Obtaining a European Union visa, or an EU work visa, may seem like a challenge, but there are many ways to obtain one, whether you choose to try once you've entered the country, or apply before leaving. Be prepared to do a lot of legwork and possibly spend a significant amount of money to get the right visa and everything should go fairly smoothly
Standard Worker Visa
EU work visas fall into three categories, the first being a Standard skilled or unskilled worker visas. This visa is generally the most difficult to obtain because you have to be able to prove that you have a skill that is useful to the country. A person generally also has to be sponsored by a company, so it may be best to get a tourist visa, find a job, and go from there since it is very difficult to find a job overseas. There are pitfalls to this, however, because it is technically illegal to enter the country to look for work without a permit. The company also has to prove that they tried to fill the position with a citizen of the country first, and companies are generally unwilling to do the paperwork. This may be the most difficult, and expensive visa to get, but it is the right way to go to obtain permanent immigration into the country.
Student Visa
The second type of visa is a student visa. There are several things you must have in order to be granted a student visa. You must be enrolled in and have an endorsement from an academic institution in the country. You must also have a bank statement proving that you have enough money to support yourself for the duration of your course. Finally, you will need a valid passport, two passport photos, and proof of a round trip ticket. The amount of paid work you are allowed to do, does varies from country to country. Some countries won't even allow you to work at all, so be cautious.
The third and final type of EU work visa is a temporary, migrant, or working holiday visa. This is generally the easiest type of visa to obtain and includes teaching English in some countries, Au pairs, and working holidays. This EU work visa is most appropriate for someone who wants to stay from a few months, up to a year or two. It is difficult for U.S. Citizens to obtain this type of visa because the U.S. doesn't offer anything like it. However, there are services such as BUNAC (British University North American Club) that can assist with this in Ireland and the U.K. These services do not come cheap, but they may be the best or only option in some cases. There are several countries, though, that Canadians can travel to with this type of visa.
There are also country specific visas, such as France's option of obtaining an EU work visa in order to start up a private business. Obtaining a work visa is the safest route if you intend to stay anywhere in Europe for an extended amount of time. With a little preparation and a lot of paperwork, anyone should be able to find the right working visa for them and be able to enjoy Europe to the fullest.
Visit often to learn more information from our updated EU Work Visa.
