These questions concern many specialists and applicants who want to change their lives for the better and move to Germany for permanent residence.
Germany Job Seeker Visa – what is it?
For several years in Germany, foreign applicants with higher education have had a special visa to look for work. Since March 2020, it has been provided for specialists with secondary technical and vocational education from other countries. The visa is valid for 6 months.
It will be a long-term national visa to Germany of category D for job search and employment. It is obtained from the German embassy or consulate in the city closest to where you live. The processing times for applications for such a visa vary. They can be from 2 months. Therefore, your long trip to Germany must be planned.
Being in Germany on this visa for six months, you will receive the following benefits:
- The opportunity to register with the German labor exchange and receive additional information about all existing vacancies in your specialty.
- The opportunity within one day to be at an interview for a vacancy you are interested in in the office of a German employer.
- You do not need to return home to get a work visa at the German embassy – a residence permit in Germany for work. All these actions can be performed through the department
- In Germany, the state labor exchange is still relevant and popular among private employers. Therefore, staying in the country while looking for a job will be very effective for you.
Features of visa for job search
Today Germany is experiencing an acute shortage of qualified personnel in various professions and specialties. German employers cannot find workers for themselves, not only among residents but also citizens of other EU member states. As a reminder, EU citizens have the right to permanent residence and work in Germany. Also, in priority for employers, they are immediately after the citizens of Germany.
In total, about 2 million vacancies for skilled workers remain open across the country. Among the features of obtaining a visa to look for work in Germany, the following can be noted:
- Highly qualified specialists with higher education can apply. From March 2020, the program is also available for specialists with secondary technical and vocational education.
- The interview at the German consulate is conducted in German, so the applicant must have basic language knowledge.
- Official employment in the Federal Republic of Germany is possible only in the specialty specified in the diploma.
- A diploma or education certificate must meet German teaching standards.
- Otherwise, it will be necessary to pass the recognition of the diploma corresponding to the German education in the department of ZAB. This process will take a certain amount of time.
The holder of a visa to look for work in Germany is prohibited from engaging in any work activity until the conclusion of an employment contract in his specialty. It is necessary to confirm financial guarantees for the period of stay in Germany.
You need to get a medical insurance policy. Since we are talking about a foreigner who has not yet received a residence permit, it is necessary to take out travel medical insurance for the period of stay in the country to find a job – 6 months. If necessary, she will cover the costs of medical treatment during your stay in Germany.
All the conditions and peculiarities of applying for a visa for looking for work are specified in the German migration law paragraph §18c AufenthG. The easiest way will be for holders of a higher education diploma, already comparable to a German one.
That is, those whose university and specialty are already in the base of the department of ZAB. Officials from the German embassy or consulate will simply check the availability of a university and a specialty in the database, confirm this, and close the issue of recognizing a diploma for German education. This will significantly reduce the time required to apply for a visa to find a job in Germany.
The future expat will have to translate his diploma into German and print a form from the cabin database, which lists the H + for his university and the recognition of the specialty.
Financial guarantees
During the validity of a visa for looking for work in Germany, its owner must independently provide himself with finances for living and living. Germany, as the host state, will not pay any benefits, because applicants do not even have a residence permit.
For the period of searching for a job for foreigners, a financial minimum is set – 835 euros per month. German officials want to be sure that the migrant will only engage in their employment, and not unofficial part-time jobs and illegal money-making business.
As an alternative, financial guarantees of relatives or loved ones who live in the FRG are accepted. In this case, you need to be invited to Germany. It also involves taking the financial security of the guest, that is, the owner of the search visa, on himself. Our company helps to issue such an invitation. Contacts for communication are specified at the end of the article.
If you do not have relatives or friends in Germany to issue an official invitation, then you will need to open a blocked account with a German bank. It’s called Sperrkonto. It will be necessary to put the entire amount of monthly minimums on it at once for six months in advance. The account holder will be able to withdraw monthly only the limit amount – 853 euros. Accordingly, the applicant will not be able to deposit funds, show at the embassy, and then withdraw everything in one go.
You don’t need to fly to Germany to open an account with Sperrkonto. It is opened remotely on the Internet using Fintiba. It is recommended by the officials from the German embassy themselves. This company provides services mainly to students. However, it is possible to open an account for Sperrkonto and foreign applicants.
Additional Information
In standard cases, a Category D national visa for job search is valid for 90 days. In this case, its owner will have to contact the department of the department for foreigners 2 weeks before its end to extend it for another 90 days. There are times when the issued visa is valid immediately for 6 months.
There are three options for living for half a year while a foreigner is looking for a job – living with relatives or friends, renting a hotel room, renting an apartment. If you rent a house on the Internet in advance, then visa processing will be easier. However, remote renting is also a complex process.
Any kind of earnings during the agreed period on the territory of Germany is prohibited. Therefore, you must have a “financial cushion” for this period.
If the search for a job within 6 months does not bring results, the foreigner is obliged to leave the country. He will not be able to re-enter within the same 6 months. Then the whole process can be repeated.
If you are already in Germany, for example, taking a language course on a Schengen visa, you cannot apply for a visa to look for work without leaving the country.