Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Living overseas

Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

Original poster

DS wants to work in Germany or Austria

123 replies

Tulipomania · 02/08/2021 18:24

He's just graduated with an excellent degree & wants to improve his German skills, doing a casual job for a few months before he starts on the career ladder.

It seems to be all but impossible post-Brexit, you can't get a work permit without a job offer, and vice versa.

Anyone got any useful advice to offer?

OP posts:
BlackLambAndGreyFalcon · 02/08/2021 20:45

Is he entitled to dual nationality with any EU country (which will make the process much easier)?

Wbeezer · 02/08/2021 20:49

Would he sign up to be an au-pair? I believe the good agencies help sort paper work and it's not always small children. Not very glamorous but maybe a possibility?

GoWalkabout · 02/08/2021 20:58

Can you get them for ski season as a seasonaire?

Original poster
Tulipomania · 02/08/2021 21:01

Thanks for the comments/questions

  1. Not entitled to dual nationality, although grandfather was German.
  2. Has done au pair job before & enjoyed it, so that's the fall back I guess.
  3. As far as we can tell most jobs in ski resorts are now going only to people with EU passports.
OP posts:
MimosaFields · 02/08/2021 21:06

If the grandfather was German, why is he not entitled to German citizenship? Has he actually been rejected?

Original poster
Tulipomania · 02/08/2021 21:08

Because the rules don't allow it MimosaFields.

OP posts:
Original poster
Tulipomania · 02/08/2021 21:11

it would be allowed if he had a German parent but we would have had to register him within a year.

But not grandparent. DH is British and so am I.

OP posts:
MimosaFields · 02/08/2021 21:14

I thought German citizenship went by bloodline rather than birthplace. A lot of my German friends here, got British nationality after brexit and kept the German one.

Back in the 90s, when I lived in Germany, we got lots of Uebersiedler who had come to Germany from Eastern Europe, on the basis that they had had one German grandfather.

But if you've looked into it already, that's fine. I'm just surprised

MimosaFields · 02/08/2021 21:28

Has he thought about doing a TEFL course and then trying to find a sponsor for his visa? That's the only option I can think of right now. Without a EU passport, casual work is really out of the question. He would not even be able to rent a room legally.

Bromeliad · 02/08/2021 21:31

If his German grandfather was German when your DS was born he's entitled to German Citizenship. I got my German passport the same way two years ago.

Bromeliad · 02/08/2021 21:33

I should add that my Dad got his at the same time. Neither of us were registered. My DD will get hers in October despite being 18 months and not previously registered.

PersephoneJames · 02/08/2021 21:34

I’m a TEFL recruiter in the EU and sadly can’t sponsor visas, it’s time consuming and costly and there are enough Irish applicants, not to mention local people who often speak english better than the english do.

It’s devastating what Brexit has done to young British people. Friends of mine did schemes through twinned towns or the goethe institute, volunteering type things, that may still be possible?

Hoppinggreen · 02/08/2021 21:39

@Bromeliad

If his German grandfather was German when your DS was born he's entitled to German Citizenship. I got my German passport the same way two years ago.
Our DC got dual British/German citizenship BUT DH had to get his first - born a German citizen but gave it up as a child. Then the DC could get theirs but it had to be done before Brexit so OPs DS may not be eligible , in fact she says they did try. I’m sorry OP, it’s so unfair that our DC can’t travel like we did unless they manage to get dual nationality
daisypond · 02/08/2021 21:40

@GoWalkabout

Can you get them for ski season as a seasonaire?
You can’t do the ski season jobs either unless you have the right to work in the EU. All those traditional British ski chalet girl/boy and instructor jobs are now only if you have an EU passport.
BlackLambAndGreyFalcon · 02/08/2021 21:42

@Bromeliad

If his German grandfather was German when your DS was born he's entitled to German Citizenship. I got my German passport the same way two years ago.
Only IF the German granddad's child was born in Germany themselves. If German Grandad's child was born outside Germany then they would be German themselves but only able to pass their German nationality onto their children if either a) the grandchildren were born in Germany or b) the Grandchild's birth overseas was registered with the German consultae within a year of their birth.
BertieBotts · 02/08/2021 21:51

Casual work is tricky now.

Perhaps he could look for some kind of internship/work experience relating to his degree?

Hyperion100 · 02/08/2021 21:56

Brexit really has fucked a generation of aspirational young people.

LIZS · 02/08/2021 22:02

www.workaway.info/
This some has some short term opportunities.

Bromeliad · 02/08/2021 22:04

Ah yes, there's a difference if your DS was born after the turn of the millennium. But if he was born before he would be eligible regardless of where his parent was born and whether he was registered.
Neither my father or I were born in Germany or registered at any point but we both now have German passports. As it sounds as though he is around 21 it may still be possible.

LIZS · 02/08/2021 22:05

*site

Embracelife · 02/08/2021 22:07

But if he has excellent degrees why doesn't he apply for graduate scheme with company with offices abroad for potential work placements?

Original poster
Tulipomania · 02/08/2021 22:16

Embracelife that is what we have suggested, but he is very fixed in bis views that he wants to get his German fluent first.

Bromeliad he was born in 1999, we have looked into it and he cannot get citizenship. DH, who was born & lived in UK his whole life, is in the process of getting his German passport but that won't affect DS's status.

OP posts:
Bromeliad · 02/08/2021 22:20

Just to clarify, he only needed to be registered within one year if his parents were German citizens who were born abroad and the parent was born after the 31st December 1999 (which I assume doesn't apply here as he's got a degree). There may be other reason's he doesn't qualify though, including the grandparent renouncing German citizenship before the relevant parent was born.

See https://uk.diplo.de/uk-en/02/citizenship/acquiring-german-citizenship/2463622 in particular the case studies, for the clearest explanation.

daisypond · 02/08/2021 22:22

@Embracelife

But if he has excellent degrees why doesn't he apply for graduate scheme with company with offices abroad for potential work placements?
Perhaps he doesn’t want to or can’t get onto one. My DD has a first class degree from a top ten university and hasn’t got onto a graduate scheme.
Swipe left for the next trending thread