How to apply for a Germany work visa in 2023?

Why Germany Work Visa?

To understand why you should go for a Germany work visa, you have to understand why Germany is preferred as a choice destination by millions of skilled professionals across the world. Here are a few:

• Germany has a thriving economy that’s performing better than most other countries in Europe.
• Germany has the presence of many top companies in the world which are looking for talented, skilled, and qualified people to join them.
• Even if you are prominently an English speaker, Germany won’t be daunting for you just because you don’t know German much. This is because most Germans in the workplace speak English too.
• Germany features a high standard of living. With good enough earnings, you can enjoy a high-quality life in Germany and even bring your parents to Germany to experience it.
• The minimum wage in Germany has been fixed to ensure that you will have a good standard of living in the country.
• Germany is especially a great place to work for engineers

The German work visa is officially known as a “residence permit for the purpose of employment”. A Germany work visa is not required for people who are citizens or permanent citizens in the following countries:

• Germany
• Switzerland
• Iceland
• EU member states
• Norway
• Liechtenstein

Other nationals need a work visa to migrate to work in Germany. Such a German visa can be one of the following:

• Work visa for qualified professionals
• EU Blue Card
• Visa for self-employment
• Visa for IT specialists
• Visa for research

With so many options that cater to specific categories of professionals, Germany makes it easier for you to choose your own pathway to arrive and work in Germany.

Lately, Germany has eased its rules for skilled migrants to come to the country. The country is trying to bring in 400,000 qualified and skilled foreign workers annually. This is necessary for it to revive and accelerate the growth of its economy.

Do you know that Germany is mulling the granting of citizenship in the country to those who live and work in the country for just 3 years?! That’s a big reason for you to prefer to get a Germany work visa for yourself.

Moreover, a new immigration rule that was implemented recently has offered skilled foreign workers in the country the statuses of dual citizenship as well as special citizenship status. The validity of this special citizenship will be three to five years for which candidates require to meet some specific requirements for eligibility.

Job opportunities in Germany

Currently, Germany is trying to fill a large number of job vacancies present in the country’s job market. The industry sectors in Germany that are looking for skilled workers the most include the following:

• Construction
• Hospitality
• Services
• Manufacturing
• healthcare
• Engineering
• Sciences

The professions with the highest demand and pay in Germany in 2022 include:

Occupation	Average Annual Salary (in Euros)
Electronic Engineer	67,500
Data Scientist	65,000
Big Data Architect	95,900
Blockchain Engineer	77,500
Artificial Intelligence Architect	96,250
Computer Programmer	70,000
Mechanical Engineer	65,000
Business Analyst	52,500
Certified Nurse	54,600
Civil Engineer	73,820
Architect	78,110

Benefits of working in Germany

When you work in Germany, you will be entitled to the following benefits:

Social security

Social security is mandatory for employees in Germany. Included in social security are the following:

• health insurance
• nursing care insurance
• home care
• unemployment insurance
• pension insurance
• accident insurance

Germany has made a contribution towards social security for a single individual in the EU, that’s only second to Slovenia.

Retirement and pension insurance

Employees who retire in Germany are entitled to a pension that’s statutorily granted to them. It ensures that they have an adequate living standard even after retirement. Retirement compensation is granted from the age of 65.

Health Insurance

If you want to migrate to Germany, it’s compulsory that you have health insurance. It could be state health insurance or private health insurance policy. The health insurance will cover basic doctor services and treatments.

Long-term care insurance

Long-term insurance coverage provides personal daycare, home health care, and nursing-home care for people aged at least 65 or ailing from a chronic/disabling condition that requires constant supervision.

Paid sickness and disability leave

Employees are granted paid sick leave under the law. They will get their full salary for 6 more weeks in case they are sick. But only employees who work for a period of over four weeks in the company are entitled to this leave. If employees are unable to work even after 6 weeks, their salary will be given by health insurance. It’s known as statutory sickness allowance.

Unemployment insurance

In Germany, all employees are granted protection by unemployment insurance. This comes to the employees’ benefit if they become unemployed. The benefits of this insurance can be used after being employed and paying contributions for a minimum period of 12 months in the last two years.

Types of Germany work permits

Below we have listed the common resident work permits issued in Germany. These are necessary for you if you are not a national of these countries

• Germany
• Switzerland
• Iceland
• EU member states
• Norway
• Liechtenstein

Common work permits issued in Germany are:

Temporary residence permit

A temporary Residence Permit is known as Aufenthaltserlaubnis in Germany. The permit is meant for shorter periods of stay in Germany, even when it’s about work in this country. The maximum validity of this permit is one year, with the possibility of an extension.

When foreign nationals are granted a temporary residence permit they have a specific reason for staying in Germany. This reason will have to be stated while applying for this permit. It will be illegal for you to do any other activity with this visa.

Germany Job Seeker Visa is an example of a temporary residence permit. With this permit, you can stay in Germany for the sole purpose of finding a job and not doing one.

Blue Card

The EU Blue Card is applicable to you if you are a non-EU citizen. This permit has a longer validity and is meant for foreign nationals with high qualifications, skills, and willingness to work in Germany in a profession of their specialization.

Professionals in IT or STEM fields are the ones who mostly use the EU Blue Card. It has a four-year validity. Those who maintain their jobs with this work permit through its tenure could even be offered permanent residence.

Permanent Residence Permit

This residence permit has unlimited validity. In German, it’s called Niederlassungserlaubnis. This is the best and last permit that allows you to work and live in Germany and even bring in your family to join you in this country. Your spouse and children who join you will first be issued a temporary resident visa. This could however be converted into a permanent one as well in time.

Eligibility criteria for Work Visa in Germany

To be eligible for a Germany work visa, you have to meet the criteria given below. Let’s see the criteria to be met for applicants for an EU Blue Card. As an applicant, you are required to

• Possess a master’s degree or an equivalent of it
• Have a minimum work experience of 5 years in your field of profession
• Have a job offer or a work contract for highly qualified work for a period of at least a year
• Meet the threshold for a minimum salary in Germany
• Present proof that the national legal requirements are met, in case your employment in Germany is a regulated one

Requirements for Germany Work Visa

Here are the requirements for a residence permit in Germany:

• You must possess a valid passport issued by another country
• You mustn’t have a criminal record
• You must have proficiency in the German language of at least level B1
• You must have a German health insurance
• You have to pass a health check with the intention to prove you are healthy enough to be employed in Germany
• You have to prove that you have financial stability and that you can support yourself as well as your family
• As you have a plan on working in Germany, you will require to produce a letter issued by your employer along with the employment offer and description

Steps to apply for Germany Work Visa

To apply for a Germany work visa, you could approach the following in your country of residence:

• A German consulate
• The German embassy
• A Visa Application Center
• The German consulate/embassy is located in a neighboring country, if there are no representative bodies of Germany in the country you reside in
• The consulate/embassy of another country that’s situated in the country you reside in to which Germany has outsourced the work of admission for a work visa

The process of applying for a Germany work visa is as follows:

• Lodge an application for an Employment Visa/Job-Seeker Visa via the German Embassy that’s nearest to your country of residence
• Register the address you will be living in Germany, at the local Citizens’ Registration Office.
• Obtain mandatory health insurance in Germany.
• Fix an appointment at the Ausländerbehörde.
• Gather the documents that are required for submission while applying.
• Make a submission of the application for a work & residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde.

How can Y-Axis assist you to work in Germany?

For the best overseas job search and visa services of world standards to live and work in Germany, visit Y-Axis. Professionals wanting to work in Germany can seek our valuable services namely:

• Expert assistance to apply for a work visa in Germany.
• Career counseling with expert advice.
• Immigration consultancy to show you the right path to immigrate risk-free and hassle-free.
• Expert coaching services for language proficiency tests like IELTS, CELPIP, and PTE when you need it most.

If you are looking for expert immigration advice and overseas job assistance, talk to Y-Axis, the leading immigration and career consultant in the UAE.

If you find this blog engaging, you may also like:

Aiming for 400,000 skilled workers to migrate to Germany; immigration eased