Changing a freelance visa to permanent employee

Hi TT,

First of all before the crucifying starts, I looked through the visa's section and did a couple of searches but didn't find anything thta shot out as dealing with this specific issue. So here goes...

I came here a year ago as an English Teacher and have a visa that allows me to work as a freelancer. It's the Aufenthaltserlaubnis and states on the second page" "Gilt nur für die Tätigkeit als freier Mitarbeiter zur Ertailung von Englisch-Unterricht bei Inlingua Sprachschule Dessau auf Honorarbasis". Basically Valid only for the ability to work as a freelance employee English teacher with Inlingua Dessau on an honorarium basis.

This visa expires on the 20th of this month, and I am interested in applying for a job down in Augsburg. It's a permanent position and the ability to transfer this visa over to a proper one is the only thing the recruiter seems to be leery of.

So my question is, does anyone know how to go about applying for a regular permanent employment visa? is it different since I am already here and registered? Do I have to have a company sponsor me, is it a long process...all this stuff?

Basically has anyone actually done this?

Any company that wants to hire you would have to request the approval for you. Your real problem is probably that the Arbeitsamt will try to see if any EU citizen or holder of an Niederlassungserlabunis can do the job. If it is one with a very high skill level required, they may approve it automatically, but the recruiter's reluctance is probably due to the waiting period that would entail, plus the chance the firm would not be able to hire you anyway. An EU citizen or someone with the Niederlassungserlaubnis can start immediately and faces no uncertainty as you do.

Just thought I'd bump this to see if I might run across anyone who's gone through this...

And yes Conq, I know it's generally an uphill battle, and unfortunately I know many an American who have been passed over for jobs given to lesser qualified EU candidates because of this. That's one of the reasons I was hoping to find out the actual details on what's involved.

AFAIK, that you currently have a freelance visa is irrelevant if you are trying to get a work permit for a position other than teaching English. AFAIK, the firm that wishes to hire you has to send something official to the Arbeitsamt describing the position's requirements and responsibilities. The Arbeitsamt then checks to see if anyone registered as unemployed who is an EU citizen or has a Niederlassungserlaubnis meets the requirements of the position; if so, they get it. There can be as much as a six-week window for the Arbeitsamt to find someone, if they don't, they then let the KVR know that a work permit should be issued. They can refuse to issue a work permit to you period if unemployment is too high, but that isn't going to be the case in Bavaria.

I'm sure you have heard that a lot of firms won't do this if they don't have experience doing it, or don't feel like it.

Hope that answers the question. I assume that you have, or will, apply for a renewal of the freelance visa to cover your continued stay here until you can get approved for the position you really want.

I don't have advice how to change from Freelance Visa to Permanent Employment but I know that it's not that difficult to get employment in Germany. I mean, as long as the company is large enough and the HR has the experience i.e. know what bullshit to write, you may even help them to push the points why you are better than a local - I got language skills on top of my other "extraordinary" skills - you'll get through the bullshit bureaucracy of Arbeitsamt. Just go for the job you want, convince the employer and the rest can be figured out. Good luck!

Some countries are apparently exempt from having the job profile run by the Arbeitsamt. Theres another thread on here somewhere dealing with it, but it went cold before I got confirmation.

ive been through this and it is hard. basically the company has to sponser you and it takes over a month.
no job/no visa (and in an ironic german way...no visa/no job!).
however options are available, and I see them in this order of preference
1) Marry a german woman pronto
2) Marry a french woman pronto
3) Marry a spaniard pronto
4) date an italian with mafia connections
5) marry anyone with european passport

Good luck!!