# US citizen needs work-permit/residency advice asap!



## movingtoeurope

Hello all, 
I never felt at home in the US and I wish to return to Germany (or any liveable place in the EU where I was raised). I was born in a different EU country but my parents were not born in the EU at all. I need to legally work and be able to stay permanently somehow. I think I have a place to stay temporarily but no job yet, and I know I need to get a work-permit before the schengen visa expires or I must leave the EU schengen states for 180 days before returning to try again.

I also realize work-permits are supposedly difficult to obtain unless one has a rare specialty or a Masters degree or a ton of money (I do Air Conditioning & related Mechanical/Electrical/Electronics work including estimating, project management, and some HVAC design). 

Can ANYONE PLEASE help me discover how so many uneducated immigrants can just go there and quickly get a bar/restaurant/grocery store job and we middle class+ experienced people supposedly can not so easily? I fear I can't even get a silly janitor job to temporarily support myself (far below my education level) because the employer is supposed to hire a EU national first, thus eliminating(?) my chances at getting a work permit unless I get very, very lucky(?). Comments anyone?

I would really appreciate any kind advice to my fear as I am relocating to Europe very soon and have no other place to move to yet if I fail before the schengen visa expires. 

Do you have any strategic ideas? Is it much easier than I think to get a work permit? Are there certain 'hidden' jobs that I should pursue (as there are NO current job openings in my line of technical work right now and my childhood EU languages needs to be re-learned for a while first) PLEASE ADVISE ME! Thank you! )


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## James3214

I think I can understand your frustration about the situation but Germany operates in the same way that a lot of other countries do with regards to immigration including the US. There is a link below which shows some information on the German foreign department about applying for work in Germany. Obviously, with the current economic climate at the moment its very difficult for Germans to find jobs let alone those who come from abroad and don't speak the language. Maybe the 'uneducated immigrants' you talk about came here and found these jobs during the good times and were wanted at that time because no one in Germany wanted to do them. 
A lot of American companies have branches or offices, factories in Germany. Maybe you could approach one of them?

Germany - Studying and working in Germany

Maybe another forum contributor can offer an explanation or advice on how you could return here.
Hope it all works out for you.


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## movingtoeurope

*reply*

I sincerely appreciate your reply!

When I lived there last there were so many illegals back then (I don't know about now). I spoke some German when I was born near there and from when I grew up there. I will have no problem re-learning that I feel.

I desperately need to do something no matter what. It is better than being stranded in a 3rd-world country, and much - much better than ever going back to what the US has become. I have absolutely NO option of returning to the US (for private reasons which more appropriate for a Human Rights forum).

I would appreciate any further replies and dialog from you especially because I'm coming there soon I think. I am excited but scared at the same time.

Kindest notions to you.


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