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Job search for specialists with an academic degree or vocational training
General Information
The visa for seeking employment enables interested foreign skilled workers with vocational training or holding a university degree recognised in Germany to come to Germany for a maximum of six months to find a job that their qualification enables them to perform. If you find an employer within half a year, you do not need to leave again. You can apply for the necessary residence permit from the foreigners authority responsible for you in Germany. During your stay to seek employment, you are not allowed to take up gainful employment with the exception of work on a trial basis for up to 10 hours per week.
You can find out more about living and working in Germany here: Make-it-in-Germany
What documents must be submitted during the application process?
To apply for a visa at the embassy, you will need the following documents in the original with one set of copies. Please sort the individual sets (original + one set of copies) in the order listed below.
Please do NOT staple the application documents!
A current biometric passport photo (3.5 x 4.5 cm with a light-coloured background) according to the photo sample table of the Federal Ministry of the Interior. The photo should not be older than three months.
Personally signed passport with at least two completely empty pages and sufficient validity.
If you do not have your habitual residence in Switzerland, the German Embassy in Bern is not responsible for processing your application.
Notification of recognition of foreign vocational training with one copy: Written notification of the agency in Germany responsible for recognition of vocational training.
Consulting from „Anerkennung in Deuschland“.
We will need to see the original degree certificate or a copy either notarized by a notary public or certified by the issuing academic institution. Any original will be returned to you during your appointment. Any document in a language other than German, English or French needs to be translated into one of these languages by a certified or sworn translator.
Academic degree
We will need to see the original degree certificate or a copy either notarized by a notary public or certified by the issuing academic institution. Any original will be returned to you during your appointment. Any document in a language other than German, English or French needs to be translated into one of these languages by a certified or sworn translator.
- photocopy of the original/certified copy and translation (if applicable)
- print-outs from the official database Anabin showing that both the qualification and the academic institution are listed as comparable - 1 copy each or
- „Statement of Comparability for Foreign Higher Education Qualifications“, issued by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).
Permission to exercise a profession issued by the authority responsible for recognising qualifications or assurance of permission to exercise a profession (doctors, lawyers, architects etc.).
- To support yourself during your stay, such as German or Swiss bank statements for an account in your name for a minimum of three months showing that you hold a continuous and sustainable balance equalling about EUR 5800,- or
- Blocked account further information here
- Formal obligation or combination of the above.
in line with EU standards (covering the entire Schengen area, minimum coverage of 30,000 €, valid from the day of entry for six month.
Curriculum vitae and letter of motivation with information about previous job searches and desired positions in Germany.
Information sheet with check list to download
The German Embassy Bern reserve the right to ask for additional documents at any time during the processing of your application.
Postage expenses of 7 Swiss Francs
and
Visa fee of 75 Euro payable by cash in Swiss Francs or in Euro by Visa or MasterCard (information here).
Appointment booking
Please book an appointment here to submit your application. New appointments are regularly activated in the appointment system. Unfortunately, there are no additional appointments.
To submit your application, please appear in person at the visa section of the embassy (Willadingweg 78, 3006 Bern) at your pre-booked appointment. Please book one appointment per person - also for children. The visa office will accept your complete application documents and the fee and take your biometric data. It is not possible to submit an application without an appointment.
Processing time
In this visa category, most applications are typically processed within 2 weeks (calculated from the day you procided all documents).
During the application process
Please do not contact the mission abroad to check the status of your application during the normal processing period. Such inquiries are extremely time-consuming for the visa department and cannot be answered. We will contact you by email as soon as the decision has been made. In principle, all communication can only take place with the applicant themselves, a legal representative or an authorized person.
Decision about the application
You will be informed as soon as the embassy has decided on your application. Your passport is required for the visa to be issued.
Please check your visa label as soon as you have your passport with the visa in your hands. You should inform us immediately of any errors so that we can issue a new visa.