Canadian youth mobility program visas for Germany

In preparation for my move to Germany I stopped by the German Consolate in Vancouver, Canada. I have read everything I can find on residence permits and work visa's ect. From that I thought that I would have to go about getting a residence permit and work visa when I was actually in Germany. However, a very nice lady at the German consolate gave me an application for the Youth Mobility Program. I hadn't seem anything about this program before, and I can't find much about it from any of the German government websites. The application doesn't have much info either. From what I gather from the nice lady at the consulate, the German website, and the application, I can get a residence permit and a work visa for 1 year before I even leave Canada!!
Has anyone heard of this program, and have any more information?
Thanks for any help!

Google is your friend
Youth Mobility Programs
German Consulate General Toronto - Youth Mobility Programs
Youth ... on the move!
et al ad infinitum

@YorkshireLad - Thanks for the links, but as I mentioned in my first post, I had looked around, actually using google : ), and had found everything that you provided links for. There just doesn't appear to be too much in the way of details about the limits, restrictions, and requirements of the visa/permits.
It says its for up to 12 months, but doesn't say if I would be eligable to stay longer than that. Would I get a full work visa? or does it have restrictions on how much I can work? How much money is enought to show that I can support myself for the length of my stay?
Also, I am just suprised that I hadn't read more about it on this forum, since it seems that it would be a great thing to have your visa/permits all in order before getting to Germany? I was just worried that there were some restrictions that might make it less desirable than getting a normal visa/permit when you got to Germany?
If anyone has participated in this Program please le me know about any quirks or what not that it might entail!?

Thanks again

I just picked up my visa from the German consulate in Vancouver. Nice and easy. Its a 1 year visa through the youth mobility program. The program says that with this visa also allows me to work. I had been under the impression that you got a separate work permit and residence visa? So basically I am wondering if this visa will actually let me work in Germany or if I have to get a separate work permit?

Thanks

Topics merged by admin

Resident and work visas were combined into 1, last year or so. If it says you can work, then you can work..

What a bizarre question. You say that the program says you can work but then you ask if you can work. My flabber is thoroughly gasted. Did you perchance ask the nice people at the consulate what this visa actually covers?

Translation: Welcome to Toytown haha.

When I first went to the consulate the nice lady told me about this program and said that it would allow me to live and work in Germany for a year. Reading up on the program everything said that I would be allowed to work. I was just concerned that I only got the one visa. I thought that there would be a residence visa and a work permit. The actual wording for the program is
"The German side intends to allow young Canadian citizens who have received
a multiple entry visa for a period of one year which refers to these youth
mobility programs to engage in employment as an incidental activity to
supplement their travel funds or as an incidental activity to their further
vocational training. For such employment, the young Canadian citizens should
not require the approval of the Federal Employment Agency of the Federal
Republic of Germany."
The visa does not appear to say anything in regards to working, and was hoping that someone might shed some light on wether or not this visa entitles me to work, or how I might go about figuring that out.
Thanks again

after reading what is written, I would say, you are allowed to work, there has been changes in the last years, combining work and residency permits.
Congrats on the visa, do you have a job lined up already?

Thanks Carm,
Nope, no job yet, had planned to take a month or two to settle in and take German classes before starting to look.

sounds cool, and you will meet alot of cool people on TT at events.

: ) Thats one of the things I am really looking forward to.

I would not interpret this as a licence to full-time vocational employment, especially bearing in mind the "mobility" element of the visa. Bar work or babysitting, fine, CEO of a startup, no.

The program has a few different goals, one to help youth support themselves while visiting the country, and two gaining experience in their field. Not saying I am gonna be a CEO of a startup : ) but I was hoping that I might a get a job that is in line with my education, although working in a bar isn't out of the question!

I'm planning to also apply for this Visa, but I'm going to ask for sure what if any restrictions there are. I got a reply back which essentially said I can do anything for a year, but I'm going to make sure I can apply for IT internships and full time work, not just babysitting and teaching highschool kids English

I'll edit this post when I find out more, if there's any other Canadians who want to take advantage of this killer offer.