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DE Kapitel 14

March 1, 2012

It can be difficult to find success in a foreign land and in a foreign society. These are the three keys to successful integration: language, job and social life.

https://p.dw.com/p/139FW
Two men greet each other
In order to truly feel at home, you'll need to learn the language of your host countryImage: LAIF

From the moment you enter a new country as an immigrant, you need to be able to communicate with other people: to get directions, to buy a bus ticket or to get some food. Luckily even outside of countries where English is the official language, most European understand the language quite well.

But you can't really start feeling at home until you learn the native language of your host country. This will make it easer to make new friends and allow you to read local newspapers, and the whole labor market will open up to you.

A regular job is not only the key to financial independence, but also to a rich social life. Apart from language skills, professional qualifications are also very important. So in addition to getting a good education, you should also get some work experience as soon as possible. Students, for example, can look for a part-time job related to their studies.

Two women in front of a laptop
Numerous NGOs help with problems of everyday life as well as with jobsImage: DW

In Europe, there are many opportunities for highly qualified professionals. German companies are always complaining about the shortage of specialists in fields like IT or mechanical engineering. That's why foreigners who are highly qualified in these branches are usually able to get a residence and working permit quite easily. By law all foreign graduates of German universities are granted an additional residence permit for 12 months to find a job.

In any decent-sized town immigrants will find local organizations specialized in helping foreigners survive the German bureaucracy jungle and solve the little problems of daily life. And joining a sports club, a church choir or other kind of group will make the transition easier.