Here you learn ...
... what the Jobseeker Visa is and what the difference is to the Opportunity Card
... the requirements for the Job Seeker Visa
... how to apply for a Jobseeker Visa after termination
... how to apply for a jobseeker visa after graduation
Written by:
lawyer
Publication date:
April 2, 2024
Reading time
9 minutes
Table of Content
1. What is a jobseeking visa (Germany)?
2. Apply for a jobseeking visa from abroad
2.1 Requirements for Jobseeking Visa Germany 2024
2.2 Recognition as a professional
2.3 Livelihood
2.4 Other general requirements
2.5 Jobseeker visa application process
2.6 Necessary documents Jobseeker Visa Germany
2.7 Appointment booking and visa interview
3. Jobseeker Visa after termination of the employment contract
4. Jobseeking Visa after completing your studies in Germany
5. FAQ Job-Seeker Visa
1. What is a jobseeking visa (Germany)?
The job-seeking visa (also known as a “job-seeker visa” or “visa for job searches for skilled workers”) is a residence permit for Germany that allows skilled workers to enter Germany and stay here for the purpose of looking for a job ( Section 20 of the Residence Act ). The visa is also very suitable for bridging periods of short-term unemployment (e.g. job-seeking visa after studying or after termination of an employment contract). In fact, the job-seeker visa is applied for much more frequently in Germany in the form of a residence permit than abroad in the visa version.
In many countries, a work contract is a prerequisite for long-term residence for foreigners. In Germany, however, legal residence is possible under certain conditions even if there is no work contract . However, a person's livelihood must still be secured (see the VISAGUARD guide to applying for a residence permit ). Residence is therefore generally only possible if there are financial means to support oneself for several months without a job.
The job-searching visa exists in several variants:
Job-seeking visa for skilled workers with (German) academic degrees
Job-seeking visa for skilled workers with (German) vocational training
Job-seeking visa for foreign scientists (in Germany)
Job search with the Opportunity Card (from June 1, 2024).
As can be seen from the list, the Job Seeker Visa is only issued to foreigners with German qualifications . Foreigners (including foreign skilled workers) must now apply for the so-called “Opportunity Card” to look for a job. We have written a separate VISAGUARD guide on the Opportunity Card.
The job-seeking visas have different requirements depending on whether the visa is applied for from abroad (e.g. from India or Pakistan) or from within the country (e.g. after studying or after termination of the employment contract) and what qualification the applicant has. The most relevant case scenarios for job-seeking visas in practice are presented below.
2. Apply for a jobseeking visa from abroad
The constellation originally intended by the legislator for applying for a residence permit to look for a job is the job seeker visa from abroad . Skilled workers (especially those from the IT sector) should be given the opportunity to immigrate to Germany without having already signed an employment contract abroad.
2.1 Requirements for Jobseeking Visa Germany 2024
In order to apply for a job-searching visa from abroad (e.g. as an IT specialist from India or Pakistan), two main requirements must be met: You must be a skilled worker (i.e. have a recognized (German) professional or (German) academic qualification) and you must be able to secure your livelihood for the duration of your stay in Germany ( Section 5 of the Residence Act ).
CONTACT US
Are you looking for a lawyer in German immigration and foreigners law? Our lawyers will be happy to support you in residence procedures before embassies, immigration authorities and administrative courts in Germany..
Contact us to book a consultation via video call! with a German Attorney for immigration law!
VISAGUARD.Berlin Legal Services
2.2 Recognition as a professional
Until the introduction of the Opportunity Card, in order to apply for the Job Seeker visa, your qualifications had to be recognized in Germany. This requirement no longer applies, as the Job Seeker visa can only be applied for with a German qualification ( Section 20 of the Residence Act ). Logically, German qualifications do not require Anabin recognition.
2.3 Livelihood
Another requirement for applying for a jobseeker visa for Germany is that you are able to secure your livelihood ( Section 5 of the Residence Act ). In concrete terms, this means that you must have sufficient financial means to stay in Germany for several months. In this respect, with a job-seeking visa, there is no option to prove that you have a livelihood through an employment contract, since you are not yet working. You must secure your livelihood for the entire period for which you are applying for the visa. To calculate the amount of money you need for this, you must first determine your monthly needs and then multiply this by the number of months you intend to stay. Monthly needs usually include at least the following expenses:
Rent
health insurance companies
standard benefit rate (approx. 600 euros per month)
So if, for example, you need 1,500 euros per month for these costs and want to stay in Germany for six months with the jobseeking visa, you must prove savings of at least 9,000 euros when submitting your application (1,500 euros per month x 6 months).
2.4 Other general requirements
Finally, the general visa requirements must also be met. Specifically, these include the following:
valid passport available,
no previous convictions,
no interest in deportation.
2.5 Jobseeker visa application process
If you meet the general requirements for a visa, you can apply for a visa at the embassy responsible for you. Which embassy is responsible for your application depends on where you live (see our VISAGUARD guide to visa applications ). If you live in India, for example, you can enter your district on the website of the German embassies in India to find out which embassy is responsible for your district.
2.6 Necessary documents Jobseeker Visa Germany
You can then find out from the website of the respective embassy which documents are required to apply for a job-seeking visa and in what form these documents must be presented (see, for example , the information sheet of the German Embassy in India on applying for a job-seeking visa ).
As a rule, at least the following documents are required:
passport
VIDEX form
2 biometric passport photos
Copies of the passport data page
(German) professional qualification certificate or university degree certificate
Proof of livelihood (e.g. blocked account or declaration of commitment)
CV
proof of health insurance
References from previous employers (if available)
professional license (if necessary)
The necessary documents vary depending on the country and embassy . For example, the embassies in India often require additional documents such as proof of accommodation (e.g. invitation letter or rental agreement), a birth certificate and a letter of motivation. It is therefore advisable to follow the guidelines on the respective embassy website. If in doubt, you can also book an initial consultation with an immigration lawyer through VISAGUARD .
2.7 Appointment booking and visa interview
If you have the necessary documents to apply for a jobseeking visa, you can book an appointment online (see e.g. here for RK visas from the German Embassy in India/New Delhi ). At the appointment, your documents will be checked for completeness and you will have to provide your biometric data and pay the fee . In cases where the applicant has to prove German language skills, the embassy employee may also check your language skills in a short interview.
If the documents and information are complete, the embassy will decide on your application for a job-seeking visa. The embassy has a certain degree of discretion in the legal and plausibility check when making the decision. A positive decision is therefore not guaranteed even with complete documents. Processing usually takes several weeks or months . From a legal perspective, the immigration authorities have up to three months to decide on the application for a job-seeking visa ( Section 75 of the Administrative Court Act ). After three months, the applicant can file a so-called action for failure to act with the administrative court in Berlin with the help of a visa lawyer . This usually massively shortens the processing time.
Once the application has been decided, you will receive the visa. The visa can then be used to enter Germany
3. Jobseeker Visa after termination of the employment contract
The job-searching visa is also often applied for when a short period of unemployment needs to be bridged (e.g. after termination of the contract, after signing a termination agreement or when changing employers). Here too, proof of subsistence must be provided in order to apply for a residence permit after termination of the employment contract. So, for example, if you want to apply for a job-searching visa for six months after termination of the employment contract, you must provide proof of financial resources for around six months (so-called subsistence).
For further information on securing a livelihood, please see our guide to applying for a residence permit .
In contrast to the jobseeking visa, you do not have to apply for a residence permit to look for a job after termination of your employment contract at the embassy, but at your responsible immigration office . On the website of the relevant immigration office you can find out which documents are necessary and how the application process will work (see, for example, the guide on the homepage of the State Office for Immigration (LEA) in Berlin on applying for a jobseeker visa ).
When applying for a job-searching visa after termination of the contract in Berlin, the following documents must usually be submitted:
Form Application for a Residence Permit in Berlin (PDF)
registration certificate from Berlin
valid passport
biometric photo
(German) professional qualification certificate or university certificate
proof of health insurance
proof of financial stability
References from previous employers (if available)
professional practice permit (if necessary)
You can submit the application by email to your responsible clerk or via the online service of the immigration office in Berlin.
4. Jobseeking Visa after completing your studies in Germany
Another situation in which a job-seeking visa can be applied for in Germany is when looking for a job after completing a degree in Germany . Compared to other variants of the job-seeking visa, the job-seeker visa after completing a degree in Germany has clear advantages. These are the following:
the Jobseeking Visa is issued for up to 18 months (instead of six),
any gainful activity (including self-employment and freelancing) is permitted,
the qualification does not have to be recognised by a certificate evaluation,
the foreigner is entitled to be granted a job-searching visa (normally the immigration authorities have discretion).
These advantages mean that the jobseeking visa after completing a degree in Germany is very popular and is applied for by many foreigners.
Once you have successfully completed your studies, you must submit the application directly to the immigration authority responsible for you. The authority is determined by your place of residence and can be determined using the authority finder of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) (determining the authority) .
As a rule, at least the following documents are required to apply for the Jobseeker Visa after completing your studies:
Form Application for a Residence Permit
registration certificate
valid passport
biometric photo
certificate of university degree
proof of health insurance
Proof of securing livelihood (e.g. bank statements)
Depending on the authority and the clerk, additional documents may be required. You can find more information on applying for a jobseeker visa after completing a degree in Germany on the website of the State Office for Immigration (LEA) on job-searching visas in Berlin. Although the information only applies to the state of Berlin, it has a certain general validity, as the State Office for Immigration (LEA) is the largest immigration authority in Germany.
CONTACT US
Are you looking for a lawyer in German immigration and foreigners law? Our lawyers will be happy to support you in residence procedures before embassies, immigration authorities and administrative courts in Germany..
Contact us to book a consultation via video call! with a German Attorney for immigration law!
VISAGUARD.Berlin Legal Services
5. FAQ (Jobseeker Visa)
Is the Opportunity Card the same as the Job Seeker Visa?
No, the Opportunity Card is different from the Job Seeker Visa.
What is the difference between an Opportunity Card and a Job Seeker Visa?
The main difference between the Opportunity Card and the Job Seeker Visa is that since the last reform, the Job Seeker Visa can only be applied for by people who have been trained in Germany.
What do I have to do after being fired as a foreigner?
As a foreigner, you usually have to inform the immigration authorities and the Federal Employment Agency after termination.
Do I have to provide a living wage for the Job Seeker Visa and the Opportunity Card?
Yes, in order to apply for the JSV and the Opportunity Card you must secure your livelihood ( Section 5 Paragraph 1 No. 1 of the Residence Act ).
This may also interest you
Further Information
Information about the Opportunity Map at make-it-in-germany.com
Information from the Federal Government on the Opportunity Map
Literature: BeckOK AuslR/Breidenbach, 42nd Ed. 1.7.2024, AufenthG § 20 Rn. 1 - 9
Literature: Huber/Mantel AUfenthG/Dippe, 3rd edition 2021, AufenthG § 20
