Working and Living in Germany

Your Individual Information Package

People from non-EU countries: Basic information

General

Citizens of countries which do not belong to the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA)
or Switzerland, need a residence document in order to enter and stay in Germany. Access to the German
labour market is determined by the provisions of the Residence Act (AufenthG) and the Employment
Regulation (BeschV) pertaining to it.

Different residence documents are issued depending on the duration and purpose of the stay. There are
five different residence documents based on the Residence Act: the visa, the residence permit, the EU
Blue Card, the EU permanent residence permit and the settlement permit.

People wanting to enter Germany for the first time in order to take up work must apply for a visa from the
relevant German mission abroad (embassy, consulate) in their country of origin before entering Germany.
It is important to select the right visa for the intended residence document. Citizens of Australia, Israel,
Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand or the USA may also enter Germany without a visa
and apply for a residence permit in Germany directly before taking up employment.

Before the visa expires, a residence document for the purpose of employment must be applied for from
the relevant immigration authority. The employment can only begin once the residence document has
been issued.

Further information is available on the online portal "Make it in Germany".

Visas

Citizens of countries which are not part of the EU/EEA or Switzerland require a visa to enter Germany.
The visa [§ 6 Residence Act – AufenthG] is always temporary and for a specific purpose. Examples
include:

• visa for tourist purposes

• visa for the purpose of attending a language course

• visa for the purpose of seeking employment

• visa for the purpose of taking up employment

The visa is issued by the German mission abroad (embassy or consulate) in the country of origin before
the person enters Germany. The relevant contact details can be found on the world map on the online
portal "Make it in Germany". If a person intends to take up employment, he/she must apply for a residence
permit for the purpose of employment from the immigration authority after entering Germany and before
his/her visa expires.

Citizens of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand or the USA may also
enter Germany without a visa and apply for a residence permit in Germany directly before taking up
employment.

Further information is available on the online portal "Make it in Germany" and the explanatory video on
applying for a visa by "Make it in Germany".

Job seeker visa/Visa for the purpose of seeking employment

Qualified specialists can obtain a special visa [§ 18c Residence Act – AufenthG] in order to search for a
job which matches their qualifications (employed or self-employed [§ 21 Residence Act – AufenthG]). This
visa enables foreign university graduates who have either a German university degree, a recognised
university degree or a foreign university degree which is equivalent to a German university degree to enter
Germany and look for a job once they arrive. With the visa for the purpose of seeking employment, it is
possible to stay in Germany for up to six months. In addition to their university degree, applicants must
provide evidence that they have the ability to make a living and that they have adequate sickness insurance
cover for the planned duration of their stay. It is not permitted to take up employment or self-employment
whilst looking for a job.

Further information is available on the online portal "Make it in Germany".

EU Blue Card

The EU Blue Card - [§ 19a AufenthG] - is a special residence document with labour market access for
highly qualified people from non-EU countries. Citizens of third countries (countries outside the EU, EEA
and Switzerland) can apply for an EU Blue Card for Germany if they:
• have either a German university degree or a recognised foreign university degree or a foreign university
degree which is equivalent to a German university degree, and

• have an employment contract with a gross annual salary of at least €50,800, or €39,624 in so-called
"shortage occupations" (scientists, mathematicians, engineers, doctors and IT specialists). These salary
thresholds apply to 2017.

The occupations classified as shortage occupations are laid down in Section 2 (2) of the Employment
Regulation. These are the occupations belonging to groups 21, 221 and 25 of the International Standard
Classification of Occupations (ISCO).

If the applicant is already resident in Germany with a different residence document, he/she can apply for
an EU Blue Card from the immigration authority responsible for his/her place of residence.

If citizens of third countries do not already live in Germany or another EU Member State, they must first
apply for a visa for the purpose of employment from the relevant German mission abroad in their country
of origin. Once they arrive in Germany and before their visa expires, they must apply for the EU Blue Card
from the relevant immigration authority. In order to do this, a recognised or equivalent foreign university
degree is required. The decision of the immigration authority will also be based on the qualifications and
educational institutions recorded and assessed in the ANABIN database. Employment can only be taken
up once the EU Blue Card has been issued.

Exceptions apply to citizens of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand and
the USA. They can enter Germany without a visa and apply to the immigration authority for the EU Blue
Card within three months.

The temporary residence document is limited to a maximum of four years when first issued. If the duration
of the employment contract is less than four years, the EU Blue Card is issued for the duration of the
employment contract plus three months, or is extended.

Holders of the EU Blue Card can live outside Germany for up to twelve months without losing the Blue
Card. Under certain circumstances, time spent living in other EU Member States can be taken into account
when applying for the EU permit for permanent residence.

Holders of an EU Blue Card can apply for a settlement permit after 33 months. This can be reduced to 21
months if German language skills at level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for
Languages can be demonstrated.

An overview of this topic is provided by the explanatory video on applying for a visa on the online portal
"Make it in Germany".

Academics who have received a job offer which does not fill the requirements for a Blue Card EU can
apply for a residence permit for the purpose of employment under Section 2 (3) of the Employment
Regulation. The conditions of employment must be comparable with those of domestic workers in an
equivalent position. Generally it is checked whether domestic applicants are available for the relevant
position.
Additional opportunity for citizens of Western Balkan countries

An additional access route was created on 01/01/2016 for citizens of the so-called Western Balkan
countries seeking to enter Germany in order to work. These citizens now have the opportunity to apply for
a visa for the purpose of taking up employment regardless of their qualifications [§ 26 Para. 2 BeschV].

A brochure about how the process works has been produced in the languages of the relevant countries,
and is available on the website of the International and Specialized Services (ZAV).

Language acquisition: Preparation in the home country

General information

German courses help to learn the language quicker and better. These are offered in various formats:
intensive courses can last one or more week, others a whole semester, so half a year. Depending on the
type of course, the participants spend several hours a day or per week in class and with homework. For
employees, evening courses are recommended. Even if no German knowledge must be proven in order
to take up employment, it is good for applications and the CV if a person has passed language
examinations. By means of this, companies can clearly see that candidates are committed and can bring
language ability to the table.

Support programmes

Within the framework of financial support programmes, such as “Your First Eures Job“ and “Triple-Win“, a
specialised programme for nursing staff, adequate language support can currently be provided.

Required knowledge of the German language

Depending on the employment plans of people who come to Germany, they need to provide proof of their
German language competence prior to taking up work. Anybody who wishes to work as a nurse or medical
doctor in Germany also requires proof of his or her language competence alongside with the recognition
 of qualifications acquired abroad by recognised institutions such as the Goethe Institute (worldwide) or
telc-certified bodies (in over 20 countries with 3,000 examination centres). Further information and
addresses of examination centres are available on the Goethe Institute website and on the telc website.

Generally and regardless of the type of professional activity in Germany, companies expect their new
employees to being able to make themselves understood in German. Therefore it is recommended to have
acquired at least the medium language level (B1 or B2) prior to making an application.

Individual and group classes

Group classes are usually more cost effective and have the benefit that participants can interact with their
classmates and maybe build initial contacts. Individual tuition, which is usually more expensive, is tailored
entirely to individual requirements. The class can usually be freely scheduled and it is possible to learn
German before work or during the evenings, for example.

Anybody who already lives in Germany and wishes to improve their language competence should compare
services which are provided locally and discuss with their employer whether he or she will contribute to
the costs or pay for the course in full.

Most language courses end with an examination. It should be clarified in advance whether any additional
fees will arise for this.

Having your knowledge of the German language checked

The international German radio service “Deutsche Welle“ offers a free-of-charge online classification test,
which is based on the Common European Reference Framework for Language. The service helps to find
out the current language level and to improve prior knowledge with targeted exercises. The Goethe
Institute offers an online test in German and English, which helps people determine their own level of
knowledge of German.

The German certificate of the Goethe Institute

On one the most important language certificates is the B1 certificate in German of the Goethe Institute. According
to the guidelines of the Common European Reference Framework for Languages, it checks the capability for
intependent use of language in daily conversations and situations at work. As the test is recognised as an entry
examination and as proof of German knowledge at work, it provides many benefits when looking for work.
The test is broken down into five sections:

• Reading: in three exercises, it is checked to what extent the participant is in the position of being able to
read and understand texts of varying difficulty;

• Foundations of language: here, the knowledge of grammar and vocabulary is checked;

• Listening: here it is checked how well the participant understands normally spoken texts;

• Writing: the participant receives specific guidelines in accordance with which he or she must write a
personal letter;

• Speaking: in an individual or pair exam, a discussion is carried out about various topics.

The written exam component takes about two and a half hours. The oral examination lasts for about 20 minutes.
Oral examinations can be taken on the day of the written examination or at a different time.

Language course providers

The Goethe Institute is the cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany and is responsible for promoting
knowledge of the German language and culture. For this purpose, it offers German courses at 160 locations in
Germany and abroad. Alongside the Goethe Institute, there are other providers of language courses:

• The website of “Make it in Germany“ provides a quick overview of the international Goethe Institute
locations (rubric “local points of contact).

• The job-related German courses of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) are intended
for immigrants whose German is not yet sufficient for working in Germany. These are supported by the
BAMF with funds from the European Social Fund (ESF). Participants do not just learn German for everyday
working life, rather they can also undertake further professional development and find out more about a
specific profession by means of an internship with a company.

• The charitable Carl-Duisberg centres offer job-related German courses at locations in Germany, China,
Indonesia, Malaysia and Russia.

Learning German Online

Regardless of the language level, it is possible to get an initial introduction to the German language or
build on previous knowledge by means of the various services which are provided online.

• The KURSnet database of the Federal Employment Agency summarises recommended course providers.
• With the vocabulary training of the Goethe Institute, the level of vocabulary can be extended, also when a
person is out and about.

• The “Ankommen“ app is a direction provider for a speedy and comprehensive orientation during the first
weeks in Germany. It also contains a free-of-charge multimedia language course, which provides everyday
support during the first steps of learning German.

• On “Deutsch für dich“ (German for you), an online community of the Goethe Institute, it is possible to take
part in interactive games and chats with experts. Here, it is also easy to make contact with other users.

• On the “Ich will Deutsch lernen“ (I want to learn German) portal, the language can be learned at levels A1
to B2. The digital learning materials contain many exercises and scenarios from several topics in the area
of language and work.

• The “Mein Weg nach Deutschland“ (My way to Germany) multimedia blog provides the option of practising
German with photos, films, games and exercises, to chat with other people who are learning Germany and
to get to know other users in the “meeting“ section.

• The “Deutsch am Arbeitsplatz“ (German in the workplace) platform, which is also provided by the Goethe
Institute, offers lots of free-of-charge online exercises, in order to increase knowledge of the language and
workplace customs in Germany.

• The technical online dictionary ARABTERM delivers important extracts from various areas of work, such
as electronic engineering, renewable energy and car technology in four languages: German, English,
French and Arabic.

• With the online audio trainer of „Deutsche Welle“, vocabulary can be learned and pronunciation improved.

• The telenovela “Jojo sucht das Glück“ (Jojo is searching for luck) by “Deutsche Welle“ offers interactive
exercises which improve grammar and colloquial vocabulary.

• Anybody who already speaks English but not German, can find lots of information, tips and learning
materials on the BBC online services.

• In additon, additonal services can be found in the app stores.

International and Specialized Services (ZAV)