Moving to Germany?
Feb 4th, 2012, 08:37 PM
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Moving to Germany?
I am about to graduate college in a couple of months. I want to move to Germany next year, but I am not sure where to start looking for jobs. Does anyone have good advice/suggestions on where to look or what kind of job would be good an American with beginner/medium German skills?
Feb 4th, 2012, 08:52 PM
#2
You can't just move to Germany. Unless you hold an EU passport, or have some other connection. Otherwise you are only allowed 90 days in any part of Schengen during any 6 month period. Your chance of being hired by a German company is a real long shot. Your best bet may be to find a job w/ an American company that has a significant presence in Germany and hope for a transfer some time in the future.
Feb 4th, 2012, 09:34 PM
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Hi emccormick90,
The American government has a pretty big presence here in Germany, but there are two big problems:
1. There is a big drawdown going on with both military and civilian workers
2. Most of the jobs will only keep you here for 4-5 years, then you'll be rotated back to the USA.
Some other ideas -- the University of Maryland has a pretty big presence over here as well. If you are an educator or can work in administration for the university, you could be permanently assigned here.
Good luck in your search. Like you, I always wanted to live in Germany, and (aside from a brief assignment in the 1980s), I had to wait for retirement to make it happen.
s
The American government has a pretty big presence here in Germany, but there are two big problems:
1. There is a big drawdown going on with both military and civilian workers
2. Most of the jobs will only keep you here for 4-5 years, then you'll be rotated back to the USA.
Some other ideas -- the University of Maryland has a pretty big presence over here as well. If you are an educator or can work in administration for the university, you could be permanently assigned here.
Good luck in your search. Like you, I always wanted to live in Germany, and (aside from a brief assignment in the 1980s), I had to wait for retirement to make it happen.
s
Feb 4th, 2012, 10:29 PM
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For those (young) people who don't have a US passport there are other options:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_holiday_visa
but one of the best chances you have is to have special skills not easily found in Europe and target American firms to see if you can get a job through them. High level skills in engineering are sought after; I think if you are an artist or a musician there are options as well. Go talk to your local German consulate as they might have some option open to US citizens that I don't know about, as I'm not American. Another avenue you might look at is study, which you can do even if you have a degree. It's very easy to get a student visa and university fees are minimal. Plus you have a good opportunity to improve your language skills in a conducive environment and integrate into the community, as many unis have language schools. I think you are also allowed to work a low number of hours under the conditions of a student visa. There are ways of doing it, they just can't make it too easy or everyone would try.
Lavandula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_holiday_visa
but one of the best chances you have is to have special skills not easily found in Europe and target American firms to see if you can get a job through them. High level skills in engineering are sought after; I think if you are an artist or a musician there are options as well. Go talk to your local German consulate as they might have some option open to US citizens that I don't know about, as I'm not American. Another avenue you might look at is study, which you can do even if you have a degree. It's very easy to get a student visa and university fees are minimal. Plus you have a good opportunity to improve your language skills in a conducive environment and integrate into the community, as many unis have language schools. I think you are also allowed to work a low number of hours under the conditions of a student visa. There are ways of doing it, they just can't make it too easy or everyone would try.
Lavandula
Feb 4th, 2012, 10:50 PM
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You are going to get almost nothing but discouragement posting on this board and fear-mongering, and people lecturing you like you are an idiot. (Did you say you "just want to move to Germany" -- ?) I've seen it happen over and over again, always from the same people. In fact, I had actually been wondering if "janisj" had temporarily stopped posting on Fodor's since I hadn't seen her around lately -- but here she is, the minute a post asking about moving to Europe shows up. And more will soon come racing in here.
You are going to need to start by talking this over with knowledgeable people. This is a tourist board. Since I moved to Italy several years ago, I don't know where would be the best place for you to start, but does your college have a counseling office?
Employment opportunities are limited in the US and the present German government has a policy of encouraging skilled job seekers to consider working in Germany. It is going to be tough for you to find a job anywhere in the world. You might as well pour your energy into doing what you really want to do. That is the only way to be happy.
But be prepared for many people to discourage you and condemn your plans, and not just on message boards. A good deal of it is envy, some of it is political, and just generally people think other people should conform. But many people move to Europe and work.
The only discouragement I will give you is to discourage you from joining the Army or working for the defense department.
You are going to need to start by talking this over with knowledgeable people. This is a tourist board. Since I moved to Italy several years ago, I don't know where would be the best place for you to start, but does your college have a counseling office?
Employment opportunities are limited in the US and the present German government has a policy of encouraging skilled job seekers to consider working in Germany. It is going to be tough for you to find a job anywhere in the world. You might as well pour your energy into doing what you really want to do. That is the only way to be happy.
But be prepared for many people to discourage you and condemn your plans, and not just on message boards. A good deal of it is envy, some of it is political, and just generally people think other people should conform. But many people move to Europe and work.
The only discouragement I will give you is to discourage you from joining the Army or working for the defense department.
Feb 4th, 2012, 10:52 PM
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lavandula and swandaav,
I do see that you were also supportive. But the US hasn't woken up yet! Perhaps by predicting the typical reaction, people will be so eager to prove me wrong, they'll choose not be so destructive this time.
I do see that you were also supportive. But the US hasn't woken up yet! Perhaps by predicting the typical reaction, people will be so eager to prove me wrong, they'll choose not be so destructive this time.
Feb 4th, 2012, 11:13 PM
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A website and forum where you will find more detailed advice than here is http://www.toytowngermany.com.
Feb 4th, 2012, 11:52 PM
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I wouldn't see it all negative.
Currently we have a record low unemployment, and in many fields companies are looking desperately for skilled people anywhere. This is not restricted to top tier management or rocket scientists.
While it is true that an EU citizenship gives you the right to live and work, it does not mean that there was too much red tape to even try it. It's just more bureaucracy than moving from San Diego to Seattle, but you probably already guessed that.
Language proficiency is not a key factor in obtaining a residence and working permit if you already have a job offer. In many companies English is (one of the) working languages and you only need German to buy lunch at the company's cafeteria. Obviously the expectations re language skills can differ between a PR agency and a job in engineering or IT.
First and most important is to find a potential employer. You could contact organizations like the German-American Chamber of Commerce which has subsidiaries in any large US city. Also the Goethe Institut which usually just focuses on language courses and cultural activities can be used for work-related questions. And obviously also the embassy or consulates.
As zeppole said, you need to find different and more official sources of information than a travel board.
Currently we have a record low unemployment, and in many fields companies are looking desperately for skilled people anywhere. This is not restricted to top tier management or rocket scientists.
While it is true that an EU citizenship gives you the right to live and work, it does not mean that there was too much red tape to even try it. It's just more bureaucracy than moving from San Diego to Seattle, but you probably already guessed that.
Language proficiency is not a key factor in obtaining a residence and working permit if you already have a job offer. In many companies English is (one of the) working languages and you only need German to buy lunch at the company's cafeteria. Obviously the expectations re language skills can differ between a PR agency and a job in engineering or IT.
First and most important is to find a potential employer. You could contact organizations like the German-American Chamber of Commerce which has subsidiaries in any large US city. Also the Goethe Institut which usually just focuses on language courses and cultural activities can be used for work-related questions. And obviously also the embassy or consulates.
As zeppole said, you need to find different and more official sources of information than a travel board.
Feb 4th, 2012, 11:52 PM
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Any US citizen looking to emigrate to Europe is not going to be easy.
Read through this advice:
http://germany.usembassy.gov/acs/working_in_germany/
http://www.german-way.com/gwcontents.html
another forum you might ask the question on:
http://www.expatica.com/de/main.html
In the news there are reports that many Greeks and Spanish leaving their countries to look for work in Germany.
Read through this advice:
http://germany.usembassy.gov/acs/working_in_germany/
http://www.german-way.com/gwcontents.html
another forum you might ask the question on:
http://www.expatica.com/de/main.html
In the news there are reports that many Greeks and Spanish leaving their countries to look for work in Germany.
Feb 5th, 2012, 01:43 AM
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Another thought, and one I should have brought up earlier - you could get yourself some English-teaching qualifications, which may not take as long as you think. There are some courses here you can sit in a few months. I know a number of people who have found jobs in a number of European countries (Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ukraine) with the intention of teaching English. I would think you might find employment through a language school more easily than an ordinary school as school teachers need particular qualifications which might not be met by what you have. In Bavaria, for instance, they only employ school teachers who have done the Staatsexamen for teaching in Bavaria, so if you have teaching qualifications from, for arguments' sake, Rheinland-Pfalz, you wouldn't get a job.
Also in Germany they differentiate strictly between British English and American English, particularly at university level, so when you 'market' yourself make sure you make your brand of English plain. You might even investigate some of the differences between the two. People used to ask this all the time and having Australian English I didn't (and still don't) know all the differences between the two.
Lavandula
Also in Germany they differentiate strictly between British English and American English, particularly at university level, so when you 'market' yourself make sure you make your brand of English plain. You might even investigate some of the differences between the two. People used to ask this all the time and having Australian English I didn't (and still don't) know all the differences between the two.
Lavandula
Feb 5th, 2012, 01:48 AM
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As a graduate, are you better quallified than anybody from Germany or Europe? Nobody wants to hire a graduate unless...
Do you earn what you're paid. Living is expensive and without income... Do you have the 1000€ per month for an appartment?
the immigration authorities request approval from the "Bundesagentur für Arbeit" (Federal Employment Agency) for taking up employment in a particular job for which you are applying.
Approval is only given if the job cannot be filled by a German, EU citizen or other applicants given preferential treatment (e.g. third-country nationals who have been living in Germany for a longer period of time).
Do you earn what you're paid. Living is expensive and without income... Do you have the 1000€ per month for an appartment?
the immigration authorities request approval from the "Bundesagentur für Arbeit" (Federal Employment Agency) for taking up employment in a particular job for which you are applying.
Approval is only given if the job cannot be filled by a German, EU citizen or other applicants given preferential treatment (e.g. third-country nationals who have been living in Germany for a longer period of time).
Feb 5th, 2012, 02:22 AM
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If your goal is to have any job that will let you 'experience' Germany for a year, look into AFRC Garmisch. They are the US Armed Forces resort in Garmisch. They have hotel staff jobs where you go over for a year, live in dorms, and receive minimum wage. You'd have plenty of time off for travel and be around folks who are your own age.
My recently graduated daughter is looking into this and it sounds like a blast. Not glamorous, not a career...but you've got years ahead for that.
http://www.edelweisslodgeandresort.com/employment.html
My recently graduated daughter is looking into this and it sounds like a blast. Not glamorous, not a career...but you've got years ahead for that.
http://www.edelweisslodgeandresort.com/employment.html
Feb 5th, 2012, 06:35 AM
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My college roommate has worked at a US base in Germany for the past 30 years, as has his wife (she is a teacher, he is a psychologist), but as others have said, the forces are being cut and civilian jobs will go with them.
That said, consider Prague. Last Dec. we met a young lady (early 20's I would guess) who was teaching English in Prague. She was traveling on her weekends and vacations and having a great time.
That said, consider Prague. Last Dec. we met a young lady (early 20's I would guess) who was teaching English in Prague. She was traveling on her weekends and vacations and having a great time.
Feb 5th, 2012, 09:57 AM
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The legal requirement that a job could not be given to any non-EU national unless it was proven that no EU national could fill that job opening is hardly worth the paper it's written on.
As someone who works for a multi-national company I can assure you that the key factor is having your future employer as a sponsor. If that employer wants to hire an American or Canadian or Australian for whatever reason, the standard procedure is to "pimp up" the job description in a way that only the candidate from abroad can meet the requirements.
This is fairly easy to achieve in companies with subsidiaries or markets in North America (i.e. most of the export-oriented industries in Germany), which makes it easy to fabricate the demand of knowledge of the US market or other somewhat shady arguments.
This is obviously only the case when the future employer sees a certain benefit in hiring an American vs a German or Spanish applicant.
Working as an English teacher is probably the worst of all strategies. Germany is overrun with (cheap) language teachers and wanna-be teachers. Those coming from the UK having the advantage that they often had diplomas that get acknowledged on an EU basis, or have any other real teaching qualifications.
I would not consider even planning the move until OP had secured a regular, decently-paid job in the field he had achieved his college education.
Costs of living are more on the cheaper side in Germany compared to the rest of West/Central Europe.
And few people (outside of the overpriced housing market of Munich, run by cut-throat real estate gangsters) pay € 1K for an apartment. Half of that will get you a 2R apartment in most parts of Germany, 2/3 of that price in any big city, excluding Munich.
As someone who works for a multi-national company I can assure you that the key factor is having your future employer as a sponsor. If that employer wants to hire an American or Canadian or Australian for whatever reason, the standard procedure is to "pimp up" the job description in a way that only the candidate from abroad can meet the requirements.
This is fairly easy to achieve in companies with subsidiaries or markets in North America (i.e. most of the export-oriented industries in Germany), which makes it easy to fabricate the demand of knowledge of the US market or other somewhat shady arguments.
This is obviously only the case when the future employer sees a certain benefit in hiring an American vs a German or Spanish applicant.
Working as an English teacher is probably the worst of all strategies. Germany is overrun with (cheap) language teachers and wanna-be teachers. Those coming from the UK having the advantage that they often had diplomas that get acknowledged on an EU basis, or have any other real teaching qualifications.
I would not consider even planning the move until OP had secured a regular, decently-paid job in the field he had achieved his college education.
Costs of living are more on the cheaper side in Germany compared to the rest of West/Central Europe.
And few people (outside of the overpriced housing market of Munich, run by cut-throat real estate gangsters) pay € 1K for an apartment. Half of that will get you a 2R apartment in most parts of Germany, 2/3 of that price in any big city, excluding Munich.
Feb 5th, 2012, 05:02 PM
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http://www.edelweisslodgeandresort.com/employment.html
I second this. Those young people that work there have a great time and I know one that started out bottom of the ladder but now is in charge of the day tours and has married a local and is very happy. I had the best day with one of the guides that we did a bike and hike with. He is a ski instructor in the winter. It is a great job and they live in a dorm but it is beautiful and they get to travel. They need help with day care, not babies but smaller children's programs, spa workers, hospitality workers, gift shop, tours etc.
I second this. Those young people that work there have a great time and I know one that started out bottom of the ladder but now is in charge of the day tours and has married a local and is very happy. I had the best day with one of the guides that we did a bike and hike with. He is a ski instructor in the winter. It is a great job and they live in a dorm but it is beautiful and they get to travel. They need help with day care, not babies but smaller children's programs, spa workers, hospitality workers, gift shop, tours etc.
