Work Permit In Germany?

Question

is it easy to get a work permit for Americans? Please tell me your exp story.

Thank you for your help

Answer 1

Only if you are married or sponsored by an employer or company.  If Bosch, BMW, or Daimler or any other major German company are your sponsor then a work permit is not a problem. You may be required to pass a German language test, or attend a German language course. If you are working for a big German company then this is not a problem.  

Other wise the priority goes to Unemployed Germans, EU members, Foreigners with pr oven German ancestry. Americans coming from a developed country fall out of most categories.

If you do not fall into one of these categories then it is very hard.  To get a work permit you need a residence, bank account, proof of health insurance, a aufenhaltsulaubnis,  permission to stay here, before you can get a work permit. To get a work permit you must have an employeer, your employeer must declare to the Arbeitsampt (work office)  why you are needed for this job and why a unemployeed German can not do this job. If you remployeer can convince the Arbietsampt that you are the only person that can do this job one can get a work permit. But the work permit is only good with that employeer, you can not switch jobs without doing the entire process all over again.

I was never able to get a work permit. I had 11 German Companies try to hire me but we could never get pass the Arbietsampt, there was always an unemployed German that they would say is better suited for the job. Finally I was told by the Abreitsampt that I will get a workpermit when the last unemployed German starts working again, or basically never.

But perhaps you have a skill that they need.

If you are an American I would suggest seeking employment with the US government in Germany prior to going to Germany. Some sites to try.

http://acpol.army.mil/

http://acpol.army.mil/

Here a link for travelling to Germany t*t also has includes links for working tin Germany and immagrating to Germany.

http://www.germany-tourism.de/

Answer 2

The previous poster´s experience is totally different from mine! I experienced no such problems. The first and most important thing is finding a job with an employer willing to do the paperwork for you. The key here is that the employer has to tell the Arbeitsamt that you have some skill (like being a native English speaker) that no other qualified German has. Americans are handled as citizens of the EU for the purposes of employment and residency permits which makes living and working here a lot easier for you than for an asylum-seeker from a developing country. You will also have to get a German residency permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) because you are not allowed to work on a tourist entry stamp. Your prospective employer can start the burocratic wheels rolling on this too as he will probably need to be your sponsor. There are no language tests or insurance or bank account requirements to get a work or residency permit. A good knowledge of German is however essential for dealing with the bureaucracy and paperwork! Once you have the job you will pay taxes and have health and retirement insurance like every other working German. The work permit is job-specific so you can´t just quit a job and try to find another. As long as you are working your residency permit will be renewed every year without a problem, but you will have to fill out papers and stand in line every time. If you marry a German citizen you can get a type of residency permit which is almost as good as citizenship and has a built-in work permit. Any more questions feel free to contact me..I´ve been living and working here in Germany for almost 10 years now.