Germany's Skilled Labour Immigration

• The German parliament passed the law on the immigration of skilled workers on 7 June 2019
• The new law will enter into force on 1 March 2020
• Both academics with a university degree and workers with qualified professional training recognized in Germany are considered a specialists
• Improved possibilities for foreign students in Germany to change their residence status
• Permanent settlement permit for those who have completed a vocational training course in Germany 
• If you do not have an employment contract but can prove you have qualified professional training, you will receive a residence permit for six months in order to find a job
• Main professions sought for are: doctors, physiotherapists and nurses, IT specialists, engineers and craftsmen in the construction industry, experts in aerospace, mechatronics, electrical engineering, energy technology and other STEM professions (mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology).
• They can enter the country without training - provided they can prove that they have been working in the business for several years.

The Skilled Immigration Act, is a new law which expands the possibilities for qualified professionals to travel to work in Germany. The new regulations will enters into force on 1 March 2020. In future, it will be easier for skilled workers with vocational, non-academic training from non-EU countries to migrate to Germany in order to work. The current conditions for qualified professionals with university degrees will remain in place, with some relaxations of the rules.

Germany Immigration language skills requirement

Learning the German language is one of the most important steps you can take to prepare for your life in Germany. After all, German is spoken in most companies. Even if you don't need to prove your knowledge of German for your job, it will look good on your CV and improves your chances as you apply. Prospective employers will know that you are committed and have made an effort to learn German. Depending on your future plans, you can partake in specialised language courses in your home country or in Germany – it might even be mandatory.

• Work in the nursing and healthcare sector: If you intend to work as a nursing professional or a doctor in Germany, you will need to have your foreign professional qualifications recognised. In addition, you will need to prove your knowledge of German with a certificate from a recognised language centre, such as the Goethe-Institut or a telc-certified institute. The required level of proficiency may vary between B1 or B2 of the European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF) depending on the different German states.

Foreign qualifications recognition in Germany

In order to work in Germany, it is helpful to have your foreign qualifications recognised. In somes cases, it is even mandatory. It really depends on your profession:

•  Who needs recognition? In Germany, certain professions are "regulated”. Germans and foreign nationals may only work in these professions if they have a very precise qualification. This applies to professions such as doctors and lawyers. It also applies to different masters of manual trades if they work as independent contractors. If you want to work in one of these regulated professions, you need to have your professional qualification recognised in Germany. On the website “Reglementierte Berufe Datenbank” you find a list which contains all the regulated professions in Germany.

Address of German [Germany] Embassy / Germany Consulate in NIGERIA

Germany Embassy, Abuja
9, Lake Maracaibo Close,
Maitama, Abuja.

Tel: (0234) (09) 2208010, 2208011
Website: www.abuja.diplo.de

Address of French [France] Embassy / France Consulate in NIGERIA

France Embassy, Abuja
37, Udi Hills Street,
Off Aso Drive,
Maitama, Abuja.

Tel: (0234) (09) 4602300
Website: www.ambafrance-ng.org

Schengen: Visit Visa Requirements for Belgium

1. Filled out and signed Belgium tourist visa application form

2. Original, signed Nigeria passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity.

3. Passport-type photographs: 2

4. Itinerary. Copy of round trip tickets or confirmed itinerary.

Schengen: Visit Visa Requirements for Spain

1. Filled out and signed Spain tourist visa application form

2. Original, signed Nigeria passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity.

3. Passport photographs

4. Photocopies of the passport and ID card. The applicant must provide photocopies of the original passport and ID card, including copy of all visas(valid and expired)

Schengen: Visit Visa Requirements for Italy

1. Filled out and signed Italy tourist visa application form

2. Original, signed Nigeria passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity.

3. Passport-type photographs: 2

4. Itinerary. Copy of round trip tickets or confirmed itinerary.

Schengen: Visit Visa Requirements for Germany

1. Original, signed Nigeria passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity.

2. Passport photographs

3. Photocopies of the passport and ID card. The applicant must provide photocopies of the original passport and ID card, including copy of all visas(valid and expired)

Schengen: Visit Visa Requirements for France

1. Filled out and signed France tourist visa application form

2. Original, signed Nigeria passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity.

3. Passport photographs

4. Itinerary. Copy of round trip tickets or confirmed itinerary.

Visiting Schengen (Europe)

A Schengen visa is a visa for the Schengen Area: 26 European countries with no border controls between them.

A Schengen visa’s validity may be limited to only one country (for instance France) or a specified number of countries (for instance Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands). In such cases, the visa holder may visit only the countries for which the Schengen visa is valid.

You are to apply for the visa at the embassy of the Schengen country of your journey’s main destination or the Schengen country where you intend to stay the longest. If you will be staying an equal length of time in more than one Schengen country and cannot designate one of these countries as the country of your main destination, you must apply for your visa at the embassy of the first Schengen country you intend to enter.

What is Schengen?

The Schengen Area is a group of 26 European countries that have abolished passport and immigration controls at their common borders. It functions as a single country for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy.

With a Schengen visa, you can travel to any of the 26 European countries during the validity of your visa.

Note: First time travelers are to travel to the issuing European country first before traveling to others.

List of current 26 Schengen countries, which include 22 EU countries and four non-EU countries:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia