BLUE CARD EU – how to apply

This entry is part of 2 in the series EU BLUE CARD

We are asked very often, “can I apply for Blue card EU electronically?” – Regarding Germany definitely no:

The Blue Card EU is a specific work permit for NON EU people. It is not possible to apply for the Blue Card EU online. Although, there are some differences on the exact procedure of applying throughout some German cities, overall the procedure is the same.

You have to go to the authority in person (at some authorities you even need to make an appointment beforehand). Furthermore, you have to hand in specific documents and forms and therefore have to bring all papers with you to the authority (hint: check gohelpy to know which documents you need and how to prepare them).

In order to save time and money you check if you meet the criteria for the EU Blue Card before applying:

  • You have a binding job offer (on expert level or job of the white list)
  • You have recognition of your professional and vocational training
  • Your salary is higher than € 50,800 (job of white list i.e. IT, Doctor, scientist  € 39,624 per year)

It is only possible to apply for the EU Blue Card if you fulfill all criteria and have all documents with you when applying in person at the authority.

Relocation and Digitalization for migration?

Relocation is a long and well-known but costly thing. It is more a service offered to highly settled managers and high-end salary earners than a service for average earners. Furthermore, it became dramatically complicated and unclear due to increased digitalization and more and more websites providing information.
How can relocation get clearer again? And how could the process of digitalization be used to increase proficiency of relocation, to facilitate migration from one country/city to another country/city and how could we make relocation available for average earners and the broad population?
Nowadays the main problem is that every city itself provides a bulk of information on its city website, however most of the time in the country’s language only, or without related links or further information regarding specific documents or specific steps one has to take. Not everyone can effort to engage private relocation services and those people have to wander alone through the jungle of different websites, languages and chaotic documents to get the information they need to organize their migration.
The new idea is to combine relocation services with digitalization in such a manner to make it easy and affordable for the vast majority of people moving from one country to another. Online-Portals such as gohelpy provide all the information you need in multiple languages, and most importantly: on one platform! You do not need to search multiple websites or research for hours the specific documents you need for e.g. a renting contract or your registration with the municipality. Those portals provide all information, steps and documents you need and adapt it to your desires and circumstances! Those portals digitalize the old relocation service and develops it further on to another level: away from an upper class, top-salary earner service to a service for everyone!
Try it out now!

How useful are opendays, career fairs and Co?

In nearly every month and in every bigger city multiple career days, career fairs. open days at universities or trade fairs about different universities take place. How useful are those trade fairs and open days? Does it make sense to visit such events?
YES!
Of course you do not need to visit every career or study fair, and of course attending every University openday is not even down-to-earth, but to get an overview of todays possibilities, opendays and career fairs are the way to go.

Today there are so many different Bachelor and Master studies, most of them you do not even know now and cannot imagine that those studies exist. Fairs of the different Universities or study programmes provide a good overview of what is possible. Get inspired by those fairs! It might happen that you find a study programme meeting all your desires but is relatively unknown, wherefore you have not heard about yet.
Similarly, career fairs: You are done with you studies but not sure where to head to? Get inspired by the vast range of possible jobs. Make good contacts and expand your network at those events.
And once you found interesting study programmes or traineeships you can visit the opendays of the universities/study programmes and traineeships you are interested in. Most of the time these specific events provide more into-depth information and easier opportunities to network.

Therefore, take your chance and visit one or two or more of the many career, job and uni fairs in Germany to get inspired and kickstart your career!
We listed some of the upcoming events in Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, Cologne and Co.

  • Berlin: Connecticum (25.04-27.04.2017), Studyworld 2017 (12./13.05.2017)
  • Hamburg: Talente kompakt (27.04.2017)
  • Stuttgart: Stuzubi (29.04.2017)
  • Köln: meet@th-koeln (03.05. & 04.05.2017)
  • Düsseldorf: Master and more / Bachelor and more (05.05. & 06.05.2017)
  • Frankfurt: Jobmesse Einstieg (21./22.04.2017)

ICH-Will-Deutsch-Lernen

 “ich-will-deutsch-lernen” new onlineplatform for refugees and migrants

The German „Deutsche Volkshochschul – Verband”  provides a tool to support migrants and refugees in learning German. Name of the webportal is “ich-will-deutsch-lernen”. The available platform implied a German language course which helps to learn and improve German language skills, starting from level A1 to level B1. The Volkshochschul – Verband want to support the integration of refugees and migrants in culture and social living.
The content of the digital courses is according to the rules of integration courses in Germany.
Furthermore the portal offers an extensive range of material for alphabetisation. And last but not least the portal provides also one tool to improve German professional jargon. The user can choose out of 30 cross-sectoral scenarios and 11 professional communication activities.
Everybody may use the tool: do-it-yourself-learner, teachers and professional learning classes.
Teacher of integration courses and German courses have to register and build up their own class online. Then they are able to supervise their participants. Learners who start on their own will be supervised by tutors of DVV.
ich-will-deutsch-lernen.de

update: there are new features available

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

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?

Do you have digital know how?

 EUROPASS: self-assessment of digital competences

You can learn more about your own digital competence using the self-assessment of digital competences on Europass. This can be helpful for getting a job.
Europass includes five documents to make your skills and qualifications clearly and easily understood in Europe. You can create your CV online using tutorials or download the template, examples and instructions. Furthermore you can use the Language Passport. It is a self-assessment tool for language skills and qualifications. You can create your Language Passport online using tutorials or download the template, examples and instructions. Since last summer it is possible to carry out a self-assessment of digital competences (information processing, communication, content creation , security, problem solving) through the Europass CV online editor, using levels and descriptors.

The Europass celebrated its 10th birthday last year. Since it was designed more than 100 million visits were recorded, and 50 million CVs were created online in 27 languages. This success is largely due to the active support of National Europass Centres.

In every European country is a  National Europass Centre – the first point of contact if you want to learn more about Europass.

 

The European Centre for the Development of vocational Training (CEDEFOD)

Welcome Service in Stuttgart on Tour

Consultation hour of Stuttgart’s Welcome Service  

Since October of 2015 WSRS (Welcome Service Rigion Stuttgart) offers a regulary consultaton for international specialists or professionals of the region of Böblingen, Esslingen, Göppingen, Ludwigsburg and Rems-Murr.

If you and your family are living in one of these areas we will have the possibility the get a contultation free of charge.

Next consultation of WSRS will be in Göppingen 9th of March 2016 from 8 a.m to 12 a.m.

 

Working in Berlin – Foreign vocational qualification

AUSLÄNDISCHE BERUFSABSCHLÜSSE (Foreign vocational qualification)

Vocational recognition consulting at IHK Berlin

Qualified and skilled employees having a foreign vocational qualification and already work or want to work in Germany have a right to apply for qualification recognition. (Berufsqualifikationsfeststellungsgesetz BQFG)

The IHK invites people who have got a foreign vocational qualification to come to an open house to the IHK. You will get a first consultancy regarding your vocational recognition.

Date for next “Beratungstag Anerkennung” is the 1st of March 2016, 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. you can ask for an appointment here.