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Wednesday, April 11

Employment Permit

Here’s an interesting scenario I’ve encountered. Get a job and then apply for a work permit or obtain the work permit and then search for a job.

For individuals like myself (spouse that’s moved here with her husband that works for a local company (on delegation)) I currently hold the resident’s permit. Technically I can get a work permit once I have a job. The employer has to know if I can legally work here and the city has to know when I have the job. To further clarify, the city will change my status from a resident to a “working resident” once I secure employment.

The problem arises when the employer asks me “do you have a work permit?” and my answer is “no, after I obtain employment, get an offer letter, the city will supply my work permit. However I am able to work here legally. ” Then the employer says “But you have to have a work permit now to work here.”
So I ask the city for a work permit. That conversation goes something like this. “Can I get a work permit?” “Have you secured a job?” “No” “Then we can’t provide a work permit. Work permits are only for those that have secured employment with a company and until you do you can’t get a work permit.”

Really?
I must get a job to get the work permit or is it the other way around?

Here efficiency is another name for red tape bureaucracy.

What came first, the chicken or the egg?

1 comment:

  1. So strange! And I thought you had already experienced all the German quirks (especially in the whole apartment hunting process).

    Maybe record each of them saying that (you need X first before Y) and then replay it to the other office/agency that says you need Y first before X. Then they can all be stumped. Or they can hopefully give you an answer!

    Good luck with your job hunting! I hope they figure things out for you.

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