As Europe’s biggest economy struggles to stay afloat, the country is now seeking new solutions, ideas, and strategies to help it navigate towards a more prominent position in Europe and globally.
This comes as experts blame a skilled-worker shortage as the primary cause of Germany’s current economic woes, so if you have the skills, why not head to Germany, where you can represent heroism?
Understanding the Urgency of Germany’s Skilled Workers Shortage
Germany’s highly developed economy is now facing new challenges, like low exports, and extreme market competition from regional and global players. The country must now take new measures that may keep it ahead.
For most firms, local workers are limited; this leads to high competition for workers of great skills. Retaining industrial leadership then becomes such that bright brains, crucial to the country’s robust yet challenged industries, must be outsourced.
For international workers with Germany in mind, this is the time to get set and head into the country. Although a slow growth greeted the country in recent times, Germany is notable for maneuvering itself out of unfriendly economic realities. This points to increased confidence of investors and industries in the German economy, and this should be encouraging for hopeful international employees. The economy seems on its way to getting even bigger and as this is happening, more and more international workers are crossing into the country, leveraging the €10,000 Visa sponsorship.
If you need further encouragement on why your refined skills are currently in high demand in Germany, remember that in 2020, the country introduced a “skilled migrant workers act” to facilitate the entry of skilled workers into Germany. You can learn more about that here.
Germany’s Unique Workers Migration Model
For every country, there could be slight uniqueness in the ways things are done; however, visa sponsorship in Germany takes an entirely different turn, which must be clearly understood by potential employees and employers if objectives must be achieved at both ends. The following are some characteristics of Germany’s international employment:
● Employer Approval: When German authorities allow a corporation to bring in migrant workers. It is another level of trust, as such it comes with a set of responsibilities. It is not just about employing a worker from overseas; it is about ensuring that both migrants and the country’s system are safe. To ensure this, an employer must indicate capabilities. This includes the ability to sufficiently pay migrant workers and others.
But the ability of the employer to see to these responsibilities may be difficult to ascertain if the employer isn’t accessible to the authority. This is why, before migrating a worker to Germany, an employer must notify the Bundesagentur für Arbeit. The agency is responsible for screening and approving corporations’ worker migration requests.
Before such approvals, firms desiring to employ migrant workers must be able to prove viability such that paying migrant workers won’t be a problem. In addition, not all job categories are available to international workers. The Federal Employment Agency must ensure that German residents or locals are unavailable or unready to take up vacancies.
● After appointment: The employee must show evidence of employment by a German-based corporation before proceeding to apply for a visa. An employment contract can serve as valid evidence.
● An employee can seek employment without requiring official sponsorship: Unlike other countries’ employment visa processes, an employee doesn’t need sponsorship to apply for a German work visa.
Once the employment process is finalized, an employee can take steps to obtain a visa for migration. This can be done through the online portal for the consular service. The application can also be done locally at the German mission.
To apply or learn more about the German employment visa via the online portal, check here.
Migrant Workers Categories and suitable German work visas
With Germany in focus, international workers are of two classes. European Union workers and others. The geography of applicants and, of course, their skills are imperative in determining whether you need a visa or not. For EU country citizens, no visa is required for migrants to work in Germany. This “no visa status” also extends to EEA countries as well as Switzerland.
The European Union labour market is one of Germany’s biggest suppliers of quality skills.
For individuals from countries that require a visa to enter Germany, the three visa classes below could be among the most suitable German visas for the migration of skilled labor. Let’s examine common German work visas and suitability.
Common German Work visas that may work for you
We would focus on three main German visa categories. Note that there could be sub-categories of each German visa and other visa classes; however, we focus on these three:
● Qualified Professional worker visa: The qualified professional visa is a broad visa category covering different migratory categories. Individuals relying on the visa must have adequate education, skills, and must have gained sufficient expertise and experience earlier on.
● The self-employment visa: Beyond working as an employee is the option of being self-employed. This visa class is for those aspiring to build a business in Germany or engage in a freelance occupation.
The self-employment visa requires a viable business plan; a substantial income of at least €1,200 monthly.
● EU blue card: This is a special skilled worker visa. The German visa class is effective for Migrating professionals like IT experts and others. A university education with an accompanying degree or equivalent Educational qualification is required.
An international equivalent of university education is also allowed for the visa category. It is specifically for applicants with advanced education, skills, or experience. Apart from academic skills, for an employment to qualify for the EU blue card, an employment offer must record a minimum of €43,000 annual gross salary.
Targeting Shortage occupations as a smart way to improve German migration success
While any field at all can lead to successful employment and migration to Germany, some have more foreign worker demand owing to the shortage of experts in these occupations in the local Labour market.
For our readers who are still at the stage where attaining new skills or knowledge is possible. Your German migration dream can experience a boost when you possess skills, experience, and expertise in these fields:
1. Healthcare: The healthcare sector in Germany is experiencing a continued shortage of qualified workers. Care facilities struggle to access sufficient numbers of doctors, dentists, nurses, etc. Often, these facilities turn overseas for needed experts. One of Germany’s leading healthcare establishments (Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin) also faces these difficulties in accessing a sufficient workforce locally; the facility employs foreigners. You can check out the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin employment portal here.
2. Academics: A shortage in skilled workers could also signal a shortage in the educational capabilities of a country. Adequate educational facilities and associated manpower will also improve access to qualified Labour. Germany isn’t just running a shortage in skilled workforce; the educational system, which shapes knowledge and skills, is also struggling to reach sufficiency in terms of workforce supply. An educational facility in Germany known to employ international workers is the Technical University of Munich.
3. IT: Germany is home to some huge IT corporations, as countries evolve future tech readiness, Germany intends to top the chart among European countries with the most advanced tech sector. Hosting some of the world’s largest tech corporations in a country where skilled workers are already in short supply could mean even less availability of high-tech workers. For this reason, major tech firms in Germany often seek workers outside the country. SAP SE is one of the leading German tech giants that employs international workers. You can find SAP SE career opportunities here.
4. Manufacturing: Another sector experiencing severe worker shortage in Germany is the manufacturing sector. The sector has maintained its position as the stronghold of the German economy; however, the skilled worker shortage of recent years is becoming a huge concern. The automobile industry remains one of Germany’s leading industries, and automaker Volkswagen is a huge employer of international Labour.
Apart from these four sectors with recorded worker shortage, other sectors seek foreign workers in Germany. Even apart from these professions officially classified as experiencing worker shortage, other fields not in the category also employ foreign workers.
Requirements and eligibility
Once you secure the job and are ready for migration, certain requirements apply, and they include:
● Licensing: Some occupations require approval before an applicant can practice in Germany.
● Employment requirements: To secure employment in Germany, your abilities need to be understood by a potential employer. This is made possible through certain procedures and documentation.
Applicant must be available for interviews, provide proof of educational accomplishments, a CV or resume to the potential employer, and make available any other work-related documents. The employment process must lead to a binding contract, which must be tendered upon request by the immigration authorities.
● Common German immigration demands: Passport, health status examination, additional identification photographs, birth certificates, etc.; more documents can be requested as one progresses in the process.
Eligibility
Eligibility for a German job and visa must include a demonstration of the employee’s ability to contribute positively to the employer and the German society. The following employee characteristics are then expected:
● Valid Qualifications: If you obtained your education outside Germany, your qualification must be recognized. For a qualification obtained outside Germany to be valid, it is expected to be comparable to those obtained in Germany.
● Experience and skills: Practical experience is imperative in the German labor market. As a highly industrialized economy, employers are interested in employees who can translate ideas into practical and executable models.
● Language efficiency: Productivity in Germany will be upscaled with effectiveness in the local language. The ability to effectively communicate in the German language remains a priority for most employers of skilled Labour.
● Valid job offer contract: Since Germany doesn’t follow a traditional visa sponsorship model, a job offer is part of the eligibility criteria to be considered for an employment visa.
Benefits
As an advanced economy and a highly civilized society, Germany has several amazing offers in the basket for its residents. For foreigners, these benefits could hold even more value as the system recognizes the importance of migrant workers, and deliberately puts in measures that make life in the country more appealing. Some of the most noticeable benefits of working in Germany include:
● Amazing salary: The German system prioritizes workers’ welfare. With an effective salary structure, foreign workers in Germany can experience a great life. Most skilled workers in the country earn at least €40,000. Fields experiencing skilled workers shortage, like tech and healthcare, earn even more.
● Access to affordable finished goods: The German economy is highly industrialized. Some of the best automobile industries are in Germany. This makes it relatively more affordable to acquire these locally manufactured goods in the country. Access to such great products becomes an added advantage of working in Germany.
● Advanced society and healthcare: Healthcare in Germany is top-notch even by the standards of advanced countries. The society is also orderly and highly advanced. There’s serenity, a sense of safety, and a civilized population.
● Insurance: Health insurance remains the most popular insurance category, with statutory health insurance covering over 88% of the population. Such insurance and other benefits are amazing offers one stands to enjoy when working in Germany.
● Job security: Workers in Germany are protected from employers’ potential abuse by different regulations. Employers must have a valid reason before sacking a worker.
Recommendations
● German migration for employment is a bit different from other countries; seek guidance from a German immigration attorney.
● Obtain required licensing from your home country, where required, as that can make for better consideration in Germany.
● Ensure timely gathering of necessary information, also ensure that they are accurate.
Conclusion
As Germany faces the reality of worker shortage in several industries critical to its survival, a new approach must emerge. The German economy is a huge one. The industry needs to be sustained and maintained.
An aging population is also threatening fertility and the availability of Labour. This is a serious situation; however, the government and employers are moving to mitigate the situation by granting more workers access to the country.
If you have been having a double mind about your success given migration, note that even the system is aiming to make it easier for you to secure a job in the country and migrate.