How can I migrate to Germany from India in 2022?

Many people want to migrate to Germany because of its quality of living, world-class healthcare, numerous job opportunities, and peaceful environment.

There are various reasons why Indians want to migrate to Germany. Some of the important ones are for employment or to set up a business.

General eligibility requirements

Regardless of why you want to migrate to Germany, you will need to meet specific eligibility criteria:

Economic stability: Applicants need to prove that they can take care of themselves monetarily while staying in Germany. Even if you arrive there with a job offer, you still need adequate financial resources to meet all your expenses until your first salary is credited to your bank account.

Health insurance: It is mandatory for every individual working to be covered for health before migrating to this European country. It would be even better if the policy belongs to a German company as you are relocating here.

Elementary German proficiency: Since you will need to be elementarily proficient in German, you will have to take the German language test and pass with a B1 or A1 level. While applying for a PR visa in Germany, you will need to get a C1 or C2 level.

*Check your eligibility to Germany with the help of Y-Axis Germany Immigration Points calculator.

Migration for employment

If you plan to migrate to Germany to work there, here are some work visa options.

Work visa for Indians: Indians need to apply for a work visa and a residence permit before entering Germany. They need to apply at the embassy/consulate of Germany with the following documents:

• Letter of a job offer from a German-based organization
• Passport with sufficient validity
• Employment permit annexure
• Documents of educational qualifications
• Work experience letters
• The Federal Employment Agency’s approval letter

If you are taking your family along with you to Germany, you must meet the following conditions:

• You should have enough money to support yourself and your family
• You should provide accommodation for your family
• All your family members need to have a basic knowledge of the German language
• Your children should be aged below 18

EU Blue card 

You obtain an EU blue card if you have a post-graduate degree from a recognized university along with a job and have secured a job that earns you at least €56,400 in Germany before entering it.

You can get the EU Blue card if you have a master’s degree or equivalent recognized by German authorities, a minimum of five years of experience in your profession, a job offer in highly skilled employment for a minimum of one year, satisfy the minimum salary limit in Germany, and documents proving that German legal requirements are being met for the regulated occupations.

If you are a talented professional in science, IT, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)or medicine, you stand high chance of getting an EU Blue Card.

Jobseeker visa

Jobseeker visa allows skilled migrants to arrive in Germany and search for a job. Holders of these visas can stay in Germany for up to six months and hunt for a job there. Approved by the German government according to new immigration laws passed in 2019.

This visa’s eligibility requirements are having a minimum of five years of work experience in a domain related to your academics, proof that you have had 15 years of proper education, enough funds to pay for all your expenses for six months Germany, and proof of your accommodation arrangement for the six-month stay.

If you have landed a job, immediately apply for an EU Blue card or a residence permit. After a successful period of stay and work in Germany, you would be allowed to get your family members to the country and apply even for permanent residence.

Job opportunities

As Germany houses an aging population and will face an acute shortage of skilled workers by 2030, numerous skilled migrant workers will be encouraged to enter Germany and work there.

The German government is also undertaking training of refugees so that they will become skillful and would be able to contribute to its economy.

According to some estimates, more than 350 occupations out of the total of 801 will face a shortage of skilled workers in the near future. Most shortages will affect sectors such as IT, engineering, and healthcare. The healthcare sector will see shortages of nurses and caregivers to tend to the elderly population of the country.

Enactment of Skilled workers immigration act

After the German government passed in March 2020 the Skilled Workers Immigration Act, it expects to welcome 25,000 skilled migrants to Germany every year.

Advantages to skilled foreign workers and German employers

The new act will now allow German employers to recruit talented foreign workers with the necessary vocational training of a minimum of two years.

Until this new act was passed, German employers had to hire such workers by notifying the occupations in the list of professions facing a shortage, delaying the hiring of skilled workers, and upsetting its employers.

With the IT sector facing a severe crunch of workers, German employers can now easily breathe as they can hire overseas employees, despite not having a university degree. The new migrants will have to have skills in their respective professions, where they should have worked for at least three years.

According to the Skilled Workers Immigration Act, workers with overseas vocational training need not apply for their training to be recognized by a German authority. Henceforth, those with vocational training will only be required to apply to get recognition from the Central Service Centre for Professional Recognition.

Fast-tracking of residence permit for migrant workers

The German government also created a new residence permit to help recognize the training obtained by migrant workers. This will, thus, allow all skilled migrants to get residence permits quickly, allowing them to remain in Germany. Residence permits have also been fast-tracked.

Migration for self-employment

Those wanting to initiate self-employment opportunities in Germany need to apply for approval to start their businesses and residence permits. They will need to apply for a self-employment visa before coming to Germany.

Before these visas are approved, the German government authorities will assess the viability of their business schemes, business strategies, and prior experience in the sectors they have applied for.

They will also check if you have financial resources to launch your business and also assess if it has the promise to extend support to Germany’s economic or regional needs. If they approve of your idea, you can get a residence permit with an unlimited extension of your stay.

Need assistance to find a job in Germany? Talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Overseas Career Consultant.

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