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2 possible ideas to extend Job Seeker Visa

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job seeker visa ideas

This post gives you a list of some possible ways to extend Job Seeker Visa if your visa is due for expiry soon.

Germany’s Job Seeker Visa is to encourage more qualified professionals from abroad to come to Germany. With this Visa, you can stay in Germany for six months and search for a job and you cannot extend it further than that period as per law. However, there are some possible ways to extend Job Seeker Visa and we shall see that in detail in this post.

A lot of people take a risk and come to Germany for 6 months to search for a job with Job Seeker Visa. But, at the end of these 6 months if you end up with nil offers on your hand, you need to head back to your own country which can be very disappointing for some.

If you are lucky, one of these ways can help in extending your visa.

Please note that these methods are not approved by law and therefore are not reliable. There is a probability that these might work as it had already worked for some people.

Upcoming interviews to extend Job Seeker Visa:

If your visa is about to expire and you have some interviews lined up already post the expiry date of your visa, there is a possibility that you can extend your visa. All you need to do is collect proof of email copies and head to Auslandebehörde. Submit your email copies and explain that you need more time to stay in Germany and finish your interviews. If you are lucky and convincing enough, it will be considered and they will extend your visa for up to 3 months or more. Keep in mind that it may not be considered for everyone. But, it’s worth trying your luck.

Remember, you need to show the proof of funds in your bank account for the months extended

Ausbildungsstelle to extend Job Seeker Visa:

Ausbildungsstelle means Apprenticeship in English. This is basically you getting trained in a skill and in return, some companies pay a small amount as salary or you simply get work experience for no pay. Find and apply to some companies that provide such training/internship and once you get a contract, submit the same in Auslandebehörde explaining the nature of work. They will likely consider this and convert your visa to a student visa. You can search for these training/internship type jobs on stepstone or job portals.

If you know of any other ways, please add those in comments so that it can be useful to others who look for extending their visa. Remember that this will only work depending on various factors including the city from which you apply. However, if nothing works do not be disappointed to return to your country. Prepare well, brush up your german skills, and apply again after 6 months..

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Which income tax class you belong to in Germany?

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Tax Class

Moving to Germany from another country and to work have to go through a lot of formalities and it is also important to know which income tax class you belong to. Before that, make sure you have Tax Id

All employees are classified into tax categories for the wage tax deduction (Einkommensteuer). The income tax is paid to the government from your gross salary and it is automatically deducted from your monthly paycheck.

The minimum taxable gross income is €9,169 (no tax is charged under this amount). The tax rate starts from 14% and goes up to 45% for the highest earners (over €265,327).

The income tax class depends on your marital status and divided into 6 tax classes (Steuerklassen)

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Class I:

All employees who are single, living in a registered civil partnership, divorced, widowed or married unless they fall under tax category II, III, or IV.

Class II:

Applies to employees who are single parent

Class III:

Applies to employees who are married and

  • Spouse reside in Germany
  • Spouse doesn’t earn a wage or Spouse earns a wage and classified under Tax Class V

Class IV:

Applies to married couple and earns a equivalent income and reside in Germany.

Class V:

Applies to married employees and earns a less income than partner (classified under class III)

Class VI:

Employees who are receiving multiple wages from more than one employer (Multiple jobs)

How can you change Tax Class?

When you married and your spouse is residing in Germany, then you are eligible to change the tax class.

  1. Fill and signed application from both partners, you can fill the application form online
  2. You can visit Finazamt or send a post based on your residence

They will process the form on the spot and give you newly printed Lohnsteuerkarte with new tax class

Important tips:

  1. If spouses belong to class III and V, it’s better to file as a Joint tax return and will receive only one tax assessment (Steuerbescheid), also will receive a refund to one account if any.
  2. If one of the partners earns a higher income (income ratio of 60:40), then it makes sense to change class to 3 and 5 and this might increase the net salary(Nettogehalt) of the higher earner.

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Residence Registration – First thing to do after your arrival in Germany

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Residence Registration

One of the most common words you hear in Germany is Anmeldung also Registration. In this post, we will talk about the Residence Registration/City Registration that has to be done after your arrival in Germany.

If you are planning to stay for more than 3 months in Germany, you need to register yourself as a resident within 2 weeks of your arrival at the registration office (Anmeldeamt, Bürgerbüro or Bürgeramt) of the city you arrived in.

Why Residence Registration is important?

The residence registration certificate also known as Anmeldebestätigung or Meldebescheinigung is required for many purposes:

  1. Tax ID – After registration is completed, you will get the tax id in the post within 3-4 weeks which is required for your employer and for tax claims
  2. Health Insurance: once you arrive in Germany, Health insurance is one of the mandatory things and without proof of residence certificate, it is not possible to apply for Health insurance.
  3. Bank account: Without a residence registration, you cannot open a bank account in Germany.
  4. Residence Permit/work permit
  5. University registration
  6. Mobile Phone Contract
  7. Credit Card without Bank account – Some banks provide the Credit Card without a bank account. Residence Registration is required to apply for such credit cards.
  8. Landline internet
  9. Vehicle registration permit
  10. Pet registration – You read it right and the residence registration certificate is required to register your pet
  11. And many more

Documents required for Residence Registration:

You need the documents below to receive your certificate of registration as a resident in Germany

  1. Valid Passport or national ID card (original required)
  2. Rental agreement from your Landlord (also called Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)
  3. The registration form signed by landlord (Anmeldeformular/Meldeschein), you can get this form from the Bürgeramt
  4. Visa if you have one (optional)
  5. Marriage certificate if applicable

How and where to register?

Check your city website and get an appointment or directly visit Bürgeramt which can take more time especially in larger cities.

You can look for it here with your postal code

Please check the timings before directly visiting the registration office

Important things to note:

  1. At the time of registration, you will be asked about your religion. If you belong to either Protestant (evangelisch) or Catholic (katholisch), You are required to pay church tax (Kirchensteuer) which is about 8-9% annual income based on the region.
  2. According to law, Lately, registration or incorrect address details can make you pay fine up to 1000 euros
  3. You need to repeat the registration whenever you are moving to a new residence address.
  4. If you are moving out of Germany permanently, it is also mandatory to deregister within 2 weeks
  5. After your registration, You will also receive the Rundfunkbeitrag, the national TV and radio tax which costs €17.50 per month.

9 popular questions asked in the Job Seeker Visa interview

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Job Seeker Visa Interview

After spending efforts on documentation for your Job Seeker Visa interview, if you don’t prepare well for the questions asked in the interview, it can lead to rejection.

Here are some commonly asked questions. Make sure you prepare well and attend the visa interview

Questions asked in Job Seeker Visa Interview:

1. Introduce yourself?

2. Why do you want to go only to Germany? Why not other countries like the USA or Australia or the UK?

3. What is your motivation to go to Germany?

4. Did you research the job market in Germany?

5. Do you know anyone in Germany?

6. Where will you stay in Germany?

7. Did you already apply to any jobs?

8. How confident are you to get a job after reaching Germany?

9. Will you come back after a few years or stay in Germany?

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Blue Card – 7 Advantages and 2 Disadvantages

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Blue Card Pros and Cons

The aim of the Blue Card is to make it easier for workers to come to Germany without having to go through the bureaucratic demands of regular visa applications.

However, there are some advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of Blue Card:

  • The Blue Card/work permit can be issued for up to 3/4 years
  • A permanent residence permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) can be obtained after 33 months of employment or after 21 months with proof of good German language proficiency (B1)
  • The Blue-Cardholder can stay without a visa for up to 90 days in all Schengen countries
  • After 18 months, the holder can travel to another EU country and within one month can apply for the Blue Card EU in that country (not valid for Great Britain, Ireland, and Denmark!)
  • Eligible to stay in a country outside the EU for up to 12 months
  • The family reunion is possible and Blue-Cardholder must demonstrate that they have the financial resources to support those family members and that the family members have the required health insurance and suitable accommodation.
  • Family members may immediately work without restrictions.

Disadvantages of Blue Card:

  • The Blue Card is just a work permit to stay and work in Germany. If you lose the job, it is essential to find a job as soon as possible otherwise you have to return back to your country.
  • Staying more than 12 months outside of the EU is not valid anymore

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Verpflichtungserklärung/Obligation letter – Complete details

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Obligation letter

If you are worrying about the obligation letter, this post explains everything about the Obligation letter and documents required for it.

Most foreign guests who do not belong to the European Union require a Job Seeker Visa or Employment Visa or any visa to enter Germany. To obtain a visa, however, it is essential that the applicant has sufficient money to finance his stay in Germany.

However, if the foreign visitor does not have sufficient financial means, there is an alternative option for a person living in Germany to make a Verpflichtungserklärung(declaration of commitment) to the immigration office. Also, we call as an obligation letter

Is Verpflichtungserklärung/obligation letter helpful to get the Visa?

Yes, With this obligation letter for the foreign guest or student, the person who invited the applicant to Germany agrees to bear the maintenance costs for the applicant. The host is then used to cover all maintenance costs that the visitor may not be able to bear. In this way, the German state can ensure that the foreigner does not incur any costs.

An obligation letter, therefore, makes it easier to issue a visa at the German embassy or consulate abroad, even if the applicant himself does not meet the financial requirements. The legal consequences of an obligation letter are regulated in Section 68 of the Residence Act.

In order to issue an obligation letter for the invitation of foreigners who are subject to a visa, the immigration authority responsible for the respective residential area of ​​the inviting person must be visited. There you will also receive the form required for the obligation letter, which must be completed and signed by the host. For the issuing of an obligation letter, the immigration authorities charge a fee of approx. €29

Documents required for Obligation letter:

From the Host:

  • Processing sheet for the Obligation letter (This can be found in respective residential area website)
  • ID card or valid national passport
  • current proof of income (e.g. proof of salary, pension notification or, for self-employed and freelancers, a current tax assessment)
  • Blue card if applicable
  • Certificate from the employer that there is an employment contract without notice and that there is a prospect of continued employment.

From Foreign Guest:

  • First name and surname
  • Date and place of birth
  • Home address in the home country
  • Citizenship of foreigners
  • Passport number

After the obligation letter has been approved by the immigration authority, the foreign visitor must present it to the embassy or consulate responsible for issuing the visa.

Important things to keep in mind:

  • If the foreign visitor has used social benefits or public funds (e.g. accommodation costs, care costs) during his stay, the person who signed the declaration must reimburse the costs incurred.
  • If the visitor is forcibly obliged to return to his home country, the obligor must also bear all costs incurred on the return trip.
  • In order for a visa to be issued for Germany, the visitor also needs travel health insurance for all Schengen countries. This insurance can also be taken out in Germany by the person who made the commitment.
  • The health insurance must have a minimum coverage of 30,000 euros.

Sweet note: If you get this letter, you no need to show any financial proof or blocked account while applying for the visa. You just need to bear the costs of visa fees and flight tickets. Also, you can find more details here in German

Job Seeker Visa – Do you know these 13 documents are required?

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Job Seeker Visa

Applying for Job Seeker Visa and getting an appointment slot is tedious. In complete preparation of documents can lead to visa rejection.

Here you can find the list of documents needed for applying Job Seeker Visa:

Required Documents for Job Seeker Visa:

  • Completed Job Seeker Visa Application, Fill the application form and Print
  • A valid passport with at least 18 months until the expiry date.
  • Photocopy of your passport
  • 3 biometric passport photos
  • A cover/motivation letter outlining your intentions for employment and reasons for them. It should also outline your plan should you fail to find relevant employment.
  • Degree certificate Certificates for other relevant professional qualifications.
  • Before obtaining a visa to work your foreign degree must be recognized or be comparable to a German degree. You can print from Anabin
  • A detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) in the German language and German format.
  • Proof of accommodation in Germany for the period of job seeking.
  • Proof that you have the necessary funds to cover six months’ living costs. Note that this will need to be a higher amount if you are moving to one of the more expensive cities such as Munich. You can prove this in a number of ways; a letter of obligation or Verpflichtungserklärung from a sponsored resident in Germany, a bank account statement, or a blocked bank account.
  • Evidence of your personal status in your home country, e.g. birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc. (Both English and translated in German)
  • Proof of health insurance
  • Visa fees (€75) confirmation (mostly Demand Draft, check the website of your country)

Optional: Please take copies of German Language certificates if you have any

World’s famous beer festival Oktoberfest is canceled due to coronavirus

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Oktoberfest

The Oktoberfest is the world’s largest beer festival which happens in Munich for a period of 16- 18 days starting from mid-September.

As countries slowly, begin to lift up the restrictions, meeting in very large groups remains prohibited. As coronavirus fears continue, the fest seems likely to be canceled to avoid the infection.

According to Reuters, 6 million people visiting the Oktoberfest in Munich every year and generates revenue of more than 1 billion euros to the city.

Powerful Guide – How to Apply for EU Blue Card and 4 Requirements

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Blue Card

The Blue Card is introduced to fill skill shortages in EU labor markets, and by making it easier for non-EU citizens to move between member states. Blue Card is valid in all European Union member states, except Denmark, Ireland, and the UK.

What is a Blue Card?

Blue card, a resident permit is designed and issued for high-earning individuals from countries outside the EU and for those who are in fields where workers are being sought for.

It is the temporary residence permit for university graduates from abroad and is obtained only from the foreign offices

Who can apply?

Whether or not you’re eligible to use an EU Blue Card will first depend upon the category that you simply apply for. Individuals can apply within the following categories:

  • Highly-qualified or skilled workers
  • Researchers
  • Seasonal workers
  • Students
  • Vocational trainees
  • Intra-corporate transfers
  • Self-employed/entrepreneurs

Requirements to apply for Blue Card:

  • Applicants must have completed a university degree (a German university degree or a degree from a foreign university that is either recognized or comparable to a German degree)
  • Applicants must have an employment contract or a binding employment offer in Germany with a minimum salary of 56,400 Euros (as of 2024)
  • However, In occupations where job vacancies for e.g. doctors, engineers, natural scientists, mathematicians, and IT specialists cannot be filled due to a shortage of qualified personnel applicants need a job offer providing gross annual earnings in the order of only 43,992 euros (2024).
  • A valid passport

Documents required to apply for Blue Card:

  • University degree recognized or comparable to a German degree
  • Proof of employment contract
  • Rental Agreement
  • A valid passport
  • City Registration
  • German Tax Number
  • Health Insurance
  • 1 biometric photo

Steps to Apply for Blue Card:

  • Once you hold the employment contract, prepare the list of documents as per the above
  • Get the appointment (This depends on the location, some locations require an appointment and some don’t) in Auslandebehörde. Check your residence Auslandebehörde website for appointments
  • Fill out the Blue Card application form (This can be done by you or your employer or at the Auslandebehörde)
  • Submit your documents
  • Wait for 3-4 weeks

FAQ:

What if I change the job within the first 2 years of employment?

Any change of job during the first two years of employment requires the approval of the immigration authority (section 19a subs. 4 of the German Residence Act). Approval is subject to the same preconditions as initial issuance. If the minimum gross salary threshold has been raised during the intervening period, compliance with the new threshold must be proven. Holders of an EU Blue Card are obliged to inform the competent immigration authority if the employment for which the EU Blue Card was issued is terminated prematurely.

What if I change the job after 2 years of employment?

If you hold the Blue Card for more than 2 years, you no need to inform the immigration authority. However, you can contact them if you have any further questions

Can I bring my family members?

Of course, The family reunion is possible. You can find more details here.

Can I invite my friends, relatives to visit Germany?

Yes, you can invite anyone for the short term (90 days) with an obligation letter. Long-term is possible for Spouse, Children, Parents, Registered partners, Under certain conditions other family members

Can I travel to schengen countries with Blue Card?

You can travel to countries belonging to Schengen zone and stay for 90 days per 180 days period

What if I lose the job while holding the Blue Card?

Generally, 3 months is allowed to search for a new job. However, it may vary based on taxes you paid in a previous job. Please consult Ausländerbehörde immediately after you lose the job.

What happens to Health Insurance if I lose the job?

Insurance is mandatory in Germany and you need to have one even without a job or jobless. So, you still need to pay for your health insurance provider which is expensive when you are jobless. For this, you need to register with the unemployment office and inform your insurance provider as soon as possible.

My joining date is very near and I may get a Blue Card after my joining date, Can I start work before getting Blue Card?

Yes, it’s possible. All you need to do is to ask for a temporary work permit which is called the Fiktion card. Inform in Auslandebehörde that your joining date is very near and that you need to work immediately. They will provide the Fiktion card on the spot

Note:

While applying for a work permit, you can opt for either printing in a passport (Which costs around 90 euros) or opt an Electronic card (Costs around 110 euros)

The best option is to opt for an Electronic card as it is easy to carry in the wallet and you do not need to carry the passport all the time

Also, read in German on the Federal foreign office website. Read more about pros and cons

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Job Seeker Visa: 5 steps to follow to achieve your dream job in Germany

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dream job

You made a big decision to move to Germany and start working here. Follow these 5 steps to get your dream job with the Job Seeker Visa.

Before that I would suggest going through the post Job Seeker Visa Explained

5 Steps to Follow

Step 1: Apply for Job Seeker Visa

  • Book a Visa appointment based on your location
  • Prepare the documents
  • Get the approval for a visa
  • Fly to Germany

Step 2: Create the perfect resume

Recruiters get hundreds of resumes. If your resume does not grab their attention in the first few seconds, it will be thrown in the trash heap.

Recruiters eliminate resumes not only on content but also on how they look. If they are poorly formatted, too short, or really ugly, content almost doesn’t matter.

Most of the German employers are happy with Euro pass CV. You can create one here.

Download Sample ResumeDownload
Download Sample Cover LetterDownload

Step 3: Applying for jobs

Finding a job is never easy and especially without effort and proper process it is challenging to land a job. Follow the process, and prepare the perfect CV and cover letter.

Here is the list of some portals to apply to as soon as you hold the Job Seeker Visa

  • stepstone.de
  • indeed.de
  • meinstadt.de
  • LinkedIn
  • StackOverflow
  • honeypot.io

Step 4: Crack the Interview

Cracking the interview is never easy if you don’t follow proper guidelines. Here are some tips that may help you

  1. Always be confident
  2. Dress well
  3. Don’t fake anything as German employers believe in trust
  4. Trust yourself
  5. Arrive early, Don’t be late.
  6. Research about the company

Step 5: Applying for a Work Permit/Blue Card

The last step is to get the work permit/Blue Card. The Job Seeker Visa’s purpose is only to give you enough time to find a job in Germany, not exceeding 6 months. You can’t work with the Job Seeker Visa and you need to convert to a Work Permit before starting your career in Germany.