Germany is a great country to work in. And there are over 100,000 open IT positions in Germany. Landing a job as a candidate from outside is not easy. Literally millions apply for jobs in Germany every year and only a small fraction gets an offer. In any case, it still makes sense to keep trying. That is also because Germany needs and will need more international software developers - for years and years to come. Here is why.

Germany has a shortage of tech professionals

Germany is considered a technologically advanced and industrialized country. Accordingly, most people are employed in manufacturing as well as retail, logistics, hospitality, or business services. Many of the areas are interdependent. Let us take the automotive industry, for example. There are thousands of suppliers that directly or indirectly do business with German car manufacturers. Why is all this important? Because Germany has a shortage of tech professionals and the economy heavily relies on skilled tech talent to come to Germany.

What can you do with a job seeker visa and what do you need to be eligible?

After COVID hit there was a decrease in applications for job seeker visas. But, numbers have increased significantly from 2023 again. Why? With a German job seeker visa you can enter Germany and actively search for a job in your field of expertise. You essentially fly to a destination in Germany of your choice after securing a place to live. From there you can start scouting for jobs. Once you secure employment you can then apply for a work visa or residence permit to stay and work in Germany long-term. Jörg also made a video about it for our Youtube channel so you want to check that one out.

To be eligible for a German job seeker visa, you typically need to have a recognized qualification, such as a university degree, sufficient financial means to support yourself during your stay, and health insurance coverage. We are going to get to that in a minute because it has major implications on what to expect. Good news is that in Tech & IT you don’t need to demonstrate proficiency in the German language.

Here are the pro arguments - why it may make sense for you to get and use a job seeker visa

Before we come to the nitty-gritty it's important to understand that the job seeker visa - as its name already implies - does not guarantee employment in Germany. In fact, you are not even allowed to work more than a small amount of hours (e.g. where a company checks you out for your skills) until you have a co-signed employment contract in your hands. But, naturally the job seeker visa provides you with the opportunity to network, attend interviews, job fairs, and explore job prospects across Germany and see in which region you want to live one day.

It all depends on each and everyone’s individual situation

Let us now turn to the essential question whether or not you should consider getting a job seeker visa or making use of it. Honestly, it really depends on each and everyone's personal situation so we cannot and will not give a one-size-fits all response to this.

First, the pros: At first sight coming here to apply for jobs on-site makes sense. You’re in Germany, you are literally on the ground, you can network in person, go to fairs, travel to companies, and along with your status chances of getting calls may be higher. And, it's surely worked for people who we also personally know from our program exactly because of that. Those with a job seeker visa who join our coaching program do in fact have a higher turnover rate of calls compared to those who don’t hold this type of visa.

… and here are the cons which you have to consider in your decision-making

But, here’s what you need to know, especially if you are in Germany or planning to come to Germany on a job seeker visa. In practice the hiring process itself is not actually faster just because you’re in Germany. You need to be aware that hiring generally takes longer than what you may be used to. 

We know folks from India who are used to two interview rounds that take place within 14 days. That’s not how it works here. Companies here will still take their average of >3-4 weeks of net hiring time, so that doesn't even include your waiting time from the day you apply until you hear back from them for a first round. Seriously, German companies might produce fast cars, but German companies really are not the fastest when it comes to hiring.

Don’t count on getting an offer right away. You have to be able to cover your private expenses for a fairly long time

Why are we even mentioning this? Because it has major financial implications. You will essentially have to be able to cover your expenses for at least 3 months if not even longer. True, you need to demonstrate funds for six months to get the visa in the first place, but we know from experience that still too many candidates count on it working out somehow much faster, starting their new job way earlier. 

As time passes too many people who get stuck or struggle somewhere during the hiring process start to worry which again makes it harder to focus on getting and passing interviews - which is when they book a call with us after having been in Germany for four months already. Now, there’s always a chance that we can help you, but honestly you don’t want to be in that situation in the first place.

Strategizing your job search when you come here on a job seeker visa is key

This brings us to the fair conclusion, based on years of experience working with both coachees who held a job seeker visa and those who did not - you have to strategize your job search and you have to do it properly. Because once you hit the ground you want to hit the ground running. Needless to say, you need an awesome CV and the right attitude when it comes to applying for jobs. So, plan your time thoroughly. You need to be able to make informed decisions when you’re here. Make every day count and be persistent, from the time of your arrival.

The way we do it at FAJIG is that you can come to Germany for your job seeker visa, but you don’t come unprepared to face a market you don’t know. So, you sign up with us before you get on the plane to make sure you’re on the safe side. If you are already in Germany we also welcome you to book a call with us and tell us more about your situation. For that, feel free to watch our video training to fully understand how we work. Don’t forget to send us your CV when you book your call with us. We’re already looking forward to meeting you.