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".

Greetings and salutations
I'm wondering whether anyone has specific info or experience about applying for work visa's as an Australian from within Germany
I moved to Europe permanently a year or so ago and have Andorran residency which has kind of allowed me to move around and stay wherever I like without
having to stress about the 90day Schengen Visa stuff, the only problem is that Andorran residency doesnt let me work in the EEC.
My German girlfriend for the last few years was living with me in OZ on a student visa, then returned to Germany in 2006,
I have been travelling between visits since. She now lives in Schwabing in Munich and I would like to try and figure out how I can get a work permit. I know
EEC rules are pretty tough, but have lots of degrees, work experience, speak lots of languages (learning German now) etc. which might help I hope.
If anyone out there can point me in the right direction, I would be grateful.
Cheers, Sumra

Topics merged by admin

Apply for jobs which closely suit your qualifications. You can also get in on a holiday work visa (obviously not permanently) if nothing else works, assuming you are under 31, but if you have great qualifications you should be able to get hired by someone. Your girlfriend might have some contacts- start there.

Thanks for that, the under 31 things isnt an option anymore but I guess the best way to start is to I find an employer that is keen enough.
Cheers and thansk for the reply
Sumra

dear all - as a 25yo australian who is bursting with excitement, having booked tickets to berlin in july, i wondered if i might pick over the apparent wealth of knowledge lurking online in this forum... at this stage, i am planning on entering germany just on my passport (which essentially gives me 3 months as a tourist). i am obviously coming (along with everybody else, and their dog) with the hope of finding some form of paid employment. as i understand it, to get a job, you need a work permit, to get a work permit, you need a residence permit... and right about there my line of comprehension breaks down. how do you snaffle a residence permit without having paid employment? and further to that - a lot of jobs i've seen advertised ask for 'freelance workers'. how do you qualify for that? if i've misunderstood, i'd be most grateful for anyone to set me straight. but for the moment, i am going to sit at my desk here, and revel in the fact that it's only 161 more sleeps until i leave for berlin...

cheers

alice

Topics merged by admin

hey u should just look up the website of the germany embassy in australia.. they will have all the visa info there... cheers, krista

hey thanks, had already checked it out, but i guess struggling a bit to understand the practicalities of it all, if that makes any sense, and thought people that had dealt with the situation before might be able to shed some light! :-)

Hi Alice, and welcome to TT, I hope that it is as useful a tool for you as it has been for me.
Now about your question, before any number of regulars says it, the search tool is your friend.
The topic you are asking about has been covered quite thoroughly, so please take some time and read the many threads about it and then if you have any specific questions or whatnot please feel free to ask.

As a short, but probably not sweet, answer to your question.
To get a job it really helps to have a work visa, but usually to get a work visa you have to have a job offer...
Silly I know, but thats kinda how it is.
As an Aussie, you can get a one year "working holiday" visa, or some such, that will let you live here for a year, and work a restricted amount to support your "trip". With this visa you can get you residence permit, all you really need is an address and some paperwork, I believe.

Anywho, you have a bit of time, do alot of reading, and good luck to ya : )

Not quite. You need a work permit to get a job, and you need a job to get a work permit. Your work permit is also your right of abode permit, they're tied together. So, what you'll need to do is either come over here on your tourist visa and hope like hell that you can get employment that will sponsor your stay in those three months your permitted to be in the country, or, better yet, get a work hoiday visa from the German embassy in Oz which will give you a permit for one year residence and work (that's if Oz has the same agreement as NZ does with Germany, if not, you will only have a 3 month work permit, but a years residency)
Good luck

Hi,

I am a bit confused. I have looked at both the Australian German websites and the German sites and they state different things. The Australian site claims that a residence permit does not allow you to take up employment nor study, however the German site says you can work. So can someone please clear this up for me.

Three different things

Tourist visa - 3 months, no workee
Residence permit - can live here longer than 3 months (usually limited time-frame e.g. one year). Can't work here.
Work permit - can work here - but there varying conditions e.g. only for one employer (normal), or you can also freelance or work for anyone who will employ you (more difficult)

You need BOTH permits to work here.

As an Aussie tourist you can arrive here without either permit, so long as you have a return ticket (or you may have fun getting on the plane)
The "automatic" tourist visa runs out after 3 months.

So - arrive, get job offer within 3 months time frame, apply for work permit and residency permit, get permits (if lucky), start working.

Great, thanks for that. Now I can start the fun with the departments.

In many cases, the residence permit and work permit have now been combined under one document/application process.

Wish they'd done that with me - nothing ever expired at the same time meaning double trips back to our favour ite Ausländeramt. In fact I now have an unlimited work permit, but the residency permit is still limping along needing renewals (long story).

And for those who are up for permanent residency (Niederlassungserlaubnis) - allow at least 6 weeks (if not more) for processing - that's how long they quote for getting the police check done which is required before the permit will be processed - and you'll 85€ poorer after the event.

Hi, I am an australian citizen and i have a contract to work in frankfurt for 12 months. i am going to enter the country as a tourist and then apply for my residence permit once i am there. i beleive the process is to first get my work permit and then apply for the residence permit. i am unsure of where i go to get my work permit that then enables me to get my residence permit and whether i need an appointment befor hand or do i just turn up and wait in line? any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Topics merged by admin

I'm a US citizen and just went through the same process... came in on a tourist visa, then went to the Auslaenderbehordt (foreigners' office?) and filled out an application. Bring your offer letter/job contract, passport photo, passport, any other supporting docs (copy of diploma or birth certificate) although you probably won't need them. They'll also give you a sheet for your employer to fill in. then 3 months later, they called me and i went to get my visa, paid EUR 60 and voila i have 2 pretty stickers in my passport.

If you're lucky, your employer will probably do all this work for you, but since i work at a small company, i had to do the running myself. I went a total of 4 times... not too bad.

Hey all, so once again i have returned to Deutschland, this time jobless, but hopefully going to get it sorted in the next couple of months...esp since i plan to stay here awhile (5 years so i can get my PR). i entered on the 90day tourist visa that all australians get, and my backup plan is to get the Working Holiday Visa which will let me stay and work for 12 months (and would make it easier to get a job as no one will need to sponsor me initially)...

the QUESTION i have for you fine people is.. if i dont get a job in the 1st 3 months and then apply for the WHP visa at the end of it, will I be effectively extending my stay by 12 months from the day the visa gets granted, or will it be 12 months from when i entered the country on Tuesday? Or put another way, is the working holiday visa going to be give me another 12 mths or just extend it by 9 months?

You guys may have a totally different deal then us Canadians but it's probably the same. You can apply from in Germany and if you weren't working before (which you couldn't legally) my understanding from skimming this http://www.germanembassy.org.au/en/welcome...g%20Holiday.pdf is that you would then be eligible to work for 12 more months.

I did the visa thing and it was great as getting a tax card etc was a peice of cake, the small village I was staying in outside of Munich had never seen the card and it got me out of some scary interview I'd of had to do.

haha sweet. i'll be registering in Achern, (small town germany)

haha sweet. i'll be registering in Achern, (small town germany)