and the Skilled Labour Immigration Act went into effect in March 2020. The German governments anticipate that the new law will result in an annual increase of 25,000 skilled workers.
Additionally, the law makes it simpler for potential employees who have professional credentials rather than academic ones to relocate to Germany and find employment. While Germany faces a challenge as a result of the skills gap, qualified professionals looking to relocate there have an opportunity. In nations like Vietnam, Mexico, and India, talent is in demand.
The minimum salary required to legally work in Germany is lower than what is required for other graduates if you have a degree and professional experience in a field where there is currently a shortage of qualified workers (such as IT, engineering, or healthcare).
By the year 2020, graduates joining shortage occupations must make at least 51,000 USD per year while working under comparable conditions to their German counterparts.
Comparatively speaking, other grads must make at least 55,200 EUR (or $65,000 USD). There are certainly additional advantages if you are highly proficient and/or possess an EU Blue Card. For instance, you might not need to wait for the Federal Employment Agency to approve you before working in Germany.
German Short-stay Visa Fees
60 EUR (70 USD):
- Airport transit visa
- Stays up to 30 days
- Stays from 31 to 90 days (single entry)
- Stays from 31 to 90 days (several entries)
75 EUR (90 USD):
- National visas (e.g. family reunion, study, etc)
Free of charge:
- for scholarship holders from a German science organization;
- for spouses of EU citizens.
As long as your personal situation does not change, the renewal of your residence permit is mostly a formality. However, if you change employers, stop working, separate from your spouse, etc., all this can impact your residence status.
In such cases, it is best to contact the local Ausländerbehörde (Aliens Registration Office) immediately and consult with an immigration lawyer.
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Which Are the Germany Job Seeker Visa Requirements?
The documents required for your Germany job seeker visa application are:
- Two filled out, printed, and signed application forms.
- Your valid passport.
- Three identical passport-format photographs – according to biometric specifications.
- Proof of accommodation.
- Proof of travel health insurance. You should provide proof that you are health insured. The travel health insurance plan PROVISIT VISUM by DR-WALTER meets all visa requirements of the German immigration authorities.
- Proof of financial resources. You should prove you can cover your expenses for the duration of your stay, through one of the following:
- Bank statement.
- “Verpflichtungserklärung” – Letter of commitment/declaration by someone proving your expenses will be covered.
- Blocked bank account.
- Curriculum Vitae. Containing full education and employment history.
- Proof of personal status. (if applicable: marriage certificate, birth certificate of applicant, wife, children).
- Cover letter for your visa application. Written and signed by the applicant explaining the exact purpose, course of action to find a job and the duration of their stay in Germany as well as further career plans.
- Proof of academic qualification.
- Visa fee payment confirmation.
