Uk Work Visa For German Citizens

Becoming a German citizen is one of the most difficult and time-consuming ways to become a citizen of an EU member state. But with the upcoming Brexit, it’s very important for German citizens to make sure they can stay in the UK after March 2019. The good news for those with a German passport is that it used to be a simple process for them to obtain a UK visa and citizenship under EU free movement rules. This was due to the European Union (EU) Citizenship Regulations 2004 which gave EU citizens ‘the right of abode’ in the UK (although not all countries have ‘the right of abode’ including Germany). However, after Brexit, it is uncertain what kind of deal will be in place governing the rights of United Kingdom (UK) nationals living in other EU states and vice versa.

Over the past few years there has been a steady rise in UK Foreign workers. Without a doubt, Germany is the most powerful country in Europe with the highest per capita income and the strongest economy among European nations. With foreign nationals increasingly looking to make their home in this wonderful part of the world, Germany’s status as one of the world’s prime destinations for expats looks set to continue into the foreseeable future.

Germany remains one of the most powerful economic players in Europe on both regional and international levels. This is due, in no small part, to the country’s being a leader in terms of technological innovation. To this end, Germany remains at the forefront of attracting and developing the services and systems that are key to handling population growth and building strong communities.

Uk Work Visa For German

Getting a Touriago work visa is easy.

As a German citizen, you can apply for a work visa in the UK if you have a job offer from a company that’s registered with the Home Office and if your employer agrees to sponsor you.

The first step is to find an employer who will sponsor your visa application. You can look for jobs on our website or through other websites like LinkedIn or Indeed. If you find a suitable position, we’ll help you contact the employer and get started on your application process.

Once you’ve been offered an opportunity at one of our partner companies, we’ll submit all of the necessary paperwork for your application to be approved by the Home Office (UKVI). We’ll also help with any questions about your new job and what it will entail so that there are no surprises when you arrive in London!

If you’re a German citizen who wants to work in the UK, we can help.

Touriago is one of the top visa service providers in the world. We’ve been helping people get their UK work visas for over 30 years and have helped thousands of German citizens do just that.

We offer a wide range of services related to getting a visa for Germany, including:

-General advice on whether or not you need a visa for the UK at all (and if so, which kind)

-Visa application assistance and consulting on the process

-Sourcing documents from Germany and sending them to Touriago’s office in London

-Providing a local address where documents can be sent to in order to speed up processing times

Touriago.com is a travel website that provides information about the UK’s work visa options for German citizens. It includes information on the Tier 2 visa, which is the most common UK work visa. This visa is available to non-EU citizens who have a job offer in the UK and can meet certain qualifications. The Tier 2 visa also applies to skilled workers who are already employed in another country but want to relocate to England or Scotland.

The Tier 2 visa consists of several different categories, including:

•General Employment (Tier 2 General)

•Intra-Company Transfer (ICT)

•Minister of Religion

•Sports People

•Entrepreneurs (Exceptional Talent)

Working in Germany: Getting a German Work Permit

In this article

Germany is a great choice for expats looking for a career boost!

In this article, you will find useful information for anyone wishing to work and live in Germany – job search, visa application, work and residency permit, health insurance, taxes, and more.

You can live and work in Germany even if you are not an EU citizen, provided that you meet the set eligibility criteria. To be allowed to live and work there legally, you must have a German work and residence permit.

You don’t have to apply for a German work permit separately from a residence permit; you get them both through a single application at the German Immigration Authority Office (Ausländerbehörde). Most non-EU workers will also have to get a visa from a German Embassy or Consulate abroad.

Categories of Work Permits in Germany

There are different types of German work permits based on your qualifications and employment type:

• General Work Permit – You can apply for this type of German work permit if you have found a job in Germany which could not have been filled by an EU national. You don’t need to have extraordinary skills as long as you are qualified for the job.
• Highly Skilled Worker Permit – You can apply for this type of work permit if you are a highly skilled worker with a lot of experience and a high income.
• The EU Blue Card for Germany – You can apply for an EU Blue Card if your salary will be at least €56,400 per year or €43,992 per year if you are in a shortage occupation.
• Work Permit for Freelancers – You can apply for this type of permit if you are a freelancer or self-employed individual and you can prove you have prospective clients.

Eligible Foreign Workers in Germany

Anyone who finds employment in Germany can apply for a German work permit, but the application process and requirements differ depending on where you come from. There are three qualifying categories, depending on nationality:

• EU/EEA/Switzerland
• USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Japan, or South Korea
• Other non-EU nationals

Foreign Workers from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Japan, or South Korea

If you are from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Japan, or South Korea, you can go to Germany, find work, and apply for the work and residence permit directly from the Ausländerbehörde. You do not need to get an entry visa for employment from the German Embassy in your home country.

Other non-EU nationals

If you are from another non-EU country (outside the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Japan, or South Korea) then the work permit application is a little more complicated. You have to:

1. Find a job.
2. Apply for an entry visa for employment purposes from the German Embassy.
3. Travel to Germany and apply for the work and residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde.

Alternatively, you can also:

1. Apply for a Job-Seeker Visa for Germany.
2. Find employment.
3. Submit your work residence permit application to the Ausländerbehörde.

What you cannot do is enter Germany with a Schengen Visa or through the visa-free agreement and apply for the work permit. Your application will be immediately rejected. You must prove to the Immigration Authority that you have entered Germany with the purpose of employment, not tourism.

Applying for the German Work and Residence Permit

You have to apply for a single permit for work and residence once you enter Germany at the German Immigration Authorities (Ausländerbehörde). Most people also need a visa from the German Embassy to enter the country. The application process is as follows:

1. Apply for an Employment Visa or Job-Seeker Visa at the German Embassy.
2. Register your living address at the local Citizens’ Registration Office (Bürgeramt).
3. Get health insurance.
4. Make an appointment at the Ausländerbehörde.
5. Gather the required documents.
6. Submit the work and residence permit application at the Ausländerbehörde.

1. Applying for a Visa at the German Embassy

You can apply for either an Employment Visa or a Job-Seeker Visa for Germany. The type of visa you apply for depends on whether you have a job offer or not:

• You apply for an Employment Visa if you already have a job offer from a company in Germany and you want to enter the country to get a work and residence permit.
• You apply for a Job-Seeker Visa if you want to go to Germany and find a job. It is valid for six months, during which time you have to look for and find work. Once you have found a job, you can then submit your application for the work and residence permit.

The Employment and Job-Seeker Visas are known as long-term visas. You need one so you can enter Germany legally, notifying the authorities that you are travelling for the purpose of setting down and working in Germany.  Before the visa expires, you have to submit the application for a residence permit.

Nearly everyone has to apply for a visa for employment/job-seeking at the German Embassy or Consulate in their home country.

You are only exempt from applying for a visa if you are a citizen of the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland or South Korea. In this case, you can simply enter Germany, find a job, and submit your application for a work permit – no entry visa required.

European Union, Germany, United Kingdom January 5 2021

By Julia Uznanski Associate – Germany Kliemt.HR Lawyers

UK workers who live in Germany or who wish to travel there on business are subject to new rules since the Brexit transition period ended on 31 December 2020.

1. GUIDANCE

1.1 Has any guidance been issued on how UK nationals can obtain settled residence status and permission to work from 1 January 2021 and what proof of residence is needed for current residents to maintain their status?

Yes.

There are two categories of UK citizens:

Category 1: UK citizens resident in Germany prior to or on 31 December 2020

Subcategory a: Withdrawal Agreement applicable

Under the Withdrawal Agreement (WA) concluded between the UK and the EU, UK citizens and family members resident in Germany by 31 December 2020 can live and work in Germany beyond this date if they fulfil the prerequisites stated in the WA. They must register with the local foreign nationals office in Germany to obtain a ‘Residence Document-GB’ (Aufenthaltsdokument-GB) to prove their status by 30 June 2021.

Subcategory b: WA not applicable

UK citizens resident in Germany under the rights grated to them under the German Free Movement Act/EU (FreizügG/EU) by 31 December 2020 who do not fulfil the prerequisites of the WA (this may, for example, apply to seconded employees) are granted a transition period until 31 March 2021, during which they must apply for a residence/work permit (s80a of the Residence Reguation / AufenthV). They do not need a residence permit to continue to live in Germany until 31 March 2021 and are permitted to continue employment which they have started in 2020 until a decision has been made regarding their residence / work permit application.

Category 2: UK citizens who move to Germany on or after 1 January 2021

The WA and the transition period do not cover UK citizens who move to Germany on or after 1 January 2021. Therefore, they must apply for a residence/work permit to live and work in Germany if they are not only coming for a short stay for tourist or specific business purposes, which can be conducted visa-free (see below). Currently, UK citizens must obtain this visa prior to entering Germany, for example at the German Embassy in London or the German Consulate in Edinburgh. According to the current law, they are not allowed to enter visa-free and then apply for a work/residence permit at the local foreign nationals office after entry (as is, for example, permissible for US citizens), though a change in this legal situation is expected. Favourable prerequisites apply to some residence/work permit applications by UK citizens.

Please see 4 below for information on frontier workers.

2. BUSINESS TRAVEL

2.1 Do UK employees need a business visa from 1 January 2021?

No.

Regulation (EU) 2019/592 of 10 April 2019 exempts UK citizens from the requirement for a Schengen visa. UK citizens can enter and stay in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days in any rolling 180-day period from 1 January 2021.

However, even if allowed to enter and stay visa-free, UK citizens might need a visa if the activity conducted in Germany is considered employment in Germany. There are some exceptions from activities being considered employment (s30 of the Employment Regulation, BeschV). For example, a business trip is not considered employment in Germany if it fulfils the following prerequisites:

• The foreign citizen is employed abroad in the commercial or trading sector by an employer domiciled in Germany.
• The foreign citizen is conducting meetings or negotiations in Germany, preparing contract offers, concluding contracts or supervising the execution of a contract for an employer domiciled abroad.
• The foreign citizen is establishing, monitoring or managing a German part of a corporation for an employer domiciled abroad.

Employers and employees are advised to carefully check prior to travel if the activity may be considered employment in Germany. If it is considered employment and is not exempt from being considered employment under s30 of the Employment Regulation, a work visa will be required to conduct the trip. If this work visa is not obtained prior to the trip, the trip may be considered illegal employment with consequences for employee and employer (e.g. fines).

2.2 What documents are needed on arrival for business travel from 1 January 2021?

Travel documents (a valid passport) with a validity of no more than ten years that is valid for at least three months after departure from Germany.

Proof of duration and purpose of stay as border control may ask additional questions concerning the duration and purpose of stay.

2.3 Do UK nationals need additional permission to work for business travel from 1 January 2021 in the event of no deal?

Yes.

UK nationals need a work visa permitting the activity in Germany if their work for business travel is not exempt from being considered employment (see 2.1 above).

3. EMPLOYMENT AND RESIDENCE

3.1 Will UK nationals need permission to work and stay in Germany from 1 January 2021? 

Yes.

Category 1 citizens fall under the transitional periods outlined in 1.1 and need to apply for the documents outlined above within those periods. Category 2 citizens must obtain a visa permitting them to conduct gainful employment or work as a self-employed individual in Germany prior to entry.

3.2 If permission to work is needed after 1 January 2021, do any quotas apply to the employment of third-country nationals? 

No.

3.3 If permission to work is needed from 1 January 2021, what categories of permission are commonly granted?         

EU Blue Card: main prerequisites:

• university degree and an appropriate local job offer in Germany with annual remuneration of at least EUR 56,800 gross in 2021;
• in occupations with employee shortages (e.g. medical doctors, engineers): university degree and an appropriate local job offer in Germany with annual remuneration of at least EUR 44,304 gross in 2021.

Residence/work permit for purposes of conducting academically skilled employment (Aufenthaltserlaubnis zum Zweck der Beschäftigung für Fachkräfte mit akademischer Ausbildung): main prerequisites:

• a local job offer in Germany in a skilled job;
• a university degree recognised in Germany;
• labour market test: the employee will especially not be employed under less favourable working conditions than comparable national workers.

3.4 If permission to work or stay is needed from 1 January 2021, how long does the procedure take?    

Appointment waiting time: The foreign citizen must apply in person for a visa at a German embassy or consulate. Waiting times for an appointment vary widely depending on the location. At the German embassy in London, however, appointments are usually available at short notice.

Processing time: Depending on the permit, the processing time can vary between a few days and around eight weeks.

3.5 If permission to work and stay is needed from 1 January 2021, what Government fees are payable?

Usually between EUR 75 and 150.

4. FRONTIER WORKERS

4.1 What formalities apply to UK frontier workers working in Germany but living in another country from 1 January 2021?

Frontier workers within the meaning of the WA continue to have the right to work in Germany on the basis of the WA, but not to live there. Frontier workers must obtain a ‘Residence Document for Frontier Workers-GB’ (Aufenthaltsdokument für Grenzgänger-GB) from the local foreign nationals office at their place of work in Germany.

5. PERMANENT RESIDENCE

5.1 From what date are third-country nationals entitled to apply for permanent residence?       

Usually, five years of legal stay in Germany (subject to conditions). This is shortened to 33 months if the foreign citizen holds an EU Blue Card and 21 months if s/he also speaks B1-level German. Extremely highly qualified foreign citizens (e.g. university professors) may obtain it immediately.

6. SECURING RESIDENCE AND WORK STATUS

6.1 What steps could UK nationals take currently to secure their residence and work status?      

Getting a Touriago work visa is easy.

Conclusion

As a German citizen, you can apply for a work visa in the UK if you have a job offer from a company that’s registered with the Home Office and if your employer agrees to sponsor you.

The first step is to find an employer who will sponsor your visa application. You can look for jobs on our website or through other websites like LinkedIn or Indeed. If you find a suitable position, we’ll help you contact the employer and get started on your application process.

Once you’ve been offered an opportunity at one of our partner companies, we’ll submit all of the necessary paperwork for your application to be approved by the Home Office (UKVI). We’ll also help with any questions about your new job and what it will entail so that there are no surprises when you arrive in London!

If you’re a German citizen who wants to work in the UK, we can help.

Touriago is one of the top visa service providers in the world. We’ve been helping people get their UK work visas for over 30 years and have helped thousands of German citizens do just that.

We offer a wide range of services related to getting a visa for Germany, including:

-General advice on whether or not you need a visa for the UK at all (and if so, which kind)

-Visa application assistance and consulting on the process

-Sourcing documents from Germany and sending them to Touriago’s office in London

-Providing a local address where documents can be sent to in order to speed up processing times