Quick-Check: Your pathway to Germany
Are you looking to work, study, complete vocational training, or start a business in Germany? Choose what you would like to do, then start the Quick-Check.
Ask me anything: with the Opportunity Card to Germany
I wanted to work here in Germany, because I wanted to keep developing my professional life. And I believe Germany is the right country.
My name is Christopher. I am from Costa Rica, from the mountains of Heredia. I have lived here in Germany for a year. Right now, I live in Frankfurt and work as a civil engineer. Where I work, we build data centres.
Why was the Opportunity Card the right path to Germany for you? When I looked for information, I found many options for coming to Germany. Still, the Opportunity Card was the easiest way for me to come here, because I had the money, I had the qualifications, the time to come here and, most importantly, the language. So for me, that was the easiest option.
What was the job search in Germany actually like for you? In my case, I felt really excited, because I found so many job offers. So I applied for a lot of them. In the end, it only took three months.
Looking back, what was the biggest challenge? For me, the biggest challenge was the language. For example, whenever I had a job interview, I had to know all these technical terms.
How are you improving your German in everyday life at the moment? Well, I usually listen to a lot of podcasts in German, read a lot of books in German and, of course, work in German. That helps me improve my language skills. And in everyday life, I have many friends I speak only German with.
And what helped you most with your job search? What helped me most were my acquaintances and friends here in Germany. They helped me with applications and job openings. I found a lot of information on the "Make it in Germany" website. This website helped me a great deal.
Finding a Job with the Opportunity Card
Christopher from Costa Rica shares insights into his job search, learning German and settling in Germany.
From Studies to a Job in Germany: Success Story of an International Student
I have been living in Germany for seven years.I completed my bachelor's degree in civil engineering in Iran. Then I worked self-employed for three years and then I came to Germany. Now I work as an energy efficiency expert and it was a long journey and also a tough one, but it was worth it.
My name is Sina. I come from Iran, I am 32 years old and I did my master's in Green Building Engineering at TH Köln.
At the very beginning, I had just finished my bachelor's degree, a friend of mine wanted to go to Germany and Austria and had taken a German course. He told me "Sina, you speak English—if you want, you can simply learn a new language. And if you're interested, you can of course also go to Germany to continue studying."
I'm the kind of person who has to plan everything. That means I definitely had to know beforehand: What about the visa? What about the work permit? For example, is it expensive to study here? How does finding an apartment work? All of these topics play a big role, of course. But sometimes there are surprises too.
I was really happy, I wanted to start university life and experience a bit of uni life here in Germany, and then COVID happened. And that was really bad luck for me.
But then I was saved by living in a shared flat. I was lucky. I found a shared flat with two roommates who were both German. I was able to improve my German and for me that opportunity was also an open door to the culture, to life in Germany and also to learning the language. To speak German, you just can't be afraid, you simply have to do it. And at some point you get into it and you keep learning better and better. Just do it!
I think Sina is simply someone who dares to speak. And from the very beginning we spoke German with each other. For us that was never a negative topic, but rather something that was always impressive to us, how quickly Sina learned and made progress.
I came to Germany as a student, meaning on a student visa. And for that you need a few requirements: One of the most important is financing. You have to prove it somehow, either with a blocked account or with something else. And of course I did that too. I also had various side jobs and at some point I said that I'd like to get into my field. And I applied, just like everyone else, to job postings online. And that's how I ended up at INDICAMUS. We do energy-efficient refurbishments of buildings and I also advise homeowners' associations.
We noticed early on that Sina brings not only professional expertise, but is also extremely good at teamwork. What we really value here as a young team is that we grow together. And Sina has since moved up into a leading role and has become an important part of our company.
I'm really proud that I do everything in German. And I'm also really proud that I do work that truly makes sense. And I have my job and my colleagues, and it's really fun working with them. That's why I'd say Germany means a lot to me and I almost count it as a second home.
One of the difficulties, I'd say, is extending your visa here. And there is a lot of bureaucracy in Germany. We all know that. And that's something that could maybe be improved. But in the end it worked out, and it was worth it that I'm now at INDICAMUS.
I'd say deciding from the outside whether you can work here is not that easy. For me it was like this: I first started studying here, and then I realized: "Yes, I can also imagine working here." And it worked out well. Here I got a feel for German culture. How does it work? Is it something for me or not? And then just try things out step by step. And at some point it worked, and then I saw: "It's for me."
The most important thing here is to speak German. And I would definitely recommend: Go up to people. Join in with everything: parties, after-work beers. Be open to simply having fun with people, and at the same time you can also get to know this culture.
I'd just be open and honest and say: Yes, it's difficult. But in the end it's worth it!
From university to a job in Germany
How Sina, an international student in Germany, is building a career as an energy efficiency expert.
Working as an IT specialist in Germany
Find out how the Marah fast-track procedure for skilled workers helped her enter the country.
Switching from a degree course to a vocational training programme
Christian swapped the lecture theatre for a hospital ward. He is training to be a nurse.
Learning German made easy
Skilled workers reveal how they mastered learning German.
Advice and support
Do you have any questions about visas, jobs or life in Germany? Here you will find the right advice and support services: a hotline, a live chat, an email contact form, webinars and events, as well as in-person advice centres in Germany and abroad.
