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UK People with a migrant background often have poor chances on the job market in Germany - despite some having high qualifications. The offer from the German employment agency is not tailored to this group of people. Anyone who comes to Germany from another country and wants to become self-employed here often faces various difficulties:
1. Clarification of residence status
People from non-EU countries need a residence permit in order to become self-employed in Germany. The corresponding application must be submitted to the immigration authorities or the responsible German diplomatic mission. When starting a business, some additional requirements must be met - for example, an economic justification for your product or service in your region. For refugees, the asylum status is relevant for permission to set up a business in Germany.
2. Qualifications are not recognized
You often hear about people who were doctors, lawyers or managing directors in their home country and who now deliver mail in Germany, work in waste disposal or have to do completely new training. If you have acquired a qualification in your home country, you should first check whether it is recognized in Germany.
3. Language barrier
If you lack German language skills, you will quickly fail to communicate with German authorities and offices. Even if, for example, you only speak English in everyday business life, the language barrier quickly becomes an insurmountable hurdle when building your business in Germany.
4. German bureaucracy
The German bureaucracy makes it difficult for even people with a good knowledge of German to pursue their start-up ideas. Numerous rules, regulations and laws must be observed. Even Germans don't always manage to understand the German administrative system. You should therefore seek professional support if you are planning to set up a business in Germany.
Once you have overcome these hurdles on the way to becoming self-employed, you are faced with the task of having to create a business plan. In this you must present your business idea and all relevant information about how you want to build your business. This allows the German authorities to assess the seriousness of your project and the chances of success. Your business plan is also a prerequisite for applying for government funding for your start-up project. You should therefore proceed carefully when creating it and, if necessary, seek help so that your plan has a chance of success.
Many success stories prove that it is also possible for people with a migration background to build a successful business. For example, the vaccine manufacturer BioNTech, the food delivery company Delivery Hero and the scientific network Research Gate were founded by people with a migration background.
Do you also have a promising business idea, but don't think you can overcome the German bureaucratic hurdles without help? We at the New Work Association help people with a migration background to become self-employed in Germany. Simply let us know what you have in mind – and we will support you in implementing it.
