At the Ausländerbehörde this morning, a client was informed that the rules have changed within the last six months regarding the Canadian Youth Mobility Program. Although I’ve seen a few Canadians received the permit in Berlin, the official line is now that Canadians need to apply for the Youth Mobility from Canada before they leave. This could be a bit confusing for the following reasons:
unfortunately, the Ausländerbehörde website contains a PDF document that indicates the Youth Mobility permit CAN be issued in Berlin. It is also possible for Canadians to book an appointment for the visa online through the LABO website, even though it won’t be issued. The front desk informed me that they need to consult with their IT department to rectify this.
A Canadian client was also recently informed by the embassy in Canada that it would be fine to apply for the Youth Mobility permit after she arrived in Berlin.
If you’re a young Canadian in Berlin hoping to get yourself a Youth Mobility Visa from the Ausländerbehörde, you might be turned away. In that case, there are a few other options out there, such as language learning, freelancing, searching for a highly qualified job, or getting employed. But the Youth Mobility Visa is a beautiful thing, so if you get the chance and you haven’t left yet, get it in Canada before you arrive!
Kathleen Parker founded Red Tape Translation to help English speakers with all the bureaucracy involved in moving to Berlin. She is most often found working as a translator at the Ausländerbehörde (Foreigner’s Office).
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