Pathways to Germany Part1 Job-seekers

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This entry is part 1 of 4 in the series Pathways to Germany

You have a recognized or comparable university degree? You want to work and live in Germany, you want to seek employment here and you can prove sufficient financial means?
In this case you can entry Germany and reside here. However, administrative work is to be done as well.

What do I need to do before going to Germany?
Generally, you should find out about special and intergovernmental agreements between your country and Germany. Make an appointment at the German embassy in your country and apply for a visa (if necessary). Bear in mind long waiting times for appointments and processing time for the visa! The visa is valid for 1-3 months.

What do I need to do once I entered Germany?
After having entered Germany it is of utmost importance to register with the municipality of the city. This is a condition to register the with foreign nationals’ registration authority, which is responsible for you in Germany.

They tell you which documents you need in order to apply for a residence permit and you apply here for the residence permit.

Handy hints:
– make appointments early in time in order to circumvent long waiting times and delays.
– in order to facilitate and accelerate the process you can inform yourself about the forms you need online at various platforms such as gohelp.y. You can print all forms and checklists at home and take them with you for your appointment.

Summer in Berlin

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Summer in Berlin has started and so has the festival and event season. Berlin does not only provide for usual leisure activities during summer such as many open-air pools, lakes and outdoor cinemas but many events take place.
The most important current events this summer are:

EM-Fanmeile at Brandenburger Tor (until the Final)
Sport: Public Viewing during the European Football Championship at the international Fan Fest in Berlin – follow the German matches at an intercultural party-mile filled with happiness and cheering fans.

Berlin Fashion-Week (28.06-01.07.2016)
Fashion: tomorrow Berlin Fashion Week starts and brings fashion back into the centre of the town. Providing the recent trends and alternative events, for which you can register, it is not only interesting for professional buyers.

Biennale (04.06-18.09.2016; multiple locations)
Culture: Summer of Art – already for the 9th time you can attend events and exhibitions of contemporary art in Berlin during Biennale

Staatsoper für Alle (09.07.2016; 18 Uhr, Bebelplatz)
Classical Music: follow the Staatskappelle Berlin directed by Daniel Barenboim – open air and for free.

Christopher Street Day (23.07.2016)
The biggest gay-lesbian “holiday” will be celebrated by up to 500000 on 23.07.2016 in Berlin. As every summer the parade and the subsequent parties will attract not only the gay-lesbian scene

Berlin: Registration at the municipality office – procedure

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This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series Authorities

You can do your registration in every municipality office in any district hence, in entire Berlin regardless in which district you live. It is better to arrange an appointment at the office, but sometimes it is hard to get one.

If you go there directly without having an appointment for registering, often this implies long waiting times. Another possibility is to make an appointment beforehand, this is possible via internet or by phone.

For the registration procedure you have to take the completed form and your identity card or passport with you. If you want to register your family as well, you have to take your marriage certificate and your children’s birth certificates with you (only first registration in Berlin). If you want to register someone moving in the flat together with you, you need a letter of attorney and the identity card or passport of her/

Berlin: Registration at the municipality office – why is it that important?

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This entry is part 1 of 4 in the series Authorities

Registration at the municipality office – why is it that important?

You are legally required to register your place of residence in Berlin. That is one important reason. The second reason is that as you are coming from a third country and want to apply for a residence permit as well as a working permit, it is essential to register. The national registration authority “LABO” in Berlin is only responsible for you once you are registered in Berlin. Your application cannot be processed without registration in Berlin.

The next very important reason for registration is: once you start your employment, your employer needs your tax id “steuerliche Identifikationsnummer” otherwise he is not able to do your monthly play slip. This tax id is organized by the municipality office once you are registered. After a few days your tax id will be sent to your address.

Lastly, if you want to apply for child benefit in Germany you need to be registered as well. You have to provide, in order to fill in the form, your name, address etc. you have to fill in your tax id as well.

 

Berlin Green Market

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The „Green Market“  in Berlin takes place on 18th and 19th of June this year.

The 2-day lifestyle market in Berlin offers street food, fashion, cosmetic and little gifts all without animal components. This year special vegan market opens its doors in the area of the “Alten Kindle Brauerei”.More than 30 market trader offer beside regional food and drinks also little gifts, fashion and cosmetics. All presented products are without animal components. You will find international vegan food specialties and live music.

The Green Market will open on both days from 12 am to  22 pm.

Student Welcome Club Stuttgart

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Event for national and international students to exchange information in Stuttgart
The “Welcome Club Stuttgart” is a great chance to meet students from Germany and all around the world.

Join the get-together and make friends, exchange experiences and discover Stuttgart or get in touch with other students.

The Student Welcome Club will take place in the world Café, Center of Stuttgart every first Monday of the month at 7.00 p.m.

You want to learn more…

EU freedom of movement for workers “Freizügigkeit”

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New Office for the Equal Treatment of EU Workers “Gleichbehandlungsstelle” is established in Berlin. Within the European Union (EU), citizens of EU member states enjoy the right to move freely between countries to work.
The objective of the Equal Treatment Office is to support EU citizens in the rights of freedom of movement for workers they have in Germany. This new office is therefore aimed at EU citizens exercising their right to freedom of movement in Germany permanent, seasonal or as frontier workers or jobseekers, as well as their families.

The support provided to EU workers and their families in Germany includes advice and information regarding:
Access to employment
Conditions of employment and work
Access to social and tax advantages
Access to training
Access to housing
Access to school education and vocational training
Membership of trade unions and eligibility for workers’ representative bodies
Assistance afforded by employment offices

Contact: info@eu-gleichbehandlungsstelle.de

New City, new country: Relocation – do it yourself!

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This entry is part 3 of 6 in the series Relocation

You want to move with your family?

First, there is a difference between moving with infants and moving with teenagers. However, no matter how old your children are, you get child benefit in Germany.
For infants it is important to join a kindergarten, after moving to a new country. This makes it easier for them to integrate and to find new friends. They learn the new language fastest while playing with children of their age.
In Germany it is compulsory for children between the age of 6 and 16 to attend school.

If you are moving with teenagers – involve them in decisions from the beginning. It will be difficult for them to leave their friends behind; therefore, they need to identify themselves with the decisions taken related to the move.

Important decisions for them are:
Which school to attend?
Where to live?
What sports to do?
Other leisure activity clubs to follow?

Your integration will be successful only, if your children feel integrated as well.

Outlook for the next part of the series: Relocation with a Blue Card EU

New City, new country: Relocation – do it yourself!

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This entry is part 2 of 6 in the series Relocation

You want to work in Berlin, Munich or Stuttgart and you are coming from an EU Member State?

When moving to Germany in order to work here, the most important question is whether your qualifications are accepted.
In the recognition procedure, the relevant competent authority will check whether your foreign professional or vocational qualification is equivalent to a German qualification. The equivalence check takes place on the basis of stipulated formal criteria such as content and duration of training. Any relevant occupational experience you may have is also taken into account. You must be able to show that you have completed a professional or vocational qualification which was not obtained in Germany.
European Centre for Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOD) had designed an European self-assessment grid for language skills and digital competence.

Online relocation tools can support you with this. Most effective are online tools which take into account your individual facts. You just need to provide the system with information about your work status, qualifications and skills; the online tool will then provide a step-by-step path with all steps you need to take. One such online tool is Gohelp.y.

Outlook for the next part of the series: Relocation with children. What is important when moving with children?

New City, new country: Relocation – do it yourself!

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This entry is part 1 of 6 in the series Relocation

You got a job offer in foreign country? You are not sure to take the job, because it seems you have tons to organize beforehand, in a foreign country? There is no need for worries!! Take the job, don’t worry about relocation in the foreign country. It is a great opportunity for you. You can manage your own relocation with help of an online tool.

But first: What is relocation and what is important?
You need to ask yourself the most important questions of:

  • Where do I want to live and what is my budget?
  • What do I need to do administration-wise?
  • Are my language skills sufficient? – Where can I improve my language skills?
  • How can I build a new social life in the new city? What do I want to do in my leisure time?

As soon as you answered these questions for yourself you need to think of what to start with. Which order is best for the steps you need to take? Thinking about this is important to prevent unforeseen chaos and disappointments; some administrative steps need to be taken in a specific order. The amount of the steps you need to take depends on your profile and your personal circumstances.

Online relocation tools can support you with this. Most effective are online tools which take into account your individual facts. You just need to provide the system with information about your circumstances, status and preferences; the online tool will then provide a step-by-step path with all steps you need to take. One such online tool is Gohelp.y.

Outlook for the next part of the series: Relocation as a worker – what does this mean specifically?