Germany
Living, working or studying in Germany?
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Which papers do you need to come to Germany? 

If you come to live, work or study in Germany, you might need to get a visa, residence permit and/or work permit.

Be prepared to spend a lot of time assembling your documentation and waiting in line. As some permits have to be applied for from your home country, you should start this process well in advance of your move to Germany.

German immigration laws are complex and confusing for many foreigners (and for most Germans as well!). At Just Landed we have tried to give an overview of the most important legal aspects and application procedures you need to consider. Due to the complexity of the subject, we cannot provide detailed information for every situation. We hope this guide will helpful in get you started working out what you need to do.

When coming to live in Germany, you will probably need to go through the process in the following order (each step requires documentation from previous one), although there are some exceptions:

1. Visas: EU citizens and some other nationalities do not need a visa for Germany. If you do need a visa, you have to apply in your home country (visas are never issued in Germany). Visa applications take some time and the type of visa will affect your residency rights, so choose accordingly.
   
   
2. Residence registration: In the first week after arrival, you have to register at the local residence registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt).
   
   
3. Residence permits: Everybody staying in Germany for more than 3 months must officially obtain a residence permit (including EU citizens). After completing your residence registration, you need to apply for your residence permit at the local immigration office ( Ausländeramt).
   
   
4. Work permit: Once you have your residence permit, you can apply for a work permit at your local labor office ( Arbeitsamt). EU citizens do not need a work permit to work.
   
   

Germany is a bureaucratic country and bureaucrats love documents. Be prepared to fill in many forms, take them to different offices, have them stamped numerous times and spend a lot of time waiting in line. Before leaving home, you may find it essential or useful to get:

• a passport valid for the entire period to be spent in Germany
  
  
• if going to study, a notification of university admission or confirmation of application
  
  
• proof of financial resources
  
  
• visa (not a tourist visa), if applicable
  
  
• originals and certified (!) translations of your birth certificate, secondary school leaving certificate, possibly academic qualifications and your insurance documents. Certifications can be made at German diplomatic and consular missions.
  
  
• confirmation of health insurance cover or, for students from the European Union, a European health insurance card
  
  
• book of vaccination certificates, if you have one. Check at the German diplomatic presence in your home country whether you need any vaccinations
  
  
• an international driving license if you need one (EU citizens do not)
  
  

Also note that regulations are subject to frequent change. Information can be obtained from German embassies, consulates, immigration offices and the German ministry for foreign affairs . These institutions are often overloaded with immigration requests. This may partly explain why German officials are not known for their friendliness and why some foreigners feel intimidated by the authorities. If your legal situation is complex, consider hiring a lawyer or immigration expert to represent your interests or advise.

Visas for Germany
Requirements and application procedures 

Depending on your nationality, you could need a visa when coming to Germany. Be aware of that the rules and regulations change quite often, we give you the most common categories.

Nationalities that don’t need a visa for any purpose:EU citizens and those of Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. After three months in Germany you are required to get a residence permit.

Nationalities that don’t need a visa for stays up to three months:Citizens of the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and Switzerland, who may also apply for their residence permit after entering Germany without a visa. You can enter Germany without a visa, as long as you don’t plan to do any paid or self-employed work. If you intend to stay longer or wish to work, you have to apply for a visa in your home country (remember that visas are never issued in Germany), so it’s recommended to get a visa before coming to Germany, even if you can enter without one. If you do not do this you will have to go home and apply for a visa before returning to Germany,

Nationalities that require a visa for any purpose:In this case you will need a visa even for short visits. This is true for most African and many Asian countries.

More information on visas for Germany can be found atwww.auswaertiges-amt.de  (German ministry of foreign affairs).

Visas are generally linked to a specific purpose of your stay in Germany (i.e. tourist visas, student visas, business visas, etc.). The type of visa depends on the reasons given for coming to the country and is the same as the different types of residency permits; the only difference that the visa is issued outside of Germany.

Once you have entered Germany, you may be issued a residency permit for the same reasons stated in your visa. The purpose of you stay cannot be changed within Germany, e.g. you cannot enter on a student visa and then get work residence permit. If you wish to change your residency status, you will probably need to first leave the country to then apply for a different type of visa! Consider carefully the reason you give for your visa application as this can have expensive implications later.

Documentation and waiting timesFor a visa application, you will have to produce some or all of the following documents (contact your local embassy/consulate for exact requirements):

• passport with at least 3 months validity beyond the end of the visa period requested, with a blank page available for the visa.
  
  
• application form(s); number dependent on nationality of applicant.
  
  
• 2 passport photographs
  
  
• proof of adequate means of financial support during stay
  
  
• proof of medical insurance.
  
  
• proof of purpose of visit and/or a hotel reservation and/or a return ticket.
  
  
• letter from employer or place of study. If self-employed a letter from a solicitor, accountant, bank manager or local Chamber of Commerce.
  
  

Applications should be made at least 6 weeks before the planned departure date. If you apply for a visa outside of your home country, your application will be referred to the German embassy there, and may take longer to be issued.

The Schengen AreaGermany is a signatory to the Schengen Agreement, which enables free circulation of residents within Schengen Area countries. A visa granted by one of these countries is valid in the whole Schengen Area. Travelling within the Schengen Area is legally the same as travelling within Germany. If you enter Germany with a tourist visa, you will be able to stay in Germany and/or any other country in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days during any 6-month period.

In addition to Spain, the other parties to the Schengen Agreement are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

• Although you can leave the Schengen Area and come back in as many times as you need during your 6-month visa validity, the total amount of time you can stay in the Schengen area cannot exceed 90 days.
  
  
• A visa granted by one of the Schengen countries is valid in all other member countries.
  
  

Countries outside the Schengen Area include Switzerland, United Kingdom & the Channel Islands, Ireland, Morocco, and Gibraltar.

Trivia: Schengen is a place in Luxembourg where the original treaty was signed in 1985.


The German job market for foreigners 

For many foreigners, Germany has amazing working conditions. German employees enjoy some of the highest salaries in the world, generous benefits and state-mandated job protection. In some industries, working hours have been reduced to 35 hours/week and holiday of up 30 days/year is not uncommon.

On the downside, Germany suffers high unemployment (around 12%), which is mostly structural due to strict labour market regulation and the changing nature of the German economy. Today, the country has around 5 million unemployed, many of whom will find it impossible to re-enter the job market. High unemployment means finding a job is difficult, especially for foreigners not speaking fluent German.

There are large regional differences in the German labour market. Employment levels are higher in the West of Germany than the East (with the exception of Berlin and the South of the former German Democratic Republic). Unemployment is generally more widespread in rural areas than cities. Traditional German heavy industries such as mining, construction and ship-building have high structural unemployment, while jobs are more plentiful in service industries.

Finding a job as a foreignerIf you're a native English-speaker, don't expect it to be a big advantage in the job market (of course, apart from teaching). Most Germans study English in school so jobs requiring this skill will have ample candidates (although don't expect all Germans to speak fluent English as this is not the case). Languages other than English can often be an advantage, as Germany is one of the largest exporters in the world. There is demand for "exotic" language skills, especially some Asian languages.

As in any foreign country, speaking the local language is a must. Obviously the environment at a multinational, compared to a small family-owned company, will probably be more suited to foreigner. Keep this in mind when looking for a job. For professionals, German operations of large foreign corporate or the international areas of very large companies may be promising targets.

A remarkable range of occupations are regulated in Germany, with many jobs requiring formal qualification. The country has an apprenticeship system that requires most young workers to pass a 2/3 year training program before entering the real labour market, which ensures they have first-hand experience in the job. For foreigners this can mean you might be prevented from working in a job in which you have experience at home, e.g. electrician, computer technician, etc. If you do have a formal qualification (such as for doctors, teacher and nurses, etc.), it will need to be certified by a competent German authority (usually a guild, trade or professional association).

Finding a job
Where to look for a job in Germany 

There are lots of places to look for jobs in Germany and many can be contacted before you arrive. To get you started, we have gathered together some of the more effective resources:

Newspapers & Magazines: Job offers are posted in the classified sections of daily newspapers (often on Wednesdays and Weekend issues), in weekly newspapers, monthly magazines (city magazines) and specialised trade magazines and journals. If you are looking for a highly qualified or academic job at a national level, you should consult the Saturday edition of national papers such as the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Die Welt, Handelsblatt and Frankfurter Rundschau.

For less senior positions, look at local newspapers, such as the Westdeutsche Zeitung, Stuttgarter Zeitung or Berliner Zeitung, which often also carry positions on Wednesdays. For a fee, you can also place a job wanted advertisement in the jobs section. Find different newspapers on this site: www.zeitung.de .

Internet: The last few years have seen huge growth in the online job market and Online-Bewerbungen is now the most popular way to apply for work, especially among younger people and graduates. Online recruitment websites ( Jobsbörsen) allow you to search according to your criteria, such as sector, salary and region. You can also post your CV on websites so that companies looking for specific skills can find you.

Labour offices ( Arbeitsamt): There are more than 800 Arbeitsämter(jobcentres) throughout Germany and EU/EEA nationals are entitled to use their services, look at their website for more details -www.arbeitsagentur.de . Jobcentres have extensive listings of vacancies, which are free to look at (even without a work permit). The majority of these offers are for un- and semi-skilled work. Positions at professional and executive levels are usually advertised by the company or filled by a recruitment agency. For foreigners seeking work in Germany, the Arbeitsamt has an international department called ZAV ( Zentralstelle für Auslandsvermittlung). The address of the nearest Arbeitsamt will be listed in the telephone directory and yellow pages ( Gelbe Seiten).

EURES: The EURES network is a partnership between the employment services in the EEA to support the free movement of workers. It facilitates the circulation of vacancies and enables online access to up-to-date information on living and working conditions in each EEA member state. EURES staff specialize in the practical issues surrounding employment in member states. They assist people who wish to work abroad and help employers find suitable employees from other EEA countries. They can be contacted via the Arbeitsamt, of which 50 centres are linked to the EURES network - for more go towww.europa.eu.int/eures .

Recruitment agencies: Private recruitment agencies are listed in the telephone book and yellow pages under Arbeitsvermittlung. A number of them specialize in recruiting for temporary positions, such as Manpower and Adecco, which can sometimes be a useful step towards a full-time job.

Career fairs: A good place to get started is to visit a career fair. Fairs usually have a range of employers and concentrate on a specific sector. Usually you to apply by sending in your CV and employers decide who they want to meet in advance. As well as getting general information on employment perspectives in different companies, it is often possible to arrange interviews.

Speculative applications: If you a specific company is of interest you can send a speculative application. This is common in Germany and (unlike in many other countries) is worth trying, as applications are retained and checked against positions as they become available in some companies.

Chambers of Commerce: Contact the local chamber of commerce of your home country in Germany, as they are often asked for candidates and sometimes have a database of open job positions. Often a chamber of commerce will have a list of companies from your home country doing business in Germany, which can make good targets for speculative applications


Work permits
When and how to apply for them 

If you plan to work in Germany you will need to get a residence and a work permit. Only if you are an EU national these may not be necessary.

In order to obtain a work permit, you first need to get your residence permit. For further information, see our section on residence permits. Students do not require work permits; however, there is a strict yearly limit of 90 days work. For further information, see our section on student jobs.

EU citizensEU citizens do not need a permit to work in Germany, provided they have a valid passport or national identity card and comply with German employment laws and regulations (there are also special arrangements with Switzerland and EEAA countries). You should, however, consider getting an EU residency permit. For further information, see our section on residence permits.

In Germany, EU citizens have equal rights in terms of pay, working conditions, access to housing, vocational training, social security and trade union membership. Families and immediate dependants are entitled to join you and have similar rights. There are some restrictions on some public sector employment (e.g. Police) and there variances for teachers and health professionals between differentLänder (German states) .

Non-EU citizensWork-permits for non-EU-citizens are attached to the type of resident permit you hold. There are various residence permits that are issued for the purpose of taking up employment (as an employee or self-employed work). Which residence permit applies to you and which preconditions need to be fulfilled essentially depends on the type of intended employment. Here it is distinguished between employment that does not require any professional qualifications, qualified employment, highly qualified employment and self-employed work.

Non-qualified EmploymentIt is generally not possible to receive a residence permit for the purpose of taking up employment that does not require professional qualifications. These are only issued under exceptional circumstances if this has been allowed for in intergovernmental agreements or is permitted by legal ordinance.

Qualified EmploymentIt is permitted to employ professionally qualified foreigners in the case of specific vocations. These occupational groups are determined by legal ordinance. Whether you get a work permit for qualified employment depends on type of job you’re looking into and the current regulations for giving out permits

Highly Qualified EmploymentHighly qualified persons can, in special cases, receive a unlimited settlement permit ( Niederlassungserlaubnis) right from the outset. The prerequisites for this are, among others, that they have a concrete job offer and that the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency) has given their approval. People regarded in particular to be highly qualified persons are scientists with special expert knowledge, teachers and scientific workers with specialist functions. This group also includes specialists and people in senior managerial positions who receive a salary that is above a stipulated minimum value (double the contribution assessment ceiling for statutory health insurance, which is around € 4,000).

Self-employed WorkA residence permit can be issued for carrying out self-employed work. This presupposes that certain prerequisites are fulfilled that, in particular, ensure that the work has a positive effect on the German economy. These prerequisites are generally deemed to be fulfilled with a minimum investment sum of 1 million euros and the creation of ten jobs. If the investment sum or the number of jobs is less than these values, the prerequisites are examined in terms of the viability of the business idea, the amount of invested capital, the business experience of the foreigner and involves, among others, trade authorities and associations. Foreigners who are older than 45 years only receive a residence permit if they have a suitable retirement pension.

The residence permit is initially issued for a maximum of 3 years. If the planned business endeavour has been successfully realised in this time, a settlement permit can already be issued after three years regardless of the usual prerequisites.

Working illegallyGiven the difficulties getting work permits many people consider working illegally. However, finding illegal work in Germany is difficult and not recommended. Illegal workers are under constant threat of deportation and are often exploited by employers. An employer cannot even be forced to pay for work done by someone working illegally.