What is JSV : A job seeker visa is a very unique option for professionals to come to German, even if they dont have a job. German economy is quiet wide and needs all kinds of professionals across variety of industries.
Of course, this need for talent is not being satisfied by the local population or even of EU for that matter (EU citizens can freely travel to member countries and work there).
This is where JSV comes in for citizens of non EU countries.
I have provided the links for the information from German government websites at the end of the answer.
Advantage of JSV :
The biggest benefit is that you can come to Germany without having a job - and look for one in Germany,
The maximum period allowed is 6 months, which means that if you do the necessary ground work, then this is more than enough time to find a job in Germany,
Once you find a job, the JSV an be easily converted into a German work permit or even Blue Card (if your salary offer is >53.6k Euros annually or >42.1 Lakhs INR),
Having a JSV means that the employers will treat you as any other candidate they are interviewing, since your work eligibility in the country is already pre-determined,
If you find a job on JSV, then it means that you can plan and create a future for yourself in Germany and EU.
Before applying for the JSV, make sure that you do the ground work.
Research the roles for your profile in Germany. What are the employers asking for, do you have the necessary skills to compete with the local and EU candidates,
Research the city which offers the best opportunity for your profile - Berlin for startups, Munich and Stuttgart for big companies and brands,
Do not under-estimate the importance and necessity of German language. In some roles (IT, Data Scientists etc), this might not be too important. For all the other roles (finance, accounting, HR, sales, marketing, operations, supply chain, customer service, content marketing), German language will be required,
Understand that while most German companies are global, their working style in Germany is traditional,
language being one of them,A lot of German companies have market in DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), which is all German speaking,
Acknowledge that having a JSV is not a guarantee that you will get a job. The job offer might not come through or the economy might shift,
In addition to your job search efforts, accomodation, managing local and interview travel, groceries etc is also part of daily life,
Create a professional profile on Linked In and XING. Connect with peers and HR managers.
Scout for jobs on German job websites like :
Honeypot. io,
Angel. com,
Stack Overflow,
XING,
Kununu (German version of Glassdoor),
German Federal employment agency,
Make sure that you have reliable network in Germany before you arrive. It can be your family, relatives or friends. Having a local support system will make it easier to get on with the job search process,
Do not arrive in Dec. Most of the people go on vacations by the 20th of the month till the start of New Year. Due to this, the hiring activity is very slow or non existent,
Winters take a toll on the spirit, daylight from 8am and getting dark at 4pm,Have a back up plan - In worse case scenario, of you not being able to secure a job, have a back up plan.
General eligibility criteria for German JSV are :
5 years of work experience,
Education qualification - only Bachelor’s or Master’s as per German equivalent (link below),
Sufficient funds to sustain your stay in Germany for 6 months,Travel/Medical insurance for the duration of stay,
If you decide to take the JSV path, be sure that you put in the hard work even before you land in Germany.
Best wishes for your career.
Links :
Job seeker visa : Concept, documents, appointment and process;
Check your education level as per Germany : Bachelor’s or Master’s?;
It always helps to have a mentor, who has worked and lived in Germany for some of the best brands. For personal consultation with Arun Mahajan, book a time with him.
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