As of the 7th of July 2021, fully vaccinated UK residents are once again permitted entry to Germany. UK nationals are welcome to apply for work visas provided they serve an important role. This includes healthcare workers, vocational workers, workers in agricultural and transport, and diplomats, among others. Although Covid-19 restrictions are being eased across the globe, it is likely you will have to present evidence of a concrete job offer in one of these sought-after fields in order to apply for a visa in Germany [1]. This is because the UK is no longer part of the EU, and therefore faces stricter regulations on movement. Germany has limited long-term residency for unskilled and low-skilled workers until further notice. [2]
Germany permits UK nationals to apply for work visas at the local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) after arriving in Germany, as they have visa-free entry for up to 90 days. However, most countries are facing a backlog of visa applications at the moment. As a result, it may take a while for your application to process. For this reason, you may want to get your application in as soon as possible to guarantee a prompt start in your new role. There are a number of documents you will need before you start your application. Of these, a few will require extra steps.
If you are applying for a qualified or highly skilled profession, such as one in healthcare or education, you will need a licence in order to practice in Germany. Likewise, most vocational careers will require a vocational qualification and any academic position will require an academic degree. These documents will need to undergo certain processes to be legal in Germany:
- Degrees: can be either the original degree certificate or a copy. In either case, a notary public or solicitor must certify or verify your degree. You will only need a translation if the degree is not in English, German, or French.
- You will also need to provide proof that the institution comparable to a German higher education institution. You can demonstrate this through a Statement of Comparability of Foreign Higher Education Qualifications. Because a German authority issues this statement, it will not require legalisation.
- Vocational qualifications/Licences: original or copy, notarised by a notary public or verified by the issuing institution. You will need a translation if the qualification is not in English, German, or French.
In light of Brexit, you may also need to have these documents legalised. If you follow the instructions above for certification, you can submit your documents to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the UK. The FCDO can affix an Apostille, which attests them as valid and legal in all signatory countries.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, you will also need to show proof of vaccination. The EU has recently announced that it will accept the NHS vaccination passport as valid proof. This will not require any certification process. However, if you received your vaccination outside of the UK or EU, you may have other forms of proof (such as medical letters). These alternate forms of evidence may require legalisation.
With the current backlog and ongoing changes due to Covid-19 and Brexit, we understand that navigating the work visas application process can be a headache. At Pardus Bloom, we aim to remove some of the stress from the process by helping you get your documents in order ahead of time. From notarisations, to certifications, translations, and express Apostilles for your certificates, we are happy to help. We are also happy to discuss any other document legalisation queries you may have. We offer a bespoke service and will do our best to arrange any processes you may require.
[2] ‘The decision on whether access is granted is taken on a discretionary basis by the Federal Employment Agency (“Bundesagentur für Arbeit”) as provided for by the Residence Act (“Aufenthaltsgesetz”) and the Employment Ordinance (“Beschäftigungsverordnung”). Decisions are based on the economic needs of the Federal Republic of Germany. Access is sometimes limited to particular nationalities or occupational Groups.’ Source: https://uk.diplo.de/uk-en/-/2449346