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I'm a u.s. citizen who has really wanted to leave the states and been trying to for the past 9 years. I'm in college in the states now and have 2 more years to go until my bachelor's degree. My plan is after getting my bachelor's, I will go somewhere for grad school (either Canada or Germany), then when I get my master's to apply for a work permit, then PR.
Germany has a few schools where foreigners could study for free which is great. But I'm looking to immigrate somewhere after finishing school there. I heard that it's really difficult for a non EU citizen/resident to get a good job in Germany because of the high unemployment and anti immigration sediment there. Is this true? If so I will go to Canada instead.
Also I'm black. The only schools I was interested in were in Berlin. But I heard East Germany including Berlin was real racist. Is it so bad that I shouldn't go there?
The unemployment rate in Germany is at about 6.8%, which is actually not that bad for Europe that moment. It depends more on what you are studying and on your language skills.
Germany is looking for engineers, not for historians or English students. If you are studying mechanical engineering with a focus on a specific field, they might even give you a job without German skills.
I'm a u.s. citizen who has really wanted to leave the states and been trying to for the past 9 years. I'm in college in the states now and have 2 more years to go until my bachelor's degree. My plan is after getting my bachelor's, I will go somewhere for grad school (either Canada or Germany), then when I get my master's to apply for a work permit, then PR.
Germany has a few schools where foreigners could study for free which is great. But I'm looking to immigrate somewhere after finishing school there. I heard that it's really difficult for a non EU citizen/resident to get a good job in Germany because of the high unemployment and anti immigration sediment there. Is this true? If so I will go to Canada instead.
Also I'm black. The only schools I was interested in were in Berlin. But I heard East Germany including Berlin was real racist. Is it so bad that I shouldn't go there?
How good is your German? I think that is the most critical point for a successful jobhunt. You might also be able to work for a German branch of an American company where you don't need to speak German, but if you plan on permanently moving there you should definitely speak German. Otherwise you'll have a very hard time fitting in (which will be difficult even if you speak the language).
As for racism: Germany is no more racist than the US. People in the big cities are more tolerant than those from tiny villages in the middle of nowhere.
Why exactly did you pick Germany?
Quote:
Originally Posted by viribusunitis
The unemployment rate in Germany is at about 6.8%, which is actually not that bad for Europe that moment. It depends more on what you are studying and on your language skills.
That is not even bad for Europe but for pretty much any western country at the moment. I believe by ILO standards it is even lower.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Glucorious
And no, foreigners pay the same tuition as Germans. So, no, it's not only a "few schools".
Not necessarily. Some states charge 500 Euros if you're German or an EU citizen and 1500/semester if you're from overseas. Of course, this is still ridiculously low compared to what people pay in the States.
How good is your German? I think that is the most critical point for a successful jobhunt. You might also be able to work for a German branch of an American company where you don't need to speak German, but if you plan on permanently moving there you should definitely speak German. Otherwise you'll have a very hard time fitting in (which will be difficult even if you speak the language).
As for racism: Germany is no more racist than the US. People in the big cities are more tolerant than those from tiny villages in the middle of nowhere.
Why exactly did you pick Germany?
That is not even bad for Europe but for pretty much any western country at the moment. I believe by ILO standards it is even lower.
Not necessarily. Some states charge 500 Euros if you're German or an EU citizen and 1500/semester if you're from overseas. Of course, this is still ridiculously low compared to what people pay in the States.
If I went to Germany, I would learn German for the next 2 years before I go, and continue to learn it when Im there.
I picked Germany, because I found some schools online that offer free tuition for foreign students and they teach classes in english. So I figured if there's any country in Europe I have a shot at immigrating to, it would be there, since I could study for free, and then maybe find skilled work after getting my master's there. Then I could apply for Permenant residence. Whaddaya think? Is it realistic, or should I stick with trying to immigrate to Canada instead? Also I hear Germany as well as Europe in general is more open minded than the u.s.
How realistic it is depends on your degree. If it's something which country X has a shortage of then you may find an employer willing to go through the hassle of sponsoring you for a work visa. If it's the same degree that a gazillion other people have, they aren't going to bother.
The economy in Germany is very good compared to rest of Europe and parts of the U.S.
However, Germans are not that friendly to immigrants, but they still have large Middle Eastern population (Especially Turkish). Sorry, but since you're black, you will have hard time in Germany, and basically anywhere in Europe due to racism and intolerance towards immigrants (especially if you look different from them), but not to say there are no blacks in Germany.
Move to Canada (Not Quebec unless you speak French) and you will live and love it better!
Sorry, but since you're black, you will have hard time in Germany, and basically anywhere in Europe due to racism and intolerance towards immigrants (especially if you look different from them), but not to say there are no blacks in Germany.
He is not going to have a worse time than in the US (which is racist to the core). Not sure about Canada though. Germans are no more racist than Americans. But of course someone had to pull this card since we're talking about Germany here.
There are hundreds of thousands of black people in Germany. Obviously, if an immigrant doesn't want to integrate at all and does not even bother to learn the local language, people will be more hostile. But that is not different from the attitudes towards immigrants in pretty much every other country in the world.
I'm a u.s. citizen who has really wanted to leave the states and been trying to for the past 9 years. I'm in college in the states now and have 2 more years to go until my bachelor's degree. My plan is after getting my bachelor's, I will go somewhere for grad school (either Canada or Germany), then when I get my master's to apply for a work permit, then PR.
Germany has a few schools where foreigners could study for free which is great. But I'm looking to immigrate somewhere after finishing school there. I heard that it's really difficult for a non EU citizen/resident to get a good job in Germany because of the high unemployment and anti immigration sediment there. Is this true? If so I will go to Canada instead.
Also I'm black. The only schools I was interested in were in Berlin. But I heard East Germany including Berlin was real racist. Is it so bad that I shouldn't go there?
Congratulations on having found this free education in Germany! While you're studying there, you could start networking for job connections. What field are you interested in? If you can handle math, engineering would serve you well in Germany and in the US, both.
My niece has been working in Germany for 3 years. She got her BA in the US, saw the job prospects as slim, took off for Germany, and talked herself into a job. It wasn't a "good job". She was willing to take anything to be able to stay there. Now that she's been there 3 years, her visa status has changed a little, so she's eligible to get better jobs. If you have tech skills, you could do something like English-language web design for a company, and that would be enough for them to be able to justify a work visa for you, if you don't get a degree in something they really need, like engineering.
She's living in Berlin. I'm told Berlin is full of immigrants, it's quite an active cultural scene. So it might work for you. You can decide while you're a student there whether it's comfortable enough to stay after you graduate. You don't need to make all the long-term decisions now, you know. You can feel out the situation as you go along. The first step is the BA. Good luck. Let us know how you do.
Not necessarily. Some states charge 500 Euros if you're German or an EU citizen and 1500/semester if you're from overseas. Of course, this is still ridiculously low compared to what people pay in the States.
No. That is false. Nationality does not matter. You are talking about the states who generally charge those 500 Euros. I said foreigners pay the same as locals. So, yes, they would be paying the 500.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ipod99
I picked Germany, because I found some schools online that offer free tuition for foreign students and they teach classes in english. So I figured if there's any country in Europe I have a shot at immigrating to, it would be there, since I could study for free, and then maybe find skilled work after getting my master's there. Then I could apply for Permenant residence. Whaddaya think? Is it realistic, or should I stick with trying to immigrate to Canada instead? Also I hear Germany as well as Europe in general is more open minded than the u.s.
lol. All of the sudden now?
I think you only need to be staying legally in Germany for 8 years, then you can apply for citizenship. It's different than the U.S. system.
Yes, it's realistic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nunnor
The economy in Germany is very good compared to rest of Europe and parts of the U.S.
However, Germans are not that friendly to immigrants, but they still have large Middle Eastern population (Especially Turkish). Sorry, but since you're black, you will have hard time in Germany, and basically anywhere in Europe due to racism and intolerance towards immigrants (especially if you look different from them), but not to say there are no blacks in Germany.
Move to Canada (Not Quebec unless you speak French) and you will live and love it better!
That's BS. I know a couple of black folks living in Germany. You watched to many Hitler speeches.
I heard Quebec is gonna secede anyway.
lol @ hard time in Europe and racism. Just the same as in the U.S. And no, the U.S. isn't racist.
By the way, as you can see ( or not ), I'm an American living abroad. Not hard to guess where I live now.
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He is not going to have a worse time than in the US (which is racist to the core). Not sure about Canada though. Germans are no more racist than Americans. But of course someone had to pull this card since we're talking about Germany here. 
