German visa and work permits for Australians

hello everyone
i am trying to find out what options i have so i can stay in germany.i am in germany on a working holiday visa. i have been told that i can get a 1 year visa approved if i have a job and get a form approved by arbeitsamt but nobody will employee me as i can only work 3 months at a time. so i would like to stay hear for the next 3 years and and looking for some advice on what options i have to stay. i am a qualified chef so i am a skilled worker. i am just finding it hard to get info from anyone about immigration from all departments of the govenment and even my australian embassy wont help. so please steer in in the right direction on what visa or which govenmental department should help me.

You need a job with someone prepared to sponsor you, or you need to marry an EU national.

They are basically your only options.

Go to the KVR (Ausländerbehörde) if you want to talk to someone. Take a German speaker along who can translate for you. They may give you a short increase on your residency, but they will not give you a work permit. That is done through the Arbeitsamt.

I'm not sure why you would ask the Aussie embassy to help. It should be pretty obvious that Australian diplomats can't grant you residency in Germany!!

Check with your embassy about the length you can work. I came over from NZ on the same work/holiday scheme and originally I was limited to working only 3 months, but then I found out that this has recently changed and you can work the full year on that visa. It may be the same with the Aussie one...woth checking anywho

You should be able to apply for a job that is longer than 3 months, and once you have the offer get the necessary forms from the Ausländerbehörde for you and your employer to complete for the work permit. Once you have this you can then also apply to have your residence permit extended.NB these are TWO separate permits - the residence permit will be a stamp in your passport and the working permit is a separate piece of paper. One is no good without the other.

Also be aware that due to the unemployment levels in Germany the Behörde may check to see if there is someone in the current unemployment database that can do the job first, before issuing you a permit. It helps if you can get the employer to say that they need a native English speaker for whatever reason. Not sure if this will work in your profession, or if there is an overabundance of chefs, but be aware that it is a potential hurdle.

Basic info available always from the German Consulate in Australia!

German Consulate Melbourne - work visa

It can take a while sometimes to get things processed, if you don't use a relocation firm so do not wait until the end of your current permit to apply.

Ausländerbehörde

EDIT: Just noticed from your profile that you are in Hamburg. Just search google for Ausländerbehörde Hamburg and you should be on the right path.

Try this for Hamburg (seems to only be in German so let us know if you need help with it)
Ausländerbehörde Hamburg

Good luck!!!

thank you all very much i am now looking at just getting married. i think this is the most sure way and fastest. or is it?

Do not get married just to stay here for goodness sakes, this will only lead to unhappiness for both parties and lead to you having to leave the country rather hurriedly(Maybe). Go through the red-tape it`s not as bad as it seems. After five years you can stay for ever, beats Melbourne I`ve heard! You`re not the first you know!

Depends, do you got someone lined up or not? Lets see an advert, a date, a proposal...sounds like a long night at the pub. Anyhoo, here's some related info.

Good luck to you.

ps: I'm a qualified amateur professional eater, just in case you need to keep your chef skills up to date.

i have been with my girlfriend for over 1 1/2 years and it is just the last resort to get married.

I took the get married option seven years ago. It was a last option for us too, but has worked out well; in that our love did not shrivel up after the vows. This is our second time here now; keep going back to Melbourne because it is such a great place!

a lot people get married for visa purposes... a lot of people get married for love... and divorces still happen.

My husband was sponsored here and we received 5 year visas last month. Apparently it was very easy as Australia and Germany have a "special relationship" or so I was told by the person who acted for us and Australians receive favourable status, though all the red tape still applies.

Good luck!

Yes, but you were sponsored. Its not a problem for most people if they have a employer willing to do that.

I agree with Hutcho - was the same for me when I came here. I think it is a different story if you come here on a tourist visa and then look for work.

Are you taking any classes? Student visas come through very quickly if that is an option for you and they are valid for a year. Renia is correct about the "special" relationship between Germany and Australia, this should make it a bit easier for you. You just need to find a job! Good luck!

I was in exactly the same boat as you, 1 year working holiday visa. Got an employer to fill in the forms for a longer visa, and things just got extended from there. You stuck to the same employer though, unless you want to go through the whole arbeitsamt procedure again. I've been here 4 years now, had 3 different employers and have no problems getting extensions. The first 3 years are difficult though because you're not allowed to change employers.

My biggest tip for you is to get all the information you need yourself and give it to your employer and say, "just fill this in for me will you, oh and by the way, mention that I have some special kangaroo grilling skills which no-one else in germany has". Make it completely painless for your employer and you've got the best chances. If you tell your employer to "get me a work visa", he'll just answer "can't be assed going through the bullshit".