Comments on: Moving to Germany – how to http://www.dynamicdan.com/blog/2010/01/05/moving-to-germany-how-to/ Life on the run from being stationary Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:10:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sean http://www.dynamicdan.com/blog/2010/01/05/moving-to-germany-how-to/comment-page-1/#comment-130 Sean Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:17:17 +0000 http://www.dynamicdan.com/blog/?p=152#comment-130 Nice post, Dan - I'm sure it'll be helpful. Don't be a stranger. - Sean Nice post, Dan – I’m sure it’ll be helpful.

Don’t be a stranger.

- Sean

]]> By: Dan http://www.dynamicdan.com/blog/2010/01/05/moving-to-germany-how-to/comment-page-1/#comment-119 Dan Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:26:36 +0000 http://www.dynamicdan.com/blog/?p=152#comment-119 (an email I thought I'd share) <b>I was wanting to know was it easy to apply for the work/holiday visa?</b> Not so hard. Just need an employer to sponsor you (for working visa).. I think for both working and working holiday visa you need an employer.. Working holiday visa is meant to be for those 'just getting by'... a nice way to earn some money while seeing the country. So maybe they don't care about the employer at first. You can only apply for this once and below the age of 30 (I think). This was my back up plan if I couldn't get a working visa. <b>How long did it take for the visa to be processed</b> The paper work is the catch.. not really the processing time. Basically, once I had a proof of address in DE, valid health insurance, proof of exact income (was hard for me as a freelancer), proof of work contract... Then I turned up (with a local) and they scanned docs, stamped passport and told me to go to the pay area where I paid 55€ (?) for visa. The next time I went to extend for a year.. it was a bit trickier. I had to have Rentensversicherung.. a retirement fund that covers me if I can't work ever again.. I managed to prove that my AU one is an international private Rentens. but this was really tricky (trickier as a freelancer). The local system they have here is really crap for retirement funds.. you pay in lots and get almost nothing back. Only if you are a freelancer or earn a lot of money do you get the choice not to use the government system for your retirement fund. As an AU citizen, I would be able to claim back some funds.. but this seemed very dodgy.. I was certain that if I paid this fee/fund then I wouldn't see the money again. If you have a full time job with an employer then your employer will pay 1/2 and everything's a lot easier. <b>and how has it been since landing in Germany (i.e. finding employment).</b> Finding a job was almost too easy in my field... that is, once I met people in person. I went to a free event for web devs and ended up with a job at the (international french) agency that hosted the event. Flash/Flex is in high demand, I believe that free lancing is common practice in Germany. Finding a place to live took a while.. it can be quite competitive. (an email I thought I’d share)

I was wanting to know was it easy to apply for the work/holiday visa?

Not so hard. Just need an employer to sponsor you (for working visa).. I think for both working and working holiday visa you need an employer..
Working holiday visa is meant to be for those ‘just getting by’… a nice way to earn some money while seeing the country. So maybe they don’t care about the employer at first.
You can only apply for this once and below the age of 30 (I think). This was my back up plan if I couldn’t get a working visa.

How long did it take for the visa to be processed

The paper work is the catch.. not really the processing time.
Basically, once I had a proof of address in DE, valid health insurance, proof of exact income (was hard for me as a freelancer), proof of work contract…
Then I turned up (with a local) and they scanned docs, stamped passport and told me to go to the pay area where I paid 55€ (?) for visa.

The next time I went to extend for a year.. it was a bit trickier. I had to have Rentensversicherung.. a retirement fund that covers me if I can’t work ever again..
I managed to prove that my AU one is an international private Rentens. but this was really tricky (trickier as a freelancer). The local system they have here is really crap for retirement funds.. you pay in lots and get almost nothing back. Only if you are a freelancer or earn a lot of money do you get the choice not to use the government system for your retirement fund. As an AU citizen, I would be able to claim back some funds.. but this seemed very dodgy.. I was certain that if I paid this fee/fund then I wouldn’t see the money again. If you have a full time job with an employer then your employer will pay 1/2 and everything’s a lot easier.

and how has it been since landing in Germany (i.e. finding employment).

Finding a job was almost too easy in my field… that is, once I met people in person.
I went to a free event for web devs and ended up with a job at the (international french) agency that hosted the event.
Flash/Flex is in high demand, I believe that free lancing is common practice in Germany.

Finding a place to live took a while.. it can be quite competitive.

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