Entering Germany to pursue qualified employment

Skilled workers from third countries require a national visa with a specified validity before entering Germany, which must be applied for at the responsible German diplomatic mission in their home country. Skilled workers can only take up qualified employment. In most cases, the approval of the Federal Employment Agency is therefore required. The responsible German diplomatic mission abroad usually obtains this.

What is a skilled worker?

A distinction is made between two types of skilled workers:

Skilled workers with an academic education (must be recognized in Germany)
Skilled workers with qualified vocational training (of at least two years)

Skilled workers: examples

Specialists in energy technology
Specialists in plumbing, sanitary, heating and air-conditioning technology
Specialists in mechatronics and automation technology
Specialists in e-commerce management
Recruiting specialists
Purchasing specialists
Sales specialists
Experts IT systems analysis, IT sales
Software development experts
Transportation infrastructure specialists
Rail vehicle management specialists
Specialists in medical and practice assistance
Specialists in healthcare, nursing, emergency services, obstetrics
Specialists in geriatric care
Specialists in medical, orthopaedic and rehabilitation technology
Engineers in vehicle, aerospace and shipbuilding technology
Specialists in mechatronics and automation technology
Consulting specialists
Controlling specialists
Office management specialists
Accounting specialists
Administration specialists

Eine Übersicht der zweijährigen Ausbildungsberufe in Deutschland finden Sie hier: https://planet-beruf.de/schuelerinnen/berufe-finden/uebersicht-der-zweijaehrigen-ausbildungsberufe

Berufe, in denen Engpässe an Fachkräften bestehen, werden als Engpassberufe bezeichnen. Von einem Engpassberuf ist die Rede, wenn auf eine offene Stelle höchstens drei statistisch erfasste Arbeitslose kommen. Folgende Berufsgruppen gelten als Engpassberufe in Deutschland:

Führungskräfte in der Produktion bei der Herstellung von Waren, im Bergbau und im Bau sowie in der Logistik
Führungskräfte in der Erbringung von Dienstleistungen im Bereich Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie
Führungskräfte in der Erbringung von speziellen Dienstleistungen, wie zum Beispiel in der Kinderbetreuung, im Gesundheits- oder Bildungswesen
Akademische Fachkräfte im MINT-Bereich (Mathematik, Informatik, Naturwissenschaft and Technik)
Akademische Fachkräfte in der Architektur, Raum- und Verkehrsplanung
Ärztinnen und Ärzte
Tierärztinnen und Tierärzte
Zahnärztinnen und Zahnärzte
Apothekerinnen und Apotheker
Akademische und vergleichbare Krankenpflege- und Geburtshilfefachkräfte
Lehr- und Erziehungskräfte im schulischen und außerschulischen Bereich

Bottleneck occupations

Germany allows skilled workers in certain shortage or “bottleneck” occupations where is a shortage of national skilled workers to move and to be employed more easily. A bottleneck occupation is considered one in which there are no more than three statistically recorded unemployed persons for every vacancy. You can check if your profession is facing a talent shortage in Germany.

The following occupational groups are considered bottleneck occupations in Germany:

Production managers in the manufacture of goods, in mining and construction and in logistics
Managers in the provision of information and communication technology services
Managers in the provision of special services, such as childcare, healthcare or education
Academic specialists in the STEM sector (mathematics, information technology, natural sciences and technology)
Academic professionals in architecture, spatial and transportation planning
Doctors and physicians
Veterinarians
Dentists and dental surgeons
Pharmacists
Academic and comparable nursing and midwifery professionals
Teachers and educators in the school and extracurricular sector

Vocational training

German dual vocational training system is exemplary worldwide. The opportunity to complete an apprenticeship in Germany is generally open to you. Firstly, it requires a training place available and secondly, the approval of the Federal Employment Agency. This is generally obtained in the visa procedure.

You can find an overview of two-year training occupations in Germany here: https://planet-beruf.de/schuelerinnen/berufe-finden/uebersicht-der-zweijaehrigen-ausbildungsberufe

Internship

In principle, an internship is regarded as gainful employment. However, the following internships do not count as gainful employment if their duration does not exceed 90 days in a 12-month period:

Internships arranged by the Federal Employment Agency as vacation employment
Internships that are completed during a stay for the purpose of school education or studies that are a prescribed part of the education or are demonstrably necessary to achieve the educational objective
Internships as part of an international exchange programme of associations, public institutions or student organizations for students or graduates of foreign universities in agreement with the Federal Employment Agency
Specialist internships during a course of study at a foreign university, which are carried out after the fourth semester and are subject-related in agreement with the Federal Employment Agency

Voluntary Social Year (FSJ) and Voluntary Ecological Year (FÖJ)

Age limit: minimum age 16 and maximum age 26
Possible areas: Public welfare and social work (FSJ) and nature and environmental protection or environmental education (FÖJ)
Duration of voluntary service: at least 6 months, usually for 1 year and a maximum of 18 months (in exceptional cases up to 24 months)
Compulsory full-time schooling must be completed for this full-time service.

Federal Voluntary Service (BFD)

An opportunity for people of all ages to get involved for the common good outside of work and school.
Possible areas: social, ecological and cultural areas as well as in the fields of sport, integration and civil protection and disaster control
Duration of voluntary service: at least 6, usually 12, and a maximum of 24 months.
Full-time compulsory schooling must be completed for this full-time service.

European Voluntary Service (EVS)

Part of the Youth in Action program and thus of the EU Erasmus+ program
Age limit: at least 17 and at most 30 years old
Possible areas: social, youth, environment and culture
Duration of voluntary service: up to 1 year
Nationality of a partner country of the Erasmus+ program

The approval of the Federal Employment Agency is not required.

Voluntary service is also possible following an au pair placement.

For minors under the age of 18, the consent of their legal guardians (parents or legal guardians) is required.

Would you like to look for a job in Germany?

If you have not found a job before entering the country, you have the option of coming to Germany for up to six months to look for a job.

More information:

https://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/html/en/skilled-workers.php

https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/germany-highly-qualified-worker_en

https://digital.diplo.de/arbeitsaufnahme-ausbildungsberuf

https://handbookgermany.de/en/visa-skilled-workers

https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/-/2248702

https://www.bamf.de/EN/Themen/MigrationAufenthalt/ZuwandererDrittstaaten/Arbeit/Fachkraft/fachkraft-node.html