German Holiday Maker - Help - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

toddkaz · 07-20-2010, 11:04 AM

I am planning on getting a german working holiday visa but I find the info very limited. Here are some questions if you have any answers please help.
1. When does it begin? When I enter the coutry? I have to register when I enter germany?

2. My german is very limited but I am a chef in the hospitality industry. Will it be hard to find a job or can I just wash dishes somewhere?

3. I read on Wikipedia about Germany,
Among other nationalities Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders can remain in the country indefinitely if they find long-term work they are uniquely qualified to. This is subject to approval by the government employment office

Does this mean if I am fluent in German and find a job in my feild that there is an opportunity to permantly move to Germany and thus Europe?

Any other input would be apprieciated, thanks!

**LostFarmboy** · 07-20-2010, 12:41 PM

Hey buddy,

I don't have any experience with German work visas, but I have recently been through the Canadian work visa process. In regards to your third question, Canada has a similar arrangement with the Aussies. But, to be classified as ‘uniquely qualified’ for a job, the Canadian authorities state that the job must require a minimum of a university degree and there must be no Canadian available that is better suited to the job than you. All this is to ensure that you are not taking opportunities away from the local workforce. I have no idea if the Germans have the same approach to working foreigners, but I assume it’s something similar.

I would call the German embassy – they’ll be able to answer all of your questions.

Good luck!

toddkaz · 07-21-2010, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LostFarmboy

Hey buddy,

I don't have any experience with German work visas, but I have recently been through the Canadian work visa process. In regards to your third question, Canada has a similar arrangement with the Aussies. But, to be classified as ‘uniquely qualified’ for a job, the Canadian authorities state that the job must require a minimum of a university degree and there must be no Canadian available that is better suited to the job than you. All this is to ensure that you are not taking opportunities away from the local workforce. I have no idea if the Germans have the same approach to working foreigners, but I assume it’s something similar.

I would call the German embassy – they’ll be able to answer all of your questions.

Good luck!

No its not the same. This is a german HOLIDAY MAKER visa. there are no prerequirements for employment.

**juliagulia** · 07-21-2010, 08:16 PM

Yes, but if you're looking to move there permanently, you wouldn't be going for a "holiday maker" visa... In that case, there's a much bigger chance of you needing to have some sort of degree since you'll be competing with the local workforce.

I've looked into this stuff for moving to the UK when I was 16 or so (they've made the laws a lot stricter now!), and it was hella difficult to even qualify (let alone get approved!) for a semi-permanent work visa since they don't want to have foreigners swooping in and taking jobs that plenty of Brits are qualified for (and actually, with the UK work visa, they have to prove that you are better qualified than all Brits and all members of the EU!). If Germany is at all similar to the UK (and I mean, come on, I'm assuming there's SOME sort of consistency within the EU, even if the UK is a bit tenuously tied), you're going to have a hard time finding a permanent work visa in such a large industry with little to no German :\

I would say call the German embassy, figure out your options for the holiday maker visa and then go on from there. Maybe the time you spend in Germany will be enough to get more connections/learn some German and get closer to a more permanent situation.

Good luck!

toddkaz · 07-22-2010, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juliagulia

Yes, but if you're looking to move there permanently, you wouldn't be going for a "holiday maker" visa... In that case, there's a much bigger chance of you needing to have some sort of degree since you'll be competing with the local workforce.

I've looked into this stuff for moving to the UK when I was 16 or so (they've made the laws a lot stricter now!), and it was hella difficult to even qualify (let alone get approved!) for a semi-permanent work visa since they don't want to have foreigners swooping in and taking jobs that plenty of Brits are qualified for (and actually, with the UK work visa, they have to prove that you are better qualified than all Brits and all members of the EU!). If Germany is at all similar to the UK (and I mean, come on, I'm assuming there's SOME sort of consistency within the EU, even if the UK is a bit tenuously tied), you're going to have a hard time finding a permanent work visa in such a large industry with little to no German :\

I would say call the German embassy, figure out your options for the holiday maker visa and then go on from there. Maybe the time you spend in Germany will be enough to get more connections/learn some German and get closer to a more permanent situation.

Good luck!

Please read the OP it is stated on Wikipedia(I know it isn't the law) That travelling on a Working Holiday maker it is possible to stay in Germany indefinitely.
Among other nationalities Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders can remain in the country indefinitely if they find long-term work they are uniquely qualified to. This is subject to approval by the government employment office

**juliagulia** · 07-22-2010, 09:32 PM

Okay, I misunderstood, maybe there's an easier way to stay indefinitely with a holiday visa if wikipedia is correct. My main point was that you need to remember that you need a "unique qualification" regardless of the type of visa.

I'm just saying that, your main source being wikipedia, you need to call an embassy first because if the German system is anything similar to the immigration/work system in other countries, you are going to have a hard time without a "unique qualification" and a good grasp of German. Don't fall into the trap of assuming that that requirement is an easily filled one.

I don't think there are very many people on the boards who have looked into emigrating to Germany, so I'm not sure you're going to get the answers you want, so you're going to have to call an embassy eventually to figure out what the wikipedia article got right/wrong.

Good luck with that, and keep us posted! I'm sure there will be someone wondering about that visa later on in the future, and it'd be nice to knowhow it turned out for you.

**juliagulia** · 07-22-2010, 09:32 PM

Okay, I misunderstood, maybe there's an easier way to stay indefinitely with a holiday visa if wikipedia is correct. My main point was that you need to remember that you need a "unique qualification" regardless of the type of visa.

I'm just saying that, your main source being wikipedia, you need to call an embassy first because if the German system is anything similar to the immigration/work system in other countries, you are going to have a hard time without a "unique qualification" and a good grasp of German. Don't fall into the trap of assuming that that requirement is an easily filled one.

I don't think there are very many people on the boards who have looked into emigrating to Germany, so I'm not sure you're going to get the answers you want, so you're going to have to call an embassy eventually to figure out what the wikipedia article got right/wrong.

Good luck with that, and keep us posted! I'm sure there will be someone wondering about that visa later on in the future, and it'd be nice to knowhow it turned out for you.