Searching for a job in Germany remotely

Do you have a university degree from a German, European, or from a recognized university abroad (NON-Schengen)? Or do you have a specialist apprenticeship with at least 2 years of apprenticeship duration, in a profession that is listed on the current shortage occupation list of the German Employment Agency?

Searching for a job in Germany from a third country is a difficult undertaking. Many employers prefer candidates who are already in Germany and can start working immediately.

With the latest amendment to the German "Improved Skilled Immigration Act", qualified candidates now have even more opportunities to come to Germany for their job search.

What are these options and what criteria do you have to meet for them?

The classic Jobseeker Visa

If you have a German or recognized foreign university degree, or a foreign university degree equivalent to a German university degree, you can apply for a residence permit to look for a job that your qualification qualifies you to do. The residence permit for job search is valid for up to six months and cannot be extended. With this residence permit, you are allowed to work up to ten hours per week on a trial basis.

If you have found a suitable job during this period, you can apply for a residence permit for employment or the EU Blue Card.

If you have completed a dual training or vocational training with at least 2 years of training, you still need the recognition of your profession by the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce FOSA before applying for the Jobseeker Visa. Only with this recognition do you have the opportunity to apply for a Jobseeker visa.

Is German language proficiency mandatory? It depends: If knowledge of German is absolutely necessary to practice this profession in Germany, then the embassy will require proof of German level A1-B1 when applying.

The Opportunity Card

Issued for a period of 1 year and allows the holder to pursue a secondary employment for up to 20 hours per week. In addition, you can take up probationary employment for a maximum of two weeks per employer as part of your job search. The probationary employment must be aimed either at qualified employment, training or the commencement of a qualification measure.

You have a foreign professional or academic qualification that is fully recognised in Germany. They score at least 6 points in the points system.

Equivalence of qualification: If you have already applied for the procedure for the recognition of your foreign qualification and partial equivalence* has been determined as a result, you will receive four points for this. These four points also apply if compensatory measures are still required for the licence to practise a profession in the case of a regulated profession.

Qualification in a shortage occupation: If your formal qualification belongs to a shortage occupation, you will receive one point. You can find out which professions are considered shortage occupations in the list of shortage occupations. find it in the download section of our website.

Professional experience: You will also receive points for your previous professional experience in connection with your formal qualification. If you can prove at least two years of professional experience in the last five years after obtaining your qualification, you will receive two points. If you have at least five years of professional experience in the last seven years, you will even receive three points.

Language skills: If you have German language skills beyond level A1 (CEFR), you can receive points for this. German language skills at level A2 are assessed with one point, at level B1 with two points, and at language level B2 or better, you will even receive three points. There is also an additional point for English language skills at least at level C1 or if you are a native speaker.

Age: You also get points if you are a certain age. People who are not older than 35 years old receive two points, exactly up to the day of their 35th birthday. All those who are between 35 and 40 years old get one point.

Previous stay in Germany: Have you already lived in Germany? If you can prove that you have resided legally and continuously in Germany for at least six months in the last five years, you will receive one point. This includes, for example, stays for studies, language courses or employment. Purely tourist or visiting stays are excluded. As proof, you can submit copies of old passports and the visas and entry stamps they contain.

Potential of the spouse/partner as a skilled worker: Are you married or in a civil partnership and would like to immigrate to Germany together with your partner with the opportunity card? If your partner already meets the requirements for the opportunity card, you will receive one point in the points system.

In addition to the above criteria, all of which must be able to be proven with documents, the following criteria must also be met for the opportunity card:

Recognition partnership

A German employer wants to hire a talented person from a third country whose qualification must be recognised in Germany? The recognition partnership opens doors to a fulfilling professional future.

What does that mean exactly?

Obligation to the recognition procedure and qualification: Together with your employer and employee, you undertake to apply for recognition of your qualification after entering the country.

Employment before recognition: The new employee can work before full recognition.

Pre-approval for quick action: We speed up the process through pre-approval for the visa. Because we know that time is priceless.

What are the requirements?

For a successful partnership, both personal and operational requirements must be met:

Personal requirements: The applicant needs a qualification with at least two years of training or a state-recognised university degree in the country of origin.

Operational requirements: the company undertakes to enable the necessary qualification measures during employment.

Obligation to provide proof for extension: In order to extend the residence permit, proof of active efforts for recognition and requalification is required.

The German Employment Agency announced at the beginning of May that no prerequisites for the recognition partnership could yet be met. (Digital/Personnel).we will keep you up to date as soon as applications can be submitted or processed.

Partial equivalence*

You have submitted an application to the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce FOSA for the determination of the equivalence of your vocational training and have been certified as "partial equivalence". What does this mean for you and your Jobseeker Visa?

The letter from the FOSA Chamber of Industry and Commerce provides you with the necessary information on the area in which your vocational training does not meet the required criteria or standards. With this information, you can complete targeted and precise courses in your home country that close this gap. You then submit the certificates of completion to the FOSA Chamber of Industry and Commerce and ask for a further final determination of equivalence. After receiving the confirmation, you can apply for your visa.

But you have another option. With the determination of partial equivalence, you can also complete these supplementary courses in Germany. To do this, apply for a residence visa for retraining.

How to start the application process, where to turn to, what are the criteria? Arrange your individual consultation appointment now and get your answers: https://www.moves-consulting.com/en