Hello, I recently applied for a work visa as an animal keeper (tierpfleger) in a clinic in Münich. I had been in contact over the past year with the company and this was the final step towards me joining their roaster. The contract and all the required documents were in order and the visa staff checked everything with me before accepting the application. Yesterday I got the sad news of a refusal. Reason? Either paycheck is too low for the minimum of the regional wage or it doesn’t add up with the declared pay from the employer.
My afreed salary was of 2150 euros which still is a bit more than minimum wage) Now I am a veterinarian in my home country having graduated vet school and I agreed to work at the lowest position of aninal keeper given my lack of advanced german with the idea of progressing in hierarchy while learning the language. A friend of mine who had also applied earlier to the same clinic easily got the work visa and started working 2 months ago with the same degree, documents and experience as me. I messaged the clinic and they told me that “the rules have changed recently” and that aninal keepers had to have 2500 euri salaries in order to be accepted by the embassy. They further told me that given this situation they cannot give me a higher paycheck because they cannot raise it for the others that are already working. But isnt this already against the law? How can they continue paying them 2100 eur while they “changed law” says it needs to be at least 2500? I am beyond saddened right now after investing so much time, money and effort this whole year. Is there a possible solution to this situation?
4 comments
Yeah you wouldn‘t get a work visa for a job that pays a bit more than minimum wage. 2150€ is pretty low especially for a town like munich
It’s not against the law to have low paying jobs (above minimum wage). But immigrants need higher salary to avoid keeping the salary low by simply importing people from low wage countries.
That law basically exists to force employers to increase wage *before* relying on foreign employees.
Salary is extremely low
I would say most Germans are glad if authorities don’t grant visa for what is essentially wage dumping.