Work Permit in Germany
The working visa for Germany is an immigration document that must be obtained by the nationals of most third-party countries wishing to relocate here for this specific purpose. The German migration law provides for numerous types of visas, employment included. Foreigners applying for a visa issued for employment purposes should know that this document can be provided, as a general rule, only to those planning to stay here for a long-term basis (defined as any period of time longer than 90 days).
What are the main types of working visas for Germany?
The legislation regulating the types of visas that can be issued by the German authorities prescribes several types of documents issued to nationals of third-party countries wishing to work in this country. Our immigration lawyer in Germany can offer assistance on how to obtain any of the below-mentioned working visas:
• visa for employment (a working visa in Germany) – issued when the foreigner has obtained a job offer from a local employer;
• visa for self-employed persons – issued for foreigners moving to Germany for the purpose of developing a small business;
• visas for jobseekers – addressed to those who intend to be employed in Germany, but who have not yet obtained a solid job offer;
• au pair working visa for Germany – issued for young persons interested in learning about the German culture;
• working holiday visa – a type of document that is available only for young persons working here for a definite period of time (the document is issued only for certain nationalities).
Foreigners considering relocation to Germany for employment purposes should know that they do not need to obtain a German working visa if they are citizens of the following: the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), Australia, Canada, the United States of America (USA), Switzerland, New Zealand, Israel, Japan and the Republic of Korea.
What are the basic conditions for obtaining a working visa in Germany?
The prerequisites for moving to Germany for employment purposes as a citizen of a country outside the ones mentioned above require foreigners to apply for a residence permit, which can be issued for a short-term period of time – one can apply for it when requesting a working visa in Germany; those planning to relocate here for a long period of time can apply for a permanent residence permit as well.
Besides this basic condition, which can be explained by our immigration lawyer in Germany, foreigners must prepare the visa application form. The person must also have a solid employment offer and, in most cases, this is done through a signed employment contract with an employer-based in Germany.
The procedure for obtaining a working visa in Germany starts by addressing a consulate or embassy in the country where the foreigner resides, which will also handle the processing of the application. The applicant should expect that the German authorities will be able to provide an answer in a period of one month and up to three months since the moment when the application was made.
The process of obtaining a working visa for Germany is regulated by specific rules of law and those seeking employment here should also be aware that the regulations of the German Residence Act will apply. When applying for a residence permit through which foreigners will gain access to the employment market in this country, it must be noted that the approval of the Federal Employment Agency is necessary.
What are the trends in foreigners accessing the German labor market?
The working visa in Germany is a document in high demand here, along with other types of employment documents. Germany represents one of the largest employment markets in the EU and one of the countries with the highest demands. With regard to the number of foreign skilled workers employed in Germany, the highest rate is represented by EU citizens. The trends in relocation to Germany for employment purposes show the following:
• in 2017, more than 60% of the EU citizens moving to Germany for employment were skilled workers;
• from the total group of skilled workers arriving here, only 7% had non-EU nationalities;
• in 2017, the total number of non-EU skilled workers arriving in Germany was 36,082 persons;
• 25,723 non-EU citizens have obtained a residence permit for qualified employment in 2017;
• the EU Blue Card was issued for 9,625 non-EU foreigners;
• the Federal Labor Office issued only 5,600 residence permits for workers with vocational qualifications.
It must be noted that the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reported that Germany is the most important labor market amongst countries with a similar economy, such as France, the Netherlands, or Spain, with the highest rate of immigrants. For more details on how to receive a working visa in this country, we invite you to contact our immigration lawyer in Germany.
