Job Seeker (academic): With a jobseeker’s visa you can stay for up to six months in Germany to find a job corresponding to your academic qualification. You need a recognized university degree. Once you find an adequate job, you can get a residence permit.

Job Seeker (non academic): With a jobseeker’s visa you can stay for up to six months in Germany to find a job corresponding to your vocational qualification. You need to have completed a vocational training of at least two years that has been recognized in Germany. Once you find an adequate job, you can get a residence permit.

General information about migration of qualified professionals can be found on: www.make-it-in-germany.com

Please prepare two identical application sets with all of the following documents in the given order. Incomplete documentation may result in the rejection of your application.

• Valid national passport with at least two blank visa-pages and two copies
• Application form fully completed including declaration Section 54 (2) 8, duly signed (https://japan.diplo.de/ja-ja/service/teaser-applicationform/916732)
• Passport photograph, not older than three months with a bright background and frontal view of the face
• Copy of your passport’s data page
• Copy of your Japanese residence card – if applicable
• Curriculum vitae of professional career, specifying the certificates, diplomas, and other qualification you obtained

• Detailed motivational letter  including:
  - Schedule and content planning of the stay
  - The work areas that are of interest
  - Companies where the application should take place
  

• Proof of recent job search in Germany (i.e. email correspondence re applications, Job offers, agency enquiries etc.)
  

• Proof of travel  health insurance, for Germany (incl. Schengen area) with a minimum coverage of 30.000,00 EUR, including the following details: name of insured person, length of coverage, insurance sum and repatriation coverage

• Proof of financial means (1.027,00 EUR net per month)
  - Formal letter of obligation (Verpflichtungserklärung) by a sponsor in Germany
  - Block Bank Account (Sperrkonto) https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/sperrkonto/388600
  - last three months’ bank statements (German or Japanese only)
  

• Visa fee (75 EUR, payable by cash or credit card in Japanese Yen according to the official exchange rate on the date of application) Please note that cashless payment at the German Consulate General Osaka-Kobe is not possible.

For academics:

• German university degree or recognized foreign degree comparable to a German degree (English or German)
  

• Print out of degree evaluation and recognition of foreign university according to http://anabin.kmk.org/

For non-academics :

• Recognized vocational qualification (apprenticeship, degree etc certificates) 
  

  https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/

• Recognition notice (Anerkennungsbescheid) of your vocational qualification
  

  https://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/html/de/index.php
• Proof of German language skills required for the job you are seeking

You may obtain a residence title that includes the right to be employed as a qualified worker in your area of qualification. This means you may also take up employment in a related occupation. You must however be able to work in this occupation on the basis of your qualification. Assistant positions and semi-skilled occupations do not qualify; it must be a skilled position. The Federal Employment Agency will examine whether your foreign degree or certificate matches the occupation that you wish to take up.

Please note that an advanced approval of the Federal Employment Agency is not mandatory, but it shortens the application process significantly.

The German Embassy Tokyo / Consulate General Osaka-Kobe reserve the right to ask for additional documents at any time during processing. Submission of the above mentioned documents does not guarantee that a visa is granted.