# Residence Visa & Chancenkarte Questions



## Spruill7716 (5 mo ago)

Greetings Everyone,

I'm a US citizen who is currently in the process of moving to Germany permanently for work. I'm reaching out to inquire about current visa information and how it would pertain to my credentials and current situation.

I graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Aviation Management, and minors in Business, and German Language. I have already submitted my documents to the Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen in Bonn to be verified and to have my Statement of Comparability issued by the end of this year. I will also have proof of demonstrated German language ability, as I am scheduled to take the TELC B2 German Language Exam in Berlin on December 10th. I'm an airline pilot by trade and will have the required documentation for gaining employment through a German air carrier at the time of my visa submission. This includes the required flight-time hours, an EASA medical exam as well as all the necessary licensing and endorsements for operating an aircraft registered in the European Union. I've been flying for training purposes since 2017 and have 1 year of existing industry work experience.

1.) I've looked at obtaining an EU Blue Card through the 'Section 18b(1) Residence Act'. In the checklist listed on the consulate's website, it states that 'From the age of 45', you are required to earn a minimum of 55% of the annual contribution assessment ceiling for the general pension insurance scheme which is currently 56,400 EUR. In my case, since I'm only 24 years of age, would this mean that I'm exempted from this requirement? In addition, all German air carriers require an 'unrestricted right to work' within Germany. If I were to qualify for the EU Blue Card, I would be required to obtain a declaration of employment from a potential employer prior to submitting my visa. I'm concerned that I will have a difficult time finding an air carrier in Germany that would be willing to sponsor a foreign worker since I wouldn't met the 'unrestricted right to work' requirement initially. There is a pilot job fair in Berlin in February which I plan on attending. 

2.) Another visa option I've looking into, is the 'Jobseeker' visa for non-EU citizens. This would allow me additional time (6 months) to reside and search for a job in Germany after my 90 day visa-free period has expired. My only concern is that the 'unrestricted right to work' requirement would still prevent me from applying for a position since the 'Jobseeker' visa does not grant me ability to work in the country. If I am unable to meet the job's requirements, then I would be unable to apply and therefore unable to receive a declaration of employment. 

3.) One alternative I've found is the introduction of the new 'Chancenkarte' point-based system. Since I'm under the age of 35, speak German at a B2 level, and posses a university degree I would qualify for a work visa with the terms proposed. This would grant me the ability to work in the country without having to acquire a declaration of employment from an existing air carrier. Is there any expected timeline as to when this system is supposed to be adopted? Most of the information I've found is a bit dated and from early September.


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## *Sunshine* (Mar 13, 2016)

Spruill7716 said:


> In addition, all German air carriers require an 'unrestricted right to work' within Germany. If I were to qualify for the EU Blue Card, I would be required to obtain a declaration of employment from a potential employer prior to submitting my visa. I'm concerned that I will have a difficult time finding an air carrier in Germany that would be willing to sponsor a foreign worker since I wouldn't met the 'unrestricted right to work' requirement initially.


First of all, you don't qualify for a Blue Card until you have a job offer. Without a job offer you can't apply for a Blue Card.

You need to contact the airlines directly and ask them what they want to see, because if an open work permit is a requirement just to apply, your plan will not work (it all depends on the *employer's requirements*).


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## Spruill7716 (5 mo ago)

*Sunshine* said:


> First of all, you don't qualify for a Blue Card until you have a job offer. Without a job offer you can't apply for a Blue Card.
> 
> You need to contact the airlines directly and ask them what they want to see, because if an open work permit is a requirement just to apply, your plan will not work (it all depends on the *employer's requirements*).


I am not able to get a declaration of employment unless I apply for a position and I'm not able to apply for a position without having a work permit (which includes having a declaration of employment). This system seems broken and I'm unsure how anyone would move forward that's in the same profession as myself. My only chance appears to through networking for an offer or through the 'Chancenkarte' once it gets adopted. Even though aviation is a highly regulated sector, I would think there would be a pathway for a high demand career such as pilots, especially when Lufthansa's existing pilots go on weekly strikes that shut down operations.


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## *Sunshine* (Mar 13, 2016)

In this case it is not actually the government's immigration policy that is at fault; either the employers don't want the employment contracts scrutinized by government officials (usually this happens when employers are trying to hire foreigners at dumping wages) or there is some weird requirement in the aviation industry. If the requirement is from the aviation industry, even if the _Chancenkarte_ is passed it won't help you.

*You really need to determine exactly what employers in your industry expect.*



Spruill7716 said:


> I would think there would be a pathway for a high demand career such as pilots, especially when Lufthansa's existing pilots go on weekly strikes that shut down operations.


Although I don't know anything about the job market for pilots, issuing work permits to foreigners for the sole purpose of getting them to cross picket lines will not fly in Germany. 

Contact employers directly (or just send out a few applications before moving) to find out their exact requirements. It could just be a weird security requirement where being American is not an issue. 

*You really need information from someone in an airline HR Department.*


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## Spruill7716 (5 mo ago)

*Sunshine* said:


> Although I don't know anything about the job market for pilots, issuing work permits to foreigners for the sole purpose of getting them to cross picket lines will not fly in Germany.
> 
> Contact employers directly (or just send out a few applications before moving) to find out their exact requirements. It could just be a weird security requirement where being American is not an issue.
> 
> *You really need information from someone in an airline HR Department.*


Thank you for the response. I sent out a few emails to various HR departments and am awaiting replies. I've also made arrangements to talk with an immigration lawyer when I visit Berlin in December. After reading a few forums threads on a aviation-legal sites, the biggest reason airlines have these required qualifications is for unrestricted travel within the EU as pilots need to move and work throughout the continent, not only in Germany. My best bet is to find an employment offer in Germany that's in a different profession and still relates to my degree (aircraft dispatcher, flight instructor, crew scheduler etc.) and acquire a EU Blue Card. After 21 months I would then be eligible for permanent residency (_Niederlassungserlaubnis_) with my B2 language certificate. Once that is issued, I would have the 'unrestricted right to work' along with the 'unrestricted movement/travel in the EU'.


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## *Sunshine* (Mar 13, 2016)

An immigration lawyer can't help you. You need someone from HR specialised in aviation. The job fair is probably your best bet (unless you can network with other pilots and get contact details from their HR Depts).



Spruill7716 said:


> My best bet is to find an employment offer in Germany that's in a different profession and still relates to my degree (aircraft dispatcher, flight instructor, crew scheduler etc.) and acquire a EU Blue Card.


Have you looked into the demand for personnel in these areas as well as the salary? Many of the older pilots who were laid off during the pandemic didn't bother recertifying and found other jobs in the industry. Furthermore, I think some of these occupations require only an apprenticeship; generally German employers will prefer applicants with a German apprenticeship to foreigners with a degree (partly due to tradition and partly due to salary expectations). 

More importantly, a Blue Card will *NOT* solve your HR issues. A Blue Card still only gives you access to the German labour market. 

What happened with your idea of applying for an FDA with your current employer?


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## Spruill7716 (5 mo ago)

*Sunshine* said:


> Have you looked into the demand for personnel in these areas as well as the salary?


Yes, there is definitely still demand across the aviation industry. I looked through the EU Blue Card Network for open positions that are open to hiring non-EU employees and would fulfill the salary requirement. I was surprised to see how many vacancies there were, even more than there typically are in the US at the moment. I'll get a better feel for things at the job fair in February. 


*Sunshine* said:


> What happened with your idea of applying for an FDA with your current employer?


The 5 year limitation and the German tax exemption ended up killing that idea. The airline stopped letting pilots commute back to the US during their 'off-year' in between FDAs and required them to have a permanent address in the US.


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