Expat Community > Germany

Expat0tony
Joined 2009
Posts: 41

Need work permit/residency advice asap!

14 years ago

Hello all!
I, a US citizen, am only going to Germany to hopefully 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 somehow get a work-permit before 90 days or I must leave the EU 'shen' states for 180 days before returning to try again. I also realize work-permits are difficult to obtain unless I have a rare specialty or a Masters degree or a ton of money(?).
Can anyone PLEASE help me discover how so many uneducated immigrants can obtain a work permit/residency and stay permanently? I fear I can't even get a restaurant job (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 please anyone?
I would really appreciate any kind advice to my fear as I am relocating there very soon and have no other place to move to yet if I fail by my 90 day stay. Do you have any strategic ideas? Can a german resident (non-employer) simply 'sponsor' me with an invitation letter? Or, 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 and my german needs to be re-learned for a while first) PLEASE ADVISE ME! Thank you!

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