Work visa in Germany

German work visa

Germany is currently one of the top countries when it comes to labor migration. According to the laws of Germany, this country generally has five types of work visas.

Employment visa

This type of visa is for a person who has already received a job offer from a reputable employer in this country and now needs a visa for entering Germany.

self-employment visa

This type of visa is more useful for investors who intend to start a business in Germany.

Jobseeker visa

The most important work visa in Germany is a jobseeker visa. This visa allows applicants to stay in Germany for six months and look for a job that suits their circumstances.

AU PAIR visa (Working as an Au Pair)

It is for young adults who want to study more about the German language and culture.

Holiday Visa

It is for the youngsters of several countries, that have signed a Working Holiday Visa agreements with Germany.

But the main question is how much does each one of these visas cost the applicants? In the following, we will talk about the work visa fees in Germany.

In the Comments section, you can also ask your questions and answer them in a short time.

Topics reviewed in this article:

• Getting a work visa in Germany without a university degree
• Checking the employment status and the unemployment rate in Germany
• New rules and requirements for getting a work visa in Germany
• The costs of getting a work visa in Germany
• The required documents for getting a work visa in Germany
• List of the jobs that are needed and required in Germany
• Finding a job in Germany
• The costs of obtaining a permanent residence permit and German citizenship through work

Getting a work visa in Germany without a university degree

According to the international standards, a professional is a person who has received an academic degree from a university and has worked in the same field ever since. Generally, according to the law of Germany, a person who has worked for more than 3 years after receiving his / her degree is considered as a specialist and can apply for a jobseeker visa.

Therefore, an applicant without an academic degree and related work experience is practically not considered as an expert and cannot apply for any types of work visas. Of course, there are exceptions that should be discussed with professional consultants and experts.

Therefore, the applicant must have education and experience in a field that is in the list of the required jobs in Germany. Jobs such as engineering and manual professions are among the jobs that are needed in Germany. In the following, we will also examine the jobs that are required and in demand in Germany.

Checking the employment status and the unemployment rate in Germany

The first thing that comes to applicant’s mind when he/she is choosing a country work migration is to check the employment status and the unemployment rate in that country. If the unemployment rate is high in a country, that country will definitely not be considered by him/her. In this sector, in Germany, the unemployment rate is rather balanced. Germany’s unemployment rate is estimated about 4.2 percent. This rate means that there are about 4 unemployed people out of 100 people in Germany.

Generally, work visas in Germany are more of a job seeker visa for applicants. Because this type of visa is considered to be the easiest method for work migration to this country. The work visa fees in Germany are not high and noticeable.

New rules and requirements for getting a work visa in Germany

The law of Germany is always changing. Because when it comes to work migration, this country is one of the top migrant countries. Germany has always tried to follow its immigration policy and also tried to attract and employ professionals from around the world. Since the beginning of 2020, this country has changed its work visa requirements and made it much easier. The changes in work permits and job seeker visa in Germany are as follows:

The applicant who has received a job seeker visa in German is allowed to work. This means that he/she can work for the desired employer so that he/she can pass the trial courses.

Being able to apply for a job seeker visa or work permit with an associate degree which is on the list of required jobs in Germany. Of course, just having a degree is not enough and one must have a relevant work experience after receiving it.

There is no need to advertise a job in Germany and the European Union to attract labor anymore.

If the applicant finds a job he/she will be able to get a 4-years residence permit directly.

Possibility of being employment in jobs that are related to your specialty.

But the good news is that despite the changes in the World Economic, the cost of a work visa in Germany has not changed and remained the same.

The costs of getting a work visa in Germany

In order to get a work visa in Germany, you will have to pay a fee, prior to attending your interview appointment for a visa. The fee payment is a crucial requirement for your visa application. The cost of your Germany visa fee depends on the type of visa you are applying to get. As of September 1, 2017, the fee for all types of German long-stay visas, known also as the National (D) visa, is 75 euro. The Germany work visa is also one of the sub-branches of the type D visa. However, some specific categories are waived from paying the National Visa fee, whereas some other categories need to pay a lower visa fee, due to bilateral agreements and facilitations for special categories of visa candidates.

But generally, the cost of a work visa in Germany may not be a definite estimate. Because this way most of the costs of migration are for inside the destination country. Expenses such as the cost of translating the documents, the cost of the embassy and punching documents, the cost of buying a ticket to departure to Germany, the attorney’s fee, and… are a part of the costs of a work visa in Germany. But the most important cost to consider is your living expenses during the time you are in Germany and your financial means. Financial means is that you can cover your living expenses during your stay in Germany, and you keep this amount in your bank account in the country of origin before you arrive to this country and show to the embassy that you can manage your living expenses.

The required documents for getting a work visa in Germany

In order to be able to get a work visa in Germany, you must prove to the relevant institution, which usually are the embassy and consulate of Germany, that you are eligible to get a work visa in Germany. The way to prove that you are qualified is by providing documents to the relevant official. In other words, one of the main steps in applying for a work visa in Germany is to provide the required documents and prove that you can apply for a work visa in Germany. These documents, along with your interview at the embassy, ​​are important parts of your application for a work visa in Germany. Here are some of the documents that are required to get a work visa in Germany.

The applicant must provide completed and signed forms

Two passport photos of the applicant

Valid passport

Proof of temporary or long-term residence in Germany

Provide insurance

Submit applicant resume

Presenting qualifications (degrees)

Presenting a cover letter which states the applicant’s intention for apply in this way (Cover Letter)

Submitting a letter of no criminal record

Payment receipt of the German work visa fee (75 Euros)

List of the jobs that are needed and required in Germany

The German labor market needs well-trained women and men. Foreign professionals have good prospects in jobs that are particularly in demand. According to a study published in February 2019 by research institutes, Germany is reliant on immigration from countries outside Europe. By 2060 Germany will have an annual immigration requirement of at least 260,000 people, it says. On a yearly average some 114,000 immigrants can be expected to arrive from other EU member states, the study claims. That means that around 146,000 women and men would need to immigrate from countries outside the European Union. People who immigrate to Germany from European or non-European countries will generally be more productive than the rest of the applicants if they work in the jobs that are demanded in Germany. But what are the high-demand jobs?

In general, high-demand jobs are jobs for which there is not enough labor in that country. This category of jobs will be announced every year by the Labor and Immigration Office ofeach country. In Germany, high-demand jobs are jobs in which the country is facing labor shortages, and the demand of the people is much higher than the presence of labor in that job. For this reason, Germany is more willing to hire workers and labor for these jobs. Hence, Germany determines some of these jobs.

Of course, finding a particular job does not affect the costs of obtaining a work visa in Germany, but it is better to focus on some popular jobs. The table below shows the salaries of some of the most popular jobs in Germany.

Finding a job in Germany

There are many people who want to migrate and work in Germany, but they are concerned with issues such as finding a job and how to find a job in Germany. We have some good news for these people. There are generally three methods to find a job in Germany. Each of these three methods has its own tricks and circumstances and we will talk about them here in this section. But first of all, the cost of a work visa in Germany may vary by using conventional methods. In the following, we will analyze them.

Searching online for finding a job

Generally, this method is free of charge in the early stages. After finding a job the applicant may be charged a fee by the employment agencies for getting a work visa in Germany.

Public job-search websites

private job-search websites

Registering with the employment agencies in Germany

Contacting companies for employment

Apply for a job that you received a job offer for

In this case the cost of a work visa in Germany only consists of the cost of the embassy and your insurance. Because you have received your job offer directly.

Submit your information after finding a job that suits you. Most companies will usually ask you for the following documents:

CV

Degrees and diplomas

Descriptions of Employer

Applicant’s portfolio and work experience

Apply for an interview online

Generally, in this way you will not be charged for a work visa in Germany. Because you have interviewed the company directly.

Many companies give you the opportunity to participate in interviews online via Skype. However, others have strict policies and job seekers must be present there and do the interview in person. In this case, you will need to apply for a job seeker visa and then attend the interview. If you travel to Germany on a jobseeker’s visa, you do not need to return to your country of origin as long as you find the job that you were looking for. In Germany you can apply for a residence permit for work.

The costs of obtaining a permanent residence permit and German citizenship through work

Non-EU citizens who are living in Germany can apply for a permanent residence permit after living in this country for at least five years. People who are present in Germany permanently (are living in Germany), after legally residing in this country for 8 years can apply for citizenship, which is called German citizenship. A person works and lives in Germany for 5 years can get a permanent residence permit.