Hey,
It's Srijith from 0049 :)
Welcome to The Blick! Each week I round up the stories, events, and opportunities that matter most if you’re living in Germany or planning a move here for work or studies.
🔹 Trump raises EU car tariffs: The US raised import tariffs on European cars from 15 to 25 percent, analysts warn this could cost Germany up to €30 billion in economic output long-term.
🔹 Working hours reform: Labour Minister Bärbel Bas confirmed in the Bundestag that a draft law replacing Germany's daily 8-hour working cap with a flexible weekly maximum will be submitted in June, a reform trade unions warn could, in theory, enable individual workweeks of up to 73.5 hours.
🔹 Bundesrat blocks the tax-free employee bonus: The German federal states voted down the government's planned relief bonus on May 8, meaning employers cannot yet offer workers the one-time tax-free payment of up to €1,000.
🔹 Germany's tax revenues forecast: Finance Minister Klingbeil presented a tax estimate showing a €87.5 billion shortfall over five years, directly attributing the collapse to the energy price shock from the Iran war
🔹 Ascension Day public holiday, Thursday, May 14, all federal states Government offices including Ausländerbehörden, universities, banks, and most businesses will be closed nationwide.
🔹 New Video: This week's video covers one of the most stressful parts of the entire Germany move, getting a visa appointment when every slot on VFS Global shows red.
The video walks through how the appointment system actually works, when new slots tend to appear, how to book an appointment faster and what to do when the portal locks you out. If you are applying for a student visa, work visa, or Opportunity Card and have been stuck staring at a calendar full of unavailable dates, this is the practical starting point. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AdAX8l1hTE
That is it for this week. Stay informed, stay prepared.
Until next week,
💙 Peace,
Srijith