To fill in specialized labor gaps, Germany has introduced a job seeker visa. This was designed to fill in the shortage of skilled employees in sectors such as engineering, IT or manufacturing. Therefore, a solution to this was designed in the form of a job seeker visa – which is a long-stay visa that was introduced in August 2012. The visa aims to attract qualified foreign experts who will come to Germany to find a job.
Who needs a Germany Job Seeker Visa?
Individuals that do not need to apply for a Job Seeker Visa are citizens of the European Union, European Free Trade Area and European Economic Area. Citizens from these countries can travel to Germany for employment purposes without a visa. Similar rules apply to nationals of Canada, Israel, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the US or the Republic of Korea. These nationals do not require a job seeker visa to work in Germany, yet they must apply for a temporary residence permit at Immigration Office once arrived.
Citizens that do need to apply for a Job Seeker Visa are those that were not mentioned above. Including all citizens from countries outside of the European Union, America, Australia etc.
Eligibility for German Job Seeker Visa
Yet, before the applicant starts their application process, the candidate must fulfil specific criteria to be eligible for the visa. The criteria are precise and include the following:
- the applicant has Bachelor or Masters Degree from a German university or other foreign degree
- applicant has an equivalent educational standard. This includes any work experience in the field of study (a minimum of 5 years is required)
- applicant need to supply evidence of travel and medical insurance for the whole stay until the work permit is approved
- applicant can confirm that they have enough financial funds to cover their entire stay in Germany
- an individual can speak or at a minimum understand the basic German language. Although English proficiency is sufficient enough, this is a recommendation.
Application Process for German Job Seeker Visa
The application process for a German Job Seeker visa is simple and it is very similar to application procedures for other visas. Applicants need to go through five main stages of the application when applying for a German Job Seeker visa. Firstly, applicants must complete the Job Seeker visa application form and provide personal information along with a visa photo. Once the application is filled out, an appointment must be made where required supporting documents will have to be presented. Applicants can make an appointment through the German mission website, the standard waiting time can be up to twelve weeks.
The standard supporting documents required for the interview are: filled out the application form, three copies of visa photos, evidence confirming accommodation, health insurance, confirmation of academic qualification (diploma or degree), CV, evidence of sufficient funds (bank statements, letter from a sponsor) along with a cover letter which states out the purpose of the visit. All supporting documents must be in German or English language, it is also advised to translate any official document into German, with a legal signature or stamp.
After document submission, an interview has to be attended, where questions about the job and purpose of the trip will be asked. Lastly, a visa fee of (75 euros) has to be paid.
German Visa Photo Specification
The photo provided by the applicant must follow special German guidelines. The following paragraph will inform applicants about the photo-taking process and all the requirements associated with German visa photo.
Firstly the photo must measure 45mm (height) by 35mm (width) in size. In digital form, it should be a minimum of 600×600 pixels. The format of the photo must be in colour, have a white background, be recent (cannot be older than 6 months), and be printed on high-quality paper when applied in physical form.
Applicants should stand at least 40cm away from the camera lens, be formal, have their eyes open, mouth closed, and keep a straight posture. Candidates cannot smile, frown, wear headwear (of any form unless medical conditions /religious belief) or glasses without a prescription, wear a uniform, or have hair in their eyes.
How long can I stay with a German Job Seeker Visa?
The permitted time of stay with a German Job Seeker Visa is up to 6 months. This period of time is dedicated to job search in the desired field. Once a job is found, conversion to an employment residence permit or EU Blue card is essential.
EU Blue card is only applicable if the employment offer is exceeding the salary of 44,800 euros (annually). In fields such as IT, life sciences, maths or engineering the salary needs to be 34,944 euros. After having an EU blue card for 33 months, individuals can apply for permanent residency. Moreover, for those that can provide evidence of B1 German Language level permanent residency can be obtained after 21 months.
There is also the option of German Employment visa which is funded by a sponsor. After five years of living, a residence permit can be applied for. With this type of visa, family members can join you through a Family Reunion Long Term visa.
Once You Arrive in Germany…
Once you arrive in Germany two important tasks must be completed. First, a person must register their address at the local registration office (the applicant has two weeks to complete this task). The second task is to get a temporary residence permit. This must be done only if a job is found.
