Euro Visa Solutions is a global leader in providing opportunities to expat workers who are seeking jobs in Germany, Sweden and other European countries. Our mission at Euro Visa Solutions is to make it easier for talented people like you to find work in Germany or other European countries that are known for their high quality of life. We currently offer a Profile Assessment of your potential to apply for the German Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) to seek skilled employment in Germany and we cooperate with a German immigration law firm with over 20 years of experience in order to facilitate your application process.
Euro Visa Solutions currently offers a Profile Assessment of your potential to apply for the German Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) to seek skilled employment in Germany. Euro Visa Solutions is proud to collaborate with Maibaum Rechtsanwalts GmbH, an immigration law firm based by the Rhine in Cologne, Germany. Maibaum Rechtsanwalts GmbH has more than 20 years of experience in the field of immigration law and looks forward to processing your application for the German Opportunity Card in cooperation with Euro Visa Solutions.
In order to make it easier for expat workers from non-EU countries to find jobs in Germany, the German government created an Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte). The purpose is to allow foreign workers from non-EU countries to legally live in Germany for up to 12 months in order to look for skilled employment and to interview in-person with prospective employers in the country. The German Opportunity Card also permits a non-EU citizen to legally work in Germany for up to 20 hours per week while searching for skilled employment in Germany. Once an Opportunity Card holder secures a qualifying offer of skilled employment in Germany, he or she can then apply for temporary residence in Germany with either a German Residence Permit or EU Blue Card (depending on eligibility) along with his or her spouse and dependent children.
In general, you must have a minimum of A1-Level (Elementary) German language skills or a minimum of B2-Level (Intermediate) English language skills as measured by the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) to satisfy the language requirement for the German Opportunity Card. You will, however, need to have a higher level of German or English language skills in order to receive points for the German Opportunity Card language factor.
The processing time for a German Opportunity Card Application, which is filed in the foreign worker’s country of residence, can take up to several weeks or as little as a few days, depending on various factors.
No, you do not have to know the German language to apply for jobs in Germany, because there are many German employers who are seeking and hiring foreign workers with good English language skills.
If you want to secure employment in Germany in the healthcare field (for example, as a doctor or nurse), you generally must possess good German language skills (for example, so you can communicate with your German patients).
Please note that many employers in Germany are looking for qualified foreign workers who have good German language skills or who know both German and English, so it would be a good idea to start learning German in order to enhance your career opportunities and because it is practical if you plan on living in Germany.
It is possible for you as a non-EU skilled foreign worker to bring eligible family members to live in Germany with you once you and they satisfy all of the requirements.
You can legally live in Germany for up to 12 months as the holder of a German Opportunity Card, but your family* will not be able to join you until after you secure a qualifying offer of skilled employment in Germany.
Once you secure qualifying skilled employment in Germany, however, you and your family (i.e., your spouse/partner who is 18 years of age or older and your dependent children who are unmarried and under 18 years of age) can apply for a German Residence Permit or a German EU Blue Card (depending on eligibility) to live in Germany as temporary legal residents. In order for your family* to join you living in Germany, you will also need adequate housing, health insurance and enough money to take care of them.
When you and your family have been living in Germany as temporary legal residents for 4 years, and you satisfy other criteria, you will have the opportunity to apply to become a German permanent resident.
After living in Germany as a legal resident for a total of five years (for example, four years as a temporary legal resident with a Resident Permit or EU Blue Card and one year as a permanent resident), and satisfying other criteria, you may have the option to become a German citizen.
*Please note that if your spouse or children are citizens of a country that is a member of the EU or EEA, they have “freedom of movement” and are allowed to live, study and work in Germany with their national identity card.
Yes, experts estimate that foreign workers are needed to fill around 400,000 jobs in Germany every year. According to Hubertus Heil, the German Labor Minister, Germany will need an additional seven million skilled foreign workers by 2035. Germany is experiencing a major worker shortage, because many German workers from the Baby Boomer Generation are retiring, new jobs in Germany are being created, and not enough workers from EU countries are moving to Germany to seek employment.
You and your family can apply for permanent settlement (permanent residency) after living in Germany as legal temporary residents (for example, with a German Resident Permit or EU Blue Card) four years (less time in some cases) and satisfying other eligibility requirements.
Once you have received a valid offer of employment in Germany, and if your recognized qualifications allow you to do the job for which you have been hired, and if you satisfy all other criteria, you can apply for a German Residence Permit. The Residence Permit is generally issued for up to 4 years. Your spouse and dependent children can also apply for the German Residence Permit to live in Germany with you. An additional option for temporary residence in Germany is the EU Blue Card. After living in Germany as a temporary legal resident for 4 years with a Residence Permit (or EU Blue Card) and meeting other criteria, you can apply for permanent settlement (permanent residence) in Germany.
In the event that you are over 45 years of age, your minimum gross salary for employment in Germany must be €48,180 or you will need to show proof that you have made provisions for a sufficient pension for old age. If you will work in Germany in a regulated profession (for example, in healthcare), you will need a professional practice permit (license to practice).
The EU Blue Card allows a highly-skilled foreign worker who is a citizen of a non-EU country to legally live and work in Germany for the duration of his or her employment contract for a maximum of four years. There is, however, an option to extend the validity of an EU Blue Card if the criteria are satisfied. The spouse and dependent children of the EU Blue Card holder can also live in Germany for the same duration of time. After you live and work in Germany with an EU Blue Card for 33 months and meet all of the criteria, including having A1 level (elementary) German language skills, you will have the option to apply for a German Settlement Permit (i.e., permanent residency). If you have attained B1 level (intermediate) German language skills, you can apply for a German Settlement Permit after living and working in Germany with an EU Blue Card for only 21 months.
In general, to apply for the EU Blue Card to live and work in Germany, you must be a highly skilled foreign worker who is a citizen of a non-EU country who has a higher education degree that is recognized by Germany or comparable to a German degree or you have a German degree. You also need a valid German job offer that is appropriate for your higher education degree for an employment period of at least six months and the minimum yearly salary must be €45,300 (2024); however, if you will work in Germany in a “bottleneck occupation”, then your minimum salary must be €41,041.80 per year (2024) and approval will be required from the Federal Employment Agency.
You can apply for the EU Blue Card from inside Germany (for example, if you have a German Opportunity Card and have secured a qualifying job offer in Germany) by scheduling an appointment at the nearest Foreigner’s Authority or you can apply from outside of Germany by scheduling an appointment at the German Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence. The required documents must be provided and the relevant government fee(s) must be paid.
After living in Germany as a legal resident for a cumulative total of five years (for example, living in Germany four years as a temporary legal resident with a Residence Permit or EU Blue Card and one year as a permanent resident), and satisfying other eligibility requirements, you and your family can apply to receive German citizenship. If an individual is “exceptionally well integrated” in Germany, he or she may be able to apply for German citizenship after three years of legal residence. After you become a German citizen, you can apply for a German passport. As a citizen of a European Union (EU) country, such as Germany, you can live and work in any EU country.
The cost of living in Germany is very reasonable, especially compared to other highly-developed countries. According to the Numbeo.com website (March 2023), the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center of Berlin is about €1,278 per month, but outside the city center it is around €902 per month. In Hamburg, the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center is about €1,024, however, outside the city center it is only around €776. The cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center of Munich is around €1,357 each month, while outside the city center it is about €1,034 per month. The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center of Cologne is approximately €881, but outside the city center it will only cost you around €690. In Frankfurt’s city center, a one-bedroom apartment rents for an average of around €1,118 per month, while outside the city center it is about €823 each month. These are just some examples to show that the cost of housing in some of Germany’s largest cities is not very expensive – especially considering that jobs in Germany generally pay very well. You can explore the Numbeo.com website for yourself to see that the costs of utilities, transportation, food, clothing and other common expenses in Germany are quite affordable.
The average salary in Germany is €49,260 per year, according to the German government (DeStatis, 2022). Of course, many people who work in Germany earn more or less than the average salary, depending on their occupation, education, years of experience, etc. Examples of the average salaries for different business sectors in Germany (DeStatis, 2022) include: Arts, Entertainment and Recreation = €43,500; Business Services = €48,948; Construction = €41,664; Education = €55,608; Electricity, Gas, Steam and Air Conditioning Supply = €62,160; Financial and Insurance Activities = €67,632; Human Health and Social Work Activities = €48,816; Information and Communication = €66,108; Manufacturing = €51,324; Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities = €61,692; Public Administration, Social and Personal Service Activities = €50,172.
A Swedish Residence Permit is valid for up to nine months and it allows a citizen of a country that is not a member of the European Union (EU) to search for jobs in Sweden or explore potential opportunities to start a business in Sweden. These tasks can be more effectively accomplished while legally living in Sweden, rather than trying to accomplish it from abroad online, over the phone or via emails, etc. Applicants for a Resident Permit to Sweden must hold a Master’s Degree, Doctorate Degree (such as a PhD) or other advanced degree. Other requirements include showing proof of funds that you can support yourself while you are living in Sweden and also having adequate health insurance during your stay in Sweden.
Once you have a qualifying offer of employment in Sweden, you can apply for a Swedish Work Permit and your spouse and dependent children can also apply for temporary legal residency to live in Sweden with you.
If you have decided to launch a start-up business in Sweden, you can apply for the Residence Permit as a Self-Employed Person and your spouse and dependent children can also apply to become Swedish temporary legal residents.
After you live and work in Sweden for 5 consecutive years, can support yourself financially and satisfy other criteria, you can apply to become a Swedish permanent resident.
Once you have been living in Sweden legally for a total of 5 consecutive years, are at least 18 years of age and you satisfy other criteria, you can apply to become a Swedish citizen.
No, you do not have to know the Swedish language to apply for a Residence Permit to Sweden to seek employment or explore the possibility of starting a business in Sweden. Many people who live in Sweden speak both Swedish and English, however, it is wise to learn at least basic Swedish before you travel to the country to seek employment or explore entrepreneurial opportunities there. Knowing Swedish will also make it easier when traveling, shopping, dining out, meeting people and other activities while you are living in Sweden.
No, you are not required to speak the Swedish language in order to apply for jobs in Sweden, since there are many jobs in Sweden available to English-speakers. It is important to note, however, that many jobs in Sweden that are advertised for English-speakers also require Swedish language skills. Other jobs in Sweden that are available are only for people who speak Swedish. Therefore, if you are serious about living and working in Sweden, it is a good idea to start learning the Swedish language, because it will be useful to you in a variety of situations.
As a citizen of a non-EU country, if you are issued a Swedish Work Permit, your spouse and dependent children who are under 21 years of age and unmarried can apply for a Swedish Residence Permit to live in Sweden with you.
The cost of living in Sweden is comparable to other developed countries. For example, the Numbeo.com website reports that the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Stockholm is about $1,420 USD in the city center or around $1,030 USD outside of the city center. Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Gothenburg is around $1,040 USD in the city center or about $756 USD outside of the city center. Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Malmö is about $797 USD in the city center or around $630 USD. You can check for yourself on the Numbeo.com website that the cost of utilities, food, transportation, clothing and other common expenses while living in Sweden are quite reasonable.
The average salary for private sector jobs in Sweden is 456,000 Swedish Krona ($43,252 USD) per year, however, some workers earn more or less than the average salary, depending on their occupation, education, years of experience and other factors. Here are the average yearly salaries for business sectors that have many advertisements for jobs in Sweden: Construction = 443,653 SEK ($42,076 USD); Education = 574,800 SEK ($54,525 USD); Engineering = 457,200 SEK ($43,370 USD); Finance and Accounting = 558,000 SEK ($52,932 USD); Healthcare = 808,800 SEK ($76,723 USD); Information Technology = 543,600 SEK ($51,566 USD); Manufacturing = 369,600 SEK ($35,060 USD); Marketing = 607,200 SEK ($57,599 USD); and Purchasing = 723,600 SEK ($68,640 USD), NOTE: The SEK/USD exchange rate was as of February 4, 2023.
The Job-Seeker Visa to Portugal allows a citizen of a non-EU country to live in Portugal for up to six months (it is issued for four months and can be renewed for two months) so he or she can more easily seek employment and interview with employers in person. You must show that you can support yourself while living in Portugal, provide police certificates to show no criminal record and have adequate health insurance while living in Portugal. The process to apply for a Job-Seeker Visa to Portugal starts by completing the application for the Portuguese Public Employment Service and Portugal’s National Visa Application, as well as paying the government fee(s). Your passport must also be valid for three months beyond the projected date of your departure from Portugal. Once you secure a qualifying job in Portugal, you and your family can apply for a Residence Permit to live and work in Portugal as temporary legal residents.
No, you do not need to know the Portuguese language in order to apply for a Job-Seeker Visa to Portugal, since the application is actually in the English language. Furthermore, you are not required to speak Portuguese to apply for jobs in Portugal, because there are many job openings for English-speakers. Nonetheless, it is important to learn the Portuguese language if you plan to live and work in Portugal long-term and there are many jobs in Portugal that do require knowledge of the Portuguese language.
In general, foreign workers are not required to speak Portuguese in order to apply for jobs in Portugal, since there are many job openings for English-speakers. There are, however, jobs in Portugal that are available only to workers who speak Portuguese as well as job openings for workers who speak both English and Portuguese. Thus, Portuguese is not mandatory to apply for jobs in Portugal, but it is a good idea to learn the Portuguese language if you are serious about living and working in Portugal long-term. Knowing the Portuguese language, at least at a basic or intermediate level, could open the door to more potential jobs in Portugal for you to apply for, plus it can help you with making new friends, banking, shopping, dining at restaurants, traveling and other common activities while you are living in Portugal.
In order to apply for Portuguese permanent residence, a foreign national must generally live in Portugal as a legal temporary resident for at least five years and satisfy other eligibility requirements.
In general, a foreign national must live in Portugal as a legal resident (temporary legal resident and/or permanent resident) for at least five years and satisfy other criteria to apply for Portuguese citizenship through the naturalization process. One of the additional criteria to become a citizen of Portugal is to have at least basic Portuguese language skills (i.e., A2 level Portuguese or higher on the CEFR scale). You also need to provide the supporting documents and pay the government fee.
The cost of living in Portugal is comparable to other developed countries. For example, Numbeo.com reports that the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Lisbon is about €1,225 in the city center and around €780 outside of the city center. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Porto is only around €814 per month in the city center, while it costs just about €635 outside of the city center. In Vila Nova de Gaia, the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment is approximately €667 in the city center and only about €450 outside of the city center. You can visit the Numbeo.com website for yourself to see that utilities, food, transportation, clothing and other living expenses in Portugal are very affordable.
The average salary in Portugal is about €33,000 ($35,700 USD) per year, however, some people who work in Portugal earn more or less than the average salary, depending on their occupation, education, years of experience, where they are working in Portugal, and other factors. Examples of average salaries for various jobs in Portugal include: Accountant = €33,960 ($36,738 USD); Construction Manager = €50,280 ($54,393 USD); Dentist = €78,000 ($84,380 USD); Finance Manager = €84,380 ($91,282 USD); Hotel Manager = €58,800 ($63,610 USD); Marketing Manager = €58,680 ($63,480 USD); Nurse = €31,920 ($34,531 USD); Physical Therapist = €54,480 ($58,936 USD); Physician = €77,640 ($83,991 USD); Restaurant Manager = €40,320 ($43,618 USD); Software Developer = €43,618 ($33,737 USD); and University Lecturer = €46,320 ($50,087 USD). NOTE: The EUR/USD exchange rate was as of February 5, 2023.
