Germany
Location
2-12 months
Duration
18-35
Age
Youth Mobility Visa
Visa
Year-round
Dates

Follow your Wanderlust -

Work and Travel in Germany!

 wanderlust
a strong desire to travel and explore the world; an urge or need to seek adventure and experience new places.

Many curious and beautiful words in the German language, were adopted into English. Among them, “wanderlust” deeply ingrains into German culture. Listen to your inner wanderlust and explore this fascinating country that is part fairy tale and still one of the strongest industrial nations in Europe, if not the world.

Why Work and Travel in Germany?

working holiday in Germany

There is so much more to discover about Germany than just beer, pretzels and football!

Although foreigners usually associate Germany with stereotypical images such as Oktoberfest, Schweinsbraten and fast cars, the country itself has a rich and diverse culture, easily detectable in the different parts of Germany. Its beautiful nature is renowned, ranging from the rough cliffs and sandy beaches of the Baltic Sea in the North to the snow-capped peaks of the Alps in the South. As well as the breathtaking architecture of its houses, churches and castles.

Things you should do during your Working Holiday in Germany:

Take German lessons to learn more funny words, such as Schadenfreude (damage joy), Ohrwurm (ear worm), Fernweh (distance pain) or Innerer Schweinehund (inner pig dog).

Visit a Biergarten and taste-test German beer, pretzels and Spezi (a mixture of orange lemonade and coke).

Travel the 780km of Castle Road from Mannheim to Prague and discover more than 60 magnificent castles, fairy tale palaces and stately homes along the route.

Join a festivity: Whether one of the famous and popular ones like Oktoberfest, the Nuremberg Christmas market and Karneval in Cologne or a small music or food festival on the streets.

How does it work?

GO International’s Work & Travel Program in Germany gives you the chance to explore Europe like a local. You will receive a work permit for up to 12 months, have the opportunity to learn the language, and can take up any job you are interested in or simply travel to explore Germany’s hidden gems.

working holiday in Germany
  • We will give you step-by-step instructions on how to apply for your Working Holiday visa.
  • We will help you navigate the bureaucratic jungle that is Germany by providing templates and English translations to relevant forms.
  • We will provide you with job assistance, allowing you to start spending your salary on fun activities in your new home!
  • If exploring Germany’s countryside and life on a typical German Bauernhof interests you, you can add a job placement on a farm to your Silver Package.
  • Join our monthly social activities in Berlin, such as Street Art program, Bar Crawls and Shuffle Board Evenings.
  • We will provide you with e-mail assistance for a full year and grant you access to a comprehensive database.

Important: Our Silver Package is only available to applicants, who are able to travel to Toronto to apply for their work permit in person. You can apply by mail if you live somewhere else in Canada, but then you will have to provide a rental agreement in Germany to receive the full 12 months of your visa.

* Included in our Gold Package are 2 weeks of accommodation in a studio in Berlin to fulfill this visa requirement.

Visa support and application guidance

Welcome dinner in Berlin with other international participants

Job hunting advice and listing of job boards and companies

Participation in five monthly socializing events/activities including admission fees in Berlin, with a focus on alternative youth culture

One week unlimited public transport card for Berlin inner city zones A+B

Listing of providers of short to mid-term accommodation that provide the possibility to undertake residence registration

Templates of all relevant forms with translations into English

12 months access to comprehensive mobile phone friendly knowledge base

12 months email support with German partner

What’s not included:

Flight tickets and transport within Germany

Personal Expenses

Visa Costs

Travel Insurance (mandatory)

TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE WORKING HOLIDAY VISA:

  • You must be a Canadian citizen and resident with a valid CANADIAN PASSPORT (valid for a minimum of three months past the end date of the visit and issued within the last 10 years).
  • You must be between the ages of 18 and 35 years (inclusive).
  • You must be in good health.
  • You must have a clear Police Record.
  • You must provide proof of financial resources of 3,000 EUR (approx. $4,400 CAD) to provide for any initial expenses at the start of your stay and to allow you to leave the country at any time during your stay in Germany.
  • You must submit all the documents necessary to support your visa request.
  • You have not held a Working Holiday Visa (category d) for Germany before.

VISA APPLICATION:

  • You are able to apply for the Working Holiday visa 3 months in advance.
  • It usually takes 2-3 weeks to receive your visa confirmation once you have submitted a complete application.
  • You are able to apply for your visa in person at the German consulate in Toronto or via mail.

Important: You will only be able to apply via mail when booking our GOLD PACKAGE. When applying via mail, your visa will only be issued for the first 90 days. You will need to apply for an extension at the aliens authority in Berlin. Our partner in Germany will make an appointment for you and fill out all the German forms (Gold package only).

ROUND TRIP AROUND GERMANY:

Discover the diverse regions of Germany while joining GO International on a field trip around Deutschland!

NORTHERN GERMANY

Rostock

Bordering Denmark and the Baltic Sea, Northern Germany consists of beach resorts, bustling cities and medieval towns. It boasts an array of lesser known, yet all the more travel-worthy destinations like the port city Rostock, the bustling metropolis Hamburg and the popular resort islands Stralsund, Helgoland, Rügen and Sylt. Try tasty marzipan in Lübeck or fresh fish all around the coast, visit the famous red-light district in Hamburg or marvel at the splendor of Schwerin castle. Northern German will surely captivate you!

WESTERN GERMANY

River Rhine, Cologne

During the years of separation, the Federal Republic of Germany was informally known as West Germany. Today, Western Germany is famous for its big and busy cities, such as Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Frankfurt. However, there is much more to see than just the urban jungle! You can visit Trier, the oldest city in Germany, take in the atmosphere in Marburg, which influenced the famous Brother Grimm tales, and relax in one of the recreational Roman Thermal baths in Aachen.

EASTERN GERMANY

Dresden

Eastern Germany is a cheap trip option within Germany and even though parts of it have been destroyed during the war, it still has so many beautiful destinations to offer. You could stay here the entire duration of your Working Holiday in Germany! From the Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes, to the remarkable Romanesque and half-timber architecture in Saxony-Anhalt to the many of old town centers (Altstadt) in Quedlinburg, Dresden and Bautzen. You should also try dishes unique to East Germany like Königsberger Klopse (German meatballs, covered in a creamy sauce with capers and lemon, and served with boiled potatoes), Spreewald pickles and the various sausages (Mettwurst, Rotwurst, Leberwurst…).

SOUTHERN GERMANY

Eibsee, Zugspitze

When you think about Southern Germany, do you think about OktoberfestLederhosen and beer? Most likely! Although Munich is a great starting point for your trip around the south of Germany, this area has so much more to offer! Take a cogwheel train to the highest peak in Germany – the Zugspitze. Walk around the beautiful harbor city of Lindau on the shore of Constance Lake with its colorful storybook houses. Visit the culturally significant University towns of Regensburg, Freiburg or Heidelberg. In addition, when you are already in Southern Germany, it’s a quick trip over the border into Austria, Italy or Switzerland!

THE CAPITAL

Fernsehturm, Berlin

Once separated by the wall into East and West Berlin, Berlin provides an interesting background to Germany’s turbulent history. At the same time, Berlin is also known as being one of the hippest cities in the whole of Europe. It is a melting pot of varied business opportunities, artistic expression, alternative youth culture and many parties! We recommend having a refreshing dip into the water at the Badeschiff, taking a historic city tour into the Underground (Berliner Unterwelten) or visiting the impressive Reichstag building (German Parliament). Start your Working Holiday adventure in the capital of Germany. It will definitely be one of the most diverse places you will surely visit!

In most everyday situations, you will probably get by without using any German. Young Germans especially, have a decent knowledge of the English (or even French) language. In bigger cities, there are international communities of expats and immigrants supporting each other. If you are flexible in your choice of job, you will be able to find a non-German speaking position.

Nevertheless, it is always a good idea to either arrive in Germany with a basic knowledge of the language or you can even book language lessons for the beginning of your stay. After all, learning a foreign language is a fun part of getting to know another culture!

Contact us for more information on our language lessons offered in Berlin.

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Explore the wonder of Germany while gaining valuable work experience with GO International's work and travel program
Work and Travel Germany
Work and Travel Germany
Work and Travel Germany
Work and Travel Germany
Work and Travel Germany
Work and Travel Germany
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Beautiful scenery in Germany