A job seeker visa allows the holder to travel to a foreign country to look for work. Different countries have different rules on this type of visa.
However, general rules include; education qualification, proof of financial capacity to sustain yourself and valid passport.
In this article we explore countries that you should consider for a job seeker visa.
1.Germany
To apply for a German job seeker visa you must be a national of a country outside of European Union. Nationals within EU are allowed to work in Germany without a visa.
To qualify for this visa you need to prove the following:
- You have a minimum of five years of experience in your related profession.
- You have enough financial resources to support your stay in Germany.(Very important)
- You have proof of completed academic or vocational training.
- Your qualifications are recognised in Germany or are equivalent to a diploma received in the country.
The next step is to start your application and the German embassy in your country or the nearest German consular would be the best place to start.
2.Austria
Austria is another country that offers job seeker visa. As a third-country citizen with a very high level of qualification, you may apply for a six-month residence visa for your job search (Job Seeker Visa) if you reach a minimum of 70 points according to prescribed list of criteria.
If you receive an employment offer during the validity period of the visa, you can apply for a Red-White-Red card at the competent residence authority in Austria.
3.Sweden
If you have completed studies corresponding to an advanced level degree, you can obtain a residence permit to come to Sweden and look for work or explore the possibilities for starting your own business.
The permit may be granted for a minimum of three months and for no more than nine months. During the period that you have this residence permit, your family cannot move to Sweden to live with you.
On the other hand, if you have a residence permit for studies in higher education in Sweden, have completed your studies and want seek employment or explore the possibilities of starting your own business here you should apply for another type of residence permit.
In order to obtain a residence permit to seek employment or explore the possibilities for starting a business in Sweden, you must:
- have completed studies corresponding to an advanced level degree
- plan to seek employment or explore the possibilities for starting your own business
- be able to support yourself during the period for which you are applying for a permit and have money to cover the cost of your journey home
- have comprehensive health insurance valid for care in Sweden
- have a passport valid for the entire period you intend to be in Sweden (if your passport is about to expire, you should extend it because you cannot get a permit for longer than your passport is valid)
- currently be located outside of Sweden.
4.United Arab Emirates
A foreigner is granted a visit visa to search for new job opportunities without requiring a host/sponsor within the country for one trip. You can apply for a job-seeker visa with a validity of either 60, 90 or 120 days. Read about the eligibility criteria and the steps to apply.
To get a visit visa for the purpose of exploring job opportunities, the applicant must fulfil the following conditions:
Eligibility
- He/she must be either:
- in the first, second or third skill level as per the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) professional levels of jobs, or
- a graduate from the best 500 universities in the world according to the classification approved by the Ministry of Education and must have graduated within the last 2 years.
- He/she must hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent
- He/she must fulfil the prescribed financial guarantee.
5.Portugal
The job search visa entitles its holder to enter and remain in national territory for the purpose of looking for work, authorizes him to carry out a dependent work activity, until the visa expires or until the residence permit is granted.
This visa is granted for a period of 120 days, which can be extended for another 60 days and allows only one entry into Portugal.
The issuance of this visa presupposes the integration of a date with the competent services for granting the residence permit, within the period of validity of 120 days of the visa, and gives the applicant, after the formation and formalization of the employment relationship in that period, the right to apply for a residence permit. To do so, you must fulfill the general conditions for granting a temporary residence permit, under the terms of article 77.
Once the maximum limit of validity of the visa for looking for work has expired without the employment relationship having been established and the process of requesting the granting of a residence permit has begun, the visa holder must leave the country.
In these situations, you can only submit a new visa application for this purpose, one year after the expiry of the validity of the previous visa.
Among other things you must show proof of availability of financial resources in the amount of at least three times the value of the guaranteed minimum monthly remuneration.
Proof of availability of financial resources could however be replaced by the presentation of a statement of responsibility with a recognized signature , signed by a Portuguese citizen or a qualified foreign citizen, with a document of residence in Portugal, which guarantees food and accommodation to the visa applicant, as well as the replacement of the costs of removal, in case of irregular stay.
Citizens who sign the said Term of Responsibility must have financial resources in the amount of at least three times the value of the guaranteed minimum monthly remuneration.
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