The Visa Briefing hosted by the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (GPCCI), in partnership with the German Embassy Manila, and German Club Manila, provided reassuring insights and valuable knowledge.
On April the 18th, GPCCI invited Mr. Michael Kutzner, Mr. Georg Leube and Mr. Harry Moreth of the German Embassy Manila—Visa Section to answer questions regarding Business Visa Processes and provide insights concerning German Labor Migration law.
GPCCI Deputy Executive Director, Ms. Charlotte Bandelow, opened the event by highlighting the rising importance of supporting mobility in economic development. After this, the experts from the German Embassy in Manila started their Q&A session, at which members from the audience could ask questions regarding Visa matters.
One essential take away for companies is, that adherence to German labor laws is essential when temporarily sending Filipino workers to Germany. This includes paying the German minimum wage, as well as being mindful of worker rights such as break times and maximum working hours per day. As violation of such rules might result in the sending company being blacklisted, compliance was highly advised by the experts from the German Embassy.
A recent change that was highlighted is the option for skilled worker visa holders to bring not only their spouse and children with them, but also their parents as well as those of their partner. This measure is intended to attract more skilled experts to work in Germany. Besides this, application processing for Nurses is projected to be significantly faster from June onwards, as a new institutional approach will come into play. These changes reflect the fact that Germany only recently opened itself to legal work migration. The country’s administration is still exploring the best ways to ensure swift and easy application processing and to create the best incentives for migrant workers.
For non-regulated professions, where training is often done on the job without formal certificates, such as kitchen helpers, cooks or other hospitality related fields, seasonal worker visas are a good option. Besides this, a vocational training visa can be a valuable alternative, letting workers receive a formal training and giving them the opportunity to stay longer in Germany than with a seasonal worker visa only.
A significant change for all job seekers is the implementation of the “Chancenkarte” or chances card, which will replace the job seeker visa by the end of May. Applicants may collect points to improve their chances of securing a visa by having German language skills, an academic degree, a vocational training or practical working experience.
Our esteemed panelists have shed light on visa processes that may further provide guidance to Filipino workers as they navigate Germany’s labor migration Laws. It also holistically enriches the German-Philippine business community as they make sound decisions regarding worker mobility.
The briefing was concluded with the closing remarks from GPCCI Board Member, Mr. Tore Henriksen, who commended the visa section for an open exchange with the members present.