Next week I have a final talk with a German company after a long set of interviews for the past two months. I have few questions regarding my work

1. In my passport its written that I am allowed to work in Germany but I have to intimate the visa office and fill a form. So how long will my work permit take to be processed? Should I start my work only after I get the work permit?I have visa till this december which is based on my husbands contract and my husbands contract may be extended for few more months. will my visa become independent after this? or will my husbands contract play a major role on my visa also. This is my first job in Germany thats why I have lot of things running in my head.

2.My salary- I have 3yrs exp in India and I did my MBA from a good business school though not the top. I will be joining as a trainee for 6 months then be promoted to a managerial position. The industry is automotive and I will work in their product development dep. Any guess on how to face this tricky qus salary expectation. Any guess on the average salary for a trainee.
Please give me some suggestions.
Padmaja

this is my first job. so please give your suggestions.

Padmaja,

I remember reading somewhere that it can take upto 12 weeks. The best thing to do would be go to Arbeitsamt a few weeks after you submit your papers in Ausländeramt. It should be easy to find out who is the contact person in Arbeitsamt for you papers. You can talk to the concerned person and highlight the need for you start your job as soon as possible.

Yes, you should start your work only after you get the permission from Ausländeramt. It could be possible though that you get a go-ahead over phone first before getting a written communication. Check with the officer in Ausländeramt.

I would think that once you are employed your visa is independent from your husband's work status. Again the officer in Ausländeramt is the best person to talk about this.

Regarding salary expectations what matters is your work experience. Your educational background etc becomes irrelevant after sometime. There are a lot of websites that you give you an idea about salary levels for a particular profession. Let me know, I can post the links for those websites.

Please note that all the above is from my experience couple of years ago. I dont know for sure whether all the work permit process etc have remained the same over the years.


Arun

Thank you Arun for this. So my start date of my work depends on how quick I get the work permit.

Yes, please give the websites which contain salary information for Germany. I googled and found in context with USA alone.

Hi Paddy

Here you have a couple:

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/jobkarriere/4/300002/uebersicht/10/

http://www.gehalt-tipps.de/Gehaltsvergleich/


A very spread use here in Germany is the so called "Gahaltscheck", where you can access the salary scale database ONLY after you did a kind of anonymous poll, indicating what's your salary. This is a kind of interesting resource because the salary here in Germany is one of the most top secrets and no man will tell you openly how much he/she earns.

http://www.gehaltschecker.de/?gclid=CO7NvfeOvZUCFQhNtAodlWACYA

http://www.lohnspiegel.de/main/LohnundGehaltsCheck

good luck

Thank you very much YO for this. I was searching exactly for these sites

Padmaja

Thank you all for your help. The final talk went on well and I have the contract now.
One more small question.

My husbands is doing PhD and his contract ends by December. I came on a dependent visa. So both our visa ends by December.

The company has given me an initial contract for 6 months and mentioned in that the possibility of future career growth. The start date of this contract is Nov and ends by April.

Will I be given the work permit though my dependent visa ends by December. Will my visa be extended till April.

Padmaja,

If you have a job that means that you are not dependent on your spouse. All that needs to be done is to convert your dependent visa into a work permit visa.

The duration of your work permit visa is dependent on the officer in foreigners office. I would assume since your is a limited contract, he will be giving only for a limited time ( i.e. six months - 1 year ).

Arun

Thank you Arun for this info. I was bothered very much .

>>If you have a job that means that you are not dependent on your spouse. All that needs to be done is to convert your dependent visa into a work permit visa.

Please dont give false information. If she has to convert her Dependent visa into a workpermit then she has to go thro the Arbeitsmarkt check. She gets an independent workpermit after living 2 years i think.

@Padmaja

Did u ever talk to the foreign office people?

@Raj

I suppose it is obvious that until unless the dependent visa stamp is converted to work permit stamp in her passport she will still have the "dependent" status.

If you have read my previous entries in this thread, I have already explained to Padmaja about the Ausländeramt - Arbeitsamt connection and what needs to be done.

To make things more clearer, having a job is the first step to get an independent visa (work permit). The second step would be to apply for the work permit visa in ausländeramt and wait till it gets processed. After receiving the visa, one is no more dependent on the spouse and by merit of continuing in the job one can apply for visa extensions.


Arun

@Arun

Sorry i have not gone through the complete thread.

But what i dont understand is, Padmaja says she has a visa which allows her to work even on a dependent visa. So why should she take the permission from the Arbeitsamt again?

This info is for every one. Nowadays the spouse visa is not like previous note saying you are not allowed to work for 2yrs.

I came to Germany on January 2008 through a family reunion visa and when I went for visa extension after 3 months I expressed that I am interested to work so they gave me a spl clause in my dependent visa saying 'Eine Beshaftigung kann mit Zustimmung der Auslanderbehorde genehmigt werden' which means I am allowed to work with the consultation of visa office. what they personally told me is find a job then ask the employer to fill a form. this form will go to the employment office and they will tell me whether or not to work. So if any spouse here is interested to work pls mention this clause to the visa office and express ur interest to work.

I heard exp such as wife getting immediate permit to work as English teacher till the husband works in Germany.

If any one has related exp such as, wife visa becoming independent within 2 yrs of stay pls share.

To Raj:
Thats why I say I am allowed to work but doesn't hold a work permit.

Padmaja

@padmaja

That explains everything. So now you have to submit the papers in Foreign office and they will forward it to Arbeitsamt. Looks like you have to go through the Arbeitsmarkt check. Even if they give you permission to work, it will still be dependent on your husbands visa. After you finish 2 years in germany you will get the permit independent of your husband.

Raj,

So according to your statement, since my husbands contract ends by December and my job contract starts from Nov to April I will not get the work permit. Is that what you mean to say?So will all my effort go in vain?


Padmaja

You may get the workpermit but most probably everything will depend on your husbands visa for now since i assume you have not yet completed 2 years in germany. Will your husbands visa be extended? Has he found a job?

Raj,

Yes most probably his visa will be extended as he says it might take till March2009 or April to complete his PhD. He will start his job search by end of the year.

Padmaja

Ok. Then it is not a problem. But at the first possible opportunity when you are eligible for an independent visa change it. That will be secure for both of you.

My friend has another sad story, he got a letter from Ausländerbehörde saying that they cannot give an independent AE as long as they remain married !!!!
they mentioned the following in the letter


§ 31 Eigenständiges Aufenthaltsrecht der Ehegatten
(1) Die Aufenthaltserlaubnis des Ehegatten wird im Falle der Aufhebung der ehelichen Lebensgemeinschaft als eigenständiges, vom Zweck des Familiennachzugs unabhängiges Aufenthaltsrecht für ein Jahr verlängert, wenn

die eheliche Lebensgemeinschaft seit mindestens zwei Jahren rechtmäßig im Bundesgebiet bestanden hat oder
der Ausländer gestorben ist, während die eheliche Lebensgemeinschaft im Bundesgebiet bestand
und der Ausländer bis dahin im Besitz einer Aufenthaltserlaubnis, Niederlassungserlaubnis oder Erlaubnis zum Daueraufenthalt-EG war, es sei denn, er konnte die Verlängerung aus von ihm nicht zu vertretenden Gründen nicht rechtzeitig beantragen. Satz 1 ist nicht anzuwenden, wenn die Aufenthaltserlaubnis des Ausländers nicht verlängert oder dem Ausländer keine Niederlassungserlaubnis oder Erlaubnis zum Daueraufenthalt-EG erteilt werden darf, weil dies durch eine Rechtsnorm wegen des Zwecks des Aufenthalts oder durch eine Nebenbestimmung zur Aufenthaltserlaubnis nach § 8 Abs. 2 ausgeschlossen ist. Die Aufenthaltserlaubnis berechtigt zur Ausübung einer Erwerbstätigkeit.

(2) Von der Voraussetzung des zweijährigen rechtmäßigen Bestandes der ehelichen Lebensgemeinschaft im Bundesgebiet nach Absatz 1 Satz 1 Nr. 1 ist abzusehen, soweit es zur Vermeidung einer besonderen Härte erforderlich ist, dem Ehegatten den weiteren Aufenthalt zu ermöglichen, es sei denn, für den Ausländer ist die Verlängerung der Aufenthaltserlaubnis ausgeschlossen. Eine besondere Härte liegt insbesondere vor, wenn dem Ehegatten wegen der aus der Auflösung der ehelichen Lebensgemeinschaft erwachsenden Rückkehrverpflichtung eine erhebliche Beeinträchtigung seiner schutzwürdigen Belange droht oder wenn dem Ehegatten wegen der Beeinträchtigung seiner schutzwürdigen Belange das weitere Festhalten an der ehelichen Lebensgemeinschaft unzumutbar ist; zu den schutzwürdigen Belangen zählt auch das Wohl eines mit dem Ehegatten in familiärer Lebensgemeinschaft lebenden Kindes. Zur Vermeidung von Missbrauch kann die Verlängerung der Aufenthaltserlaubnis versagt werden, wenn der Ehegatte aus einem von ihm zu vertretenden Grund auf Leistungen nach dem Zweiten oder Zwölften Buch Sozialgesetzbuch angewiesen ist.

(3) Wenn der Lebensunterhalt des Ehegatten nach Aufhebung der ehelichen Lebensgemeinschaft durch Unterhaltsleistungen aus eigenen Mitteln des Ausländers gesichert ist und dieser eine Niederlassungserlaubnis oder eine Erlaubnis zum Daueraufenthalt-EG besitzt, ist dem Ehegatten abweichend von § 9 Abs. 2 Satz 1 Nr. 3, 5 und 6 ebenfalls eine Niederlassungserlaubnis zu erteilen.

(4) Die Inanspruchnahme von Leistungen nach dem Zweiten oder Zwölften Buch Sozialgesetzbuch steht der Verlängerung der Aufenthaltserlaubnis unbeschadet des Absatzes 2 Satz 3 nicht entgegen. Danach kann die Aufenthaltserlaubnis verlängert werden, solange die Voraussetzungen für die Erteilung der Niederlassungserlaubnis oder Erlaubnis zum Daueraufenthalt-EG nicht vorliegen.

Helo,

It would be much helpful if you furnish me some information

1. Have you completed any Basic german language course befor applying for a reunification visa

2. you live in which city? Is the visa or work permit differs from city to city.

3.After coming here whether you registered for any integeration course
Expecting an reply from you

Mathew> Could you please tell me when did this happen? Did the spouse tried for an independent visa since she got a job offer?

Senamb> Answers to your questions 1,2,3 based on my opinion

1. I applied 2, 3 days before the rule for basic proficiency was put into effect. In my MBA I had a 60hrs course in German Language though it was not form Max Muller Bhavan. Anyway I was not checked on this anywhere so far.

2. I dont think so, if the rule would vary city 2 city.
But I feel personally since I live in a tiny city like Bad Nauheim it was easier for me to fix appointment and talk with the visa office freely. Moreover I meet the same person each time unlike other city based visa office.

3. Oh my God what is this new bomb you are throwing in? I thought the war is going to end.

Padmaja

Hi,

When she applied, she was in Germany for 2.5 years of which 1 year as house wife and later having an unlimited work contract. Neverthless she got BE after two years, that means she can work for any company without informing Ausländebehörde.

Regards,
MK.

I thank you all for your suggestions.

Here goes my story.

Arun: I followed your instruction submitted my papers in ausländerbehörde took the phone no of contact person in arbeitsamt frankfurt and was checking the progress frequently which was very very needed. First there was a telephonic permission then came the black & white stuff.

Raj: As you said now the status is dependent on my husband. Meaning even if I have work permission for 2 yrs my residence permit depends on my husband.

When I asked the concerned authority of ausländerbehörde she said, even if I get a permanent job in the same company my visa cannot be made independent for 5 yrs unless or untill we are separated,since my husband doesnt hold NE. Is it true that wife of NE holders can only get unlimited work permit after 2yrs of their stay?

Can dependent visas changed to arbeitserlaubnis? (can $30 which is family visa changed to $18 )

Padmaja

Hey ppl,

I have a job offer in germany and my wife will be moving with me on a dependent visa. Since I had an unlimited contract, the germany embassy at Delhi made it mandatory for my wife to produce an A1 certificate. Since it takes time for that, i got my contract converted to limited period for 2 years (will change to unlimited after that), so that my wife can move to germany with me.

I have a similar question, if my wife manages a job(she is an MBA) and gets her dependent visa converted to Work Permit, she is still dependent on my limited period visa? How to deal with that situation? Will a company offer her a job if i am legally on a limited contract?

Plz Help !