A temporary visa known as a “job seeker visa” enables individuals to enter a nation with the express purpose of looking for work. I’ve put together a list of nations that grant visas for job seekers. An employer’s advance job offer is not necessary for this visa. A lot of nations, including Portugal, Sweden, Austria, Germany, UAE, Netherlands, France, Ireland, and others, began to issue visas for job seekers. With the help of this visa, people can also look for work and accept job offers.
But remember, in order to remain in the nation once you land a job, you’ll need to get a Work Permit. Having a job seeker visa does not give you employment rights by default. Please take a look at the list of nations that provide job seekers’ visas, their qualifications, and an application link, if you’re thinking about applying for one.
There are currently 5 countries that offer Job seeker visas to foreign applicants. Each country has its requirements and application methods.
The German job seeker visa comes with two types:
The Opportunity card is another type of Job seeker Visa and is valid for one year. It allows individuals to search for employment in Germany. Applicants can also start a Part-Time Job on this permit. The Opportunity card is based on the Point System and you only need 6 Points to qualify.
Austria offers a Job Seeker Visa, also known as the Red-White-Red Card – Jobseeker, for highly qualified professionals to look for suitable employment. To be eligible for the Job seeker visa, applicants need to score a minimum of 70 points.
UAE offers Job seeker visas for up to 60,90,180 days to look for employment. It was launched on October 3, 2022. It has several requirements to meet. And you need to be a graduate of any 500 universities in the world.
The Portugal Job seeker visa is popular among all other countries that have job seeker visas. It is valid for 6 months and if you can find a job during this time, then you can apply for a residence permit.
The Swedish government has introduced this visa in June 2022. And it allows you to stay in the country for 9 months to look for employment. Please check the requirements set by the Swedish Migration Agency.
This new visa was launched by the UK Govt in May 2022. It is called a High Potential Individual (HPI) Visa. This visa allows international applicants to stay in the UK for 2 or 3 years to look for work.
Several countries offer residence permits for an “orientation year”. This allows graduates of those countries and skilled professionals to explore career opportunities and potentially secure employment.
Many countries in Europe offer “Residence Permits for Orientation Year” to foreign applicants who have completed studies there and now looking for employment.
The France Job Seeker Visa is known as a “Job seeker/new business creator” residence permit. It allows you to look for a Job or set up your own company in France. This permit is only available for those who have graduated from a French university.
It is known as a “Residence permit for orientation year”. On this Visa, you can search, and work in the Netherlands for one year. To be eligible your educational institution must have been in the top 200 rankings.
You can apply for this permit if you have completed a Degree in Finland or Research completed in Finland.
Note: Like the Job seeker visa, many countries have Visa options that do not require a Job offer. Countries like Canada, New Zealand, and Australia have several options.
Do Good Research: Before applying check the requirements of each job seeker visa. Check whether is it suitable for you. What types of jobs are in demand in that country? What are the expenses?
This will help you to determine if the country is a good fit for you and if you meet the requirements for the visa.
Make a Strong Resume and Cover Letter: Your resume and cover letter are important documents that will help you to get a job seeker visa. Make sure it is well written and follows the specific template that is required for that country. For example in Europe that follows a Europass CV Format.
Be patient: The process of getting a job seeker visa can be time-consuming. Be patient and don’t give up. Work hard. If you fail, then Restart!
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