Germany is the fifth-largest economy in the world and has a safe environment and high-quality medical care, which makes many foreigners want to migrate here.
The country has a population of 83,827 million and the GDP per capita income of the country is 44,500 dollars.
Migration options in Germany
The country offers options to become a permanent resident of the country provided you meet certain requirements.
You are eligible to apply for permanent residence if you have been in the country between five to eight years. If you are staying on a legal residence permit for work or study, you can apply for permanent residency.
However, if you are a graduate from a German university, you can apply for PR after two years provided in these two years you had a residence permit for working in the country.
If you belong to a country that is part of the European Union, then you are automatically eligible for permanent residency in Germany.
If you are an EU Blue Card holder, you can apply for PR after working in Germany for 21 to 33 months.
As a self-employed person with a residence permit, you can apply for a PR after three years. But you must prove that you can financially support yourself for a long-term.
If you are a highly qualified worker earning the stipulated annual income, then you can get a PR immediately.
Benefits of getting a PR visa in Germany
- With a permanent resident permit, you can apply for any type of job or look for any kind of employment even though it may not be related to your studies. If you are in Germany on an ordinary visa or a jobseeker visa you will not be allowed to apply or take up a job unrelated to your profession.
- With a PR visa, you are eligible to start your own business or startup in Germany. The good news is that the German government is giving a lot of incentives to startups.
- With a PR visa, you are entitled to social benefits such as childcare benefits, healthcare benefits, and welfare benefits if you lose your job or are laid off.
- A PR visa holder gets the benefit of being able to study any course of his choice in a German university for which he can get a scholarship or financial aid if required.
- Freedom of movement within the EU countries is possible for PR visa They require no visa to visit or work in any other European country under the EU.
- PR visa holders have easy access to bank loans in case they want to buy a house in Germany.
Job opportunities in Germany
The country is facing a skills shortage due to an ageing population. According to demographic studies the working age population (people between 20-64) will come down by 3.9 million by 2030 and by 2060 the number of people of working age will reduce by 10.2 million.
To solve this crisis, the German government is encouraging immigrants with professional qualifications to come not only for work but also train refugees and harness their potential.
It is estimated that 352 out of 801 occupations face a skills shortage at present. The affected sectors are engineering, healthcare and IT sectors. There will be a shortage of skilled workers with a vocational qualification. Occupations that will be impacted by skills shortage include:
- Medical services, engineering (mechanical, automotive, and electrical engineering), software development/programming, supply and waste management, STEM related fields
- Electricians, plumbers, pipe fitters, toolmakers welders, etc.
- Healthcare and elderly care professionals
Based on the CEDFOP report the top jobs of 2020 will be available in the engineering, mechanical, electrical and IT fields. The healthcare sector will see more demand for nurses and caregivers, owing to the increase in the aging population in the country.
The job outlook for 2020 says there will be demand for professionals in science, engineering, business, healthcare, and teaching. 25% of jobs are expected to be for high-level professionals in these fields. 17% of jobs are expected to be for technicians while 14% of jobs are expected to be open for clerical support professionals according to the CEDEFOP report.