How to Obtain a Work Visa in Germany
When preparing for an expansion into Germany, many businesses will need to bring in employees from abroad to help with the process. To carry this out legally, each employee will need permission to work in the country by acquiring a Germany work visa.
Germany’s visa system can be difficult to navigate. For European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) nationals, the process is simple, but other employees will need to follow Germany’s strict immigration laws.
At Horizons, our experts in foreign expansion offer a wide range of German work visa services, immigration support, and outsourcing, giving your business everything it needs to expand into Germany with the help of your existing workforce.
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Requirements for Germany work visas
- Application form
- Application fees
- Valid passport
- Offer of employment
- Proof that EU national cannot fill the role
Different types of Germany work visas
- EU Blue Card
- Temporary residence visa: most foreign employees will require this visa, then can renew it after one year.
- EC long-term residency visa: only available for those who have lived in the EU for at least five years.
How to get a German work permit
The first step in the process of getting a work visa for Germany is generally securing a job offer. Depending on the nationality of the applicant and the type of work they are engaged in, they can then determine the type of visa best-suited to their situation.
When applying for their visa, the applicant will need to submit any relevant documents and proof to their local German embassy/consulate and pay any associated fees.
Renewing a temporary residence permit after one year can be done from within Germany.
Other considerations
As with any visa application, you should always account for a potential wait of between several days and several weeks.
How can Horizons help with your German work visas?
At Horizons, we assist organizations of all kinds with their successful expansion into Germany, and we are experts in obtaining work visas for Germany. Our Germany work visa specialists offer reliable advice and tailored outsourcing services to support you through Germany’s complicated immigration process quickly and efficiently. We can ensure that you and your valued employees are fully compliant with Germany’s immigration and employment regulations, save you time, and provide answers to any questions you may have about the process.
We also provide comprehensive outsourcing solutions covering recruitment, payroll, HR, administration, and more to help your business start trading in Germany as effectively as possible, even if you don’t have an established subsidiary in the country.
