Good day, dear reader!
In this post, I would like to share how I moved to Germany, to Berlin, how I found a job and obtained a Blue Card, and what challenges might await those who decide to follow in my footsteps. I hope that my article will be useful to you if you are looking for new, interesting, professional IT experience.
Before I begin, I would like to express my special gratitude to the author I was able to replicate some of the content from his publication, so at certain points, this post will contain similar information, but the essence of this post is to show, through my experience, the changes that have occurred over several years.
Why the job search visa and not the Blue Card right away? As already mentioned, the most important factor is time.
On February 26, 2018, I submitted my visa application documents, and by February 28, I already had the visa in hand. I flew to Berlin on March 15, 2018. The visa is issued for 6 months of continuous stay in Germany.
In addition to time, there is also the opportunity to meet a potential employer in person, which is beneficial for the employer as well, when they can see you. As a result, I found a job within 2 weeks of arriving in Berlin.
you can find a list of the main documents for this visa. A general information about the visa. The data is constantly updated.
I am not the first to say this, but it cannot be deniedâpsychological attitude is important. You need to be excited about achieving your goals; this will be evident to those around you and to your future employer, which will only increase your chances of success.
But letâs go step by step.
Requirements
1. Higher education
If you want to obtain a job search visa, you need to verify your diploma here . This is a database for universities. Find your university and your specialty, and if you see H+ next to your university and your specialty is listed, then congratulationsâyou have every chance of obtaining a job search visa. Print out the information regarding your specialty and university, as it will be useful when submitting your documents. However, donât despair if you canât find your university and specialty in the lists. There is a lot of information online about how to send your diploma for validation.
I graduated from the Moscow State University of Instrument Engineering in 2012 with a degree in "Applied Mathematics." My university and specialization are recognized in Germany.
2. Professional Experience
If the experience is extensive, the demand for your skills grows exponentially.
I am a mobile developer for iOS and Android. At the time of applying for my visa, I wouldnât say I had extensive experience. I barely had six months of commercial development experience, yet that was enough for me to be in demand in the market. Moreover, my previous profession was closely related to engineering network design for six years, which I began studying during my fourth year at university. I entered the IT field through 1C at the age of 26, driven by personal reasons for changing my career. Since July 2017, I became passionate and actively started self-learning mobile development, completing several online courses on Udemy.
3. Foreign Language
If you can speak/write in English, that's more than sufficient. At a minimum, you should understand what's being said and be able to respond simply. One of the required documents for the visa is a motivation letter in which you need to indicate your level of proficiency in German. There is a shortage of professionals, and the authorities overlook the fact that one might not speak German. German is not essential, especially in Berlin, both in IT companies and daily life. You can live speaking only English since 95% of Berlin residents are fluent in it.
I have always had a good rapport with English, so I didnât encounter any communication issues. However, I didnât study German from birth. Before my trip, for general development, I attended a month of German language courses while also practicing with DuoLingo.
4. Financial Means
According to data from September 2019, you need to have an amount in your account of 853 euros per month for six months, which means 5,118 euros. This is the minimum amount required in your account for visa approval. Itâs advisable to have a couple of thousand more, as a significant portion will go towards apartment rent (deposit and payment for one to several months in advance).
5. Miscellaneous
Refer to the required documents listed in the brochure linked above. All documents, of course, were translated into German. But keep in mind that you may be asked for additional documents. When I applied for the visa, I was asked if I knew anyone in Berlin and whether I had already started looking for a job. I answered 'yes' to both questions, and therefore, I was requested to provide the details of my acquaintances (passports and visas), as well as a copy of the electronic messages with the companies I had already communicated with remotely. I will describe this in more detail below. It is very important that there are no significant gaps in professional activity, as this will be shown in your work record book. If, for any reason, there is such a gap, you must justify why it occurred. For example, if training courses took six months, then attach the certificate.
Visa application
Well, the embassy's website has been reviewed, the list of documents has been studied, funds have been found, and a euro account has been opened, and the university has been verified in the database and recognized in Germany. The next step is gathering and translating documents.
I collected documents according to the list and translated everything into German, except for the hotel reservation. Additionally, I provided Udemy certificates, which I also translated into German. At the time of document submission, I was asked from what date I wanted to open the visa. It was opened on March 15 at my request. And as I mentioned earlier, I was additionally asked about my job search efforts and my acquaintances in Berlin. I was requested to send the information via email.
In Moscow, I decided to respond to various job openings on XING and LinkedIn. Most companies ignored me, some immediately sent rejections, but there were also a couple of companies that were happy to talk with me. So, I took several screenshots of the correspondence with the companies and sent them via email to the embassy. This was more than enough.
My documents were quickly reviewed, and the next day I picked up the visa, which was issued for six months. It is a national visa, type D.
Once you have the visa, buy the tickets, check the hotel reservation, and fly out.
So, what was prepared by the time of arrival:
- the visa,
- my diploma, other documents, and translations,
- hotel booking for 1 week,
- Sber card and cash amount (keep in mind, cash is preferred in Germany more than cards),
- suitcase with belongings,
- the spirit of adventure.
Upon arriving in Berlin
1.1 Phone
You can buy a prepaid sim card at any large discount store like Lidl/Aldi/Edeka, etc. Each package has instructions on how to activate the sim card yourself. Alternatively, you can buy a sim card at a Vodafone/Telekom/o2 store where they will activate it for you, but you will pay for the service. I bought myself a Blau AllnetS in Edeka, and I'm still using it.
1.2 Transport card
It might be interesting to arm yourself with information on how to save on transportation. you will find everything regarding tickets and public transportation, or as they say here, 'Ăffis'. I bought a monthly ticket, Monatskarte VBB-Umweltkarte, for zones AB.
2. Housing search
and â these are the main resources for finding housing in Berlin, alternatively, you can try to post an ad on Facebook in .
I did not have any particular preferences for the apartment, other than 'here and now and not more than 700 euros per month'.
At first, I sought help from acquaintances, because some ads were in German. But eventually, on the third day after my arrival, I found an apartment myself. I was lucky, as the ad was the freshest one; it took no more than a couple of minutes to see the owner's phone number, which I wrote down, and it was not in vain, for right after refreshing the page, the phone number disappeared. When I called the author of the ad, he was quite surprised that I managed to call, as he had hidden the number. After a brief conversation, it turned out that the landlord would consider me as a potential tenant. It was not long before I received a call with an invitation to view the apartment. The landlord's decision was in my favor because, I quote: 'You're an IT guy, you definitely won't be out of work here, so I'm willing to rent the apartment to you. Come over.' That same day, I viewed the apartment, signed a 3-month contract, and paid 1800 euros immediately (for 2 months and a deposit). The payment was in cash with a receipt for the money received.
After signing the contract, you need to go to the BĂŒrgeramt and do the Anmeldung einer Wohnung (registration of the apartment). You go to the and choose from the list the BĂŒrgeramt where you want to schedule an appointment (Termin).
You must have 4 documents with you:
- passport,
- rental agreement,
- your Anmeldung bei der Meldebehörde application
- definitely with the landlord's EinzugsbestÀtigung des Wohnungsgebers (Vermieter).
Unfortunately, in my case, the earliest appointment was in a month, but at that time, the BĂŒrgeramt Rathaus Neukölln was accepting walk-ins, and I had to wait an hour in line.
You receive the registration paper immediately, within 5-10 minutes.
Essentially, registration is necessary to receive letters by mail, as important documents come through the mail. So, make sure that your last name is on the mailbox at the rental apartment. Some companies that send you letters might issue a fine for not finding your mailbox when the postman tried to deliver a letter.
The hotel reimbursed me for the remaining days.
The next step is finding a job.
3. Job search
, , , â I tried to look for a job on these sites, and interestingly, most job postings are eventually duplicated on LinkedIn. There is also the option of passive searching through platforms , , but this option is suitable for experienced developers and those who are not in a hurry.
You can always visit IT companies, the list . Companies often hold such events to attract new employees â 'Weâre hiring', showcasing their culture, staff, and if you're interested, you can always visit the website and send your resume.
I ultimately focused on LinkedIn where I found my company, where I still continue to work.
Summary
Your resume should include results achieved at previous jobs.
You need to fit all information onto 2 pages. Ideally, if the resume is made on 1 page, with design and character, it really catches the eye. The same goes for your LinkedIn profile. Make sure to include a photo with a friendly expression. Indicate your expected salary level in the cover letter.
Cover letter
Often, it's not enough to just click 'Apply' on an interesting job listing; you will almost always be directed to the company's page, where you need to fill out their own forms. They frequently ask for a cover letter to accompany the application. A cover letter can play a significant role if you express why this company caught your attention, why you are the right fit, and what you can bring to them. You need to demonstrate your genuine interest. 'All that you do is noble.'
Additional documents
Your diploma along with translations and any relevant certificates should be compiled into a single PDF file for submission. A large number of documents attached separately can be overwhelming.
Applications
In total, I applied to 100 job postings. I still receive responses from some companies offering to talk. The process is steady and smooth; thereâs no rush, but my goal was to find a job as quickly as possible. The market for mobile developers isn't as rich as that for web developers. For approximately 100 mobile developer positions, there are about 5 times more for web developers (Front > Backend).
Interviews
I started receiving responses to my job applications after a week. Since moving, I noticed a significant increase in responses wanting to chat, but initially just over the phone. After conversations with HR, discussions with the company's IT staff were scheduled for a few days later. Following my talk with the IT team, I was offered to complete a test task related to creating mini applications for iOS (I was specifically looking for a Junior iOS Developer position).
In total, over the span of a week, I had 5 phone interviews with IT staff and completed 2 test tasks.
Job offer
I received an email from a company, inviting me to have a call during the week. I was waiting for the results of my test assignments and couldn't resist the pleasure of speaking with another company. This time, I replied in the email that I wouldn't mind coming to the office right away to avoid wasting time. As a result, I went to the company's office. They asked me about my work experience, why Germany, and for answers, I used what I had written in my motivation letter when I applied for my visa. From my side, I asked a lot of questions, and they offered me to do a test assignment on-site during the interview, which was essentially an evaluation of how I plan my work. The interview was carried out with my genuine interest in the company, which is highly appreciated by local employers. I was introduced to the employees and given a tour of the office. And in the evening of the same day, I received a job offer from this company that I couldn't refuse. At that time, I wasn't a great developer, but I was satisfied with the offer of 42k per year â this was slightly above the threshold needed to get a Blue Card. The offer came on March 28, 2018, and I signed the contract on April 1, 2018. Along with the contract, I received another document describing my job and my company. This document, Stellenbeschreibung (position description), needs to be attached to the application for the Blue Card.
Based on the results of the test assignments from those two companies, I was invited to the office of one company to chat, but I declined.
Bank account
With the contract in hand, I went to Sparkasse to open an account, but unfortunately, when I arrived, there was no available English-speaking employee to process the paperwork, so I was assigned an appointment for the next day. The next day, I returned with the signed contract from my employer, and within about 30 minutes, my account was opened. I was told that a letter with the PIN would arrive by mail, and then a few days later, the bank card itself.
Insurance
From the insurance companies, I chose TK (Techniker Krankenkasse). Showing my work contract, I was registered as their client and was assured that the card would arrive within one week, but it actually came in two. Before that, I received a letter with the PIN code to activate my personal account.
Social number
The paper with the social number arrives by mail one week after registration at the BĂŒrgeramt.
Tax Number
My tax class was assigned at the time of signing the contract; I didn't have to go anywhere, my employer took care of it. A few days later, a letter with my tax number arrived in the mail.
Blue Card
I have all the documents ready; it's time to get the coveted card. I needed to go to the ABH (AuslÀnderbehörde). I didn't make an appointment, and the earliest available one could be in two months. I informed my employer about this, and he said it was fine, they were willing to wait for me. However, I wasn't prepared for such a long wait, and just as my health insurance card finally arrived in the mail, I decided to go again. After rereading the information on obtaining the Blue Card, I decided to just show up without an appointment with my documents, arguing that the contract was already signed and they were waiting for me. 'I just need to ask' found its place in room 404, where I was told that it was now sufficient to send scans of all my documents by email, and in two weeks I would receive a response from the employment agency about whether I could work or not. I sent all my obtained German documents, my employment contract, as well as my diploma with the translation. Exactly two weeks later, I received a response that I could work, but for that, I needed to go again to the ABH, pay 100 euros for data processing, and receive a paper for the time while my card was being prepared. On April 26, I received this paper and had the full right to work. On April 27, I started working.
Chronology
February 26, 2018 â submitted documents for a visa
February 28, 2018 â received the visa
March 15, 2018 â arrived in Berlin
March 17, 2018 â moved into the apartment
March 28, 2018 â job offer
April 1, 2018 â signed the contract
April 12, 2018 â went to the ABH and sent all documents by email
April 26, 2018 â approval from the ABH
April 27, 2018 â started working
June 6, 2018 â received the Blue Card
By the way, the validity of the Blue Card begins from the moment of receiving the work permit paper.
That's all. I hope this information was useful and will help you.
From other sources of information, this was very .
Source: habr.com
