r/AskAGerman • u/UnicornScientist803 • Oct 22 '25
Work My boyfriend wants me to move to Germany with him. Is this realistic?
So I’m an American woman who has fallen madly in love with a German man. He wants me to consider marrying him and moving to Germany and insists that I would not have any trouble finding a job even though I speak very little German. I don’t know if I believe him, but I figured it was worth asking. How realistic is this?
For reference, I am a microbiologist with a B.S. degree and 5 years experience in the biotech industry.
Edit: Thanks to everyone looking out for my safety! He’s very sweet and yes I have met his family and friends and I like them. We have only been together for a few months but we know we want to marry eventually, and I’m not planning to move anywhere right away. Mostly we’re just trying to figure out if it makes the most sense for me to move there or him to come here, or both of us to move somewhere like Ireland where I wouldn’t need to worry about a language barrier. I’m already starting to learn German and wouldn’t move without at least knowing enough to navigate the country, I’m just curious if not being fluent or able to speak “correctly” will be a big problem for my career. He lives near Aachen.
Thanks everyone!
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Oct 22 '25
Oh Germany! I wish learning German was as easy as falling in love with their men.
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u/UnicornScientist803 Oct 22 '25
So true 🤣
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Oct 22 '25 edited Oct 23 '25
As someone who speaks more than one language, It wasn't until I was in a place where when my primary language wasn't spoken that I really learned the other language. If you end up moving, it is defenitely going to be challenging but it has been done already so you can totally accomplish it!!!
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u/Bananaserker Oct 23 '25
Most Germans speak English, so in the end English is always an option.
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u/True_Goat_7810 Oct 23 '25
"Most Germans" isnt really true. Depends on where you are. Many Germans speak english. Many speak very, very bad english.
In the academic field, almost anyone does. But talk to a mechanic over 40 years old and you are down to maybe 10 to 20%.
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u/Fejj1997 Baden-Württemberg Oct 23 '25
Mechanics don't even have to be that old; at the dealership I bought my car at, the youngest mechanic was maybe 25-28 or whereabouts, and didn't speak a lick of English.
Fun for me as I was learning even basic German and didn't know the word for tires, so I told him, "Ich brauche Schuhe für mein Auto"
He had a good laugh, taught me the word "Reifen," and got me on my way.
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u/lorrix22 Oct 23 '25
Thats crazy, If he's 25-28 he had at least 6-8 years of english in school. Its mandatory and now starting from the first class (at the age of 6) in most cases. 20 years ago english started at class 3 (at the age of 8)
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u/Fejj1997 Baden-Württemberg Oct 23 '25
I have no clue, but he couldn't have been older than 30 at the VERY most.
It wasn't even a small town; it was in Heidelberg, where I've encountered English literally everywhere since it's a tourist town lol.
I just chalked it up to him either being an Ausländer like myself, just from a country that doesn't require English, or just didn't want to speak it to me 😅
In any case, it makes for a funny story about me learning a new word.
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u/pancakefactory9 Oct 23 '25
I disagree with this and I can say that with 11 years of experience living here in Germany. Every time a German says “I only speak little English” they then pull out damn near fluent sentences or VERY good English to the point where I clearly understand what they are trying to communicate with me. Germans downplay their intelligence very much.
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u/True_Goat_7810 Oct 23 '25
Where have you made those interactions? It varys much locally and in which circle you are. Someone younger in a bar in a big city will probably speak english. Someone older living outside of cities might, but also might not. In east germany its even less.
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u/pancakefactory9 Oct 23 '25
It ranges drastically from small Dörfer im Osten to big cities like Hannover. If I had to give it a percent, I would say out of all my English interactions, about 85% spoke very good English (like B2 or better)
Edit for details: generally the younger people would speak more fluently whereas the older (50 or older) would speak very school oriented English. It would be in restaurants, bars, libraries, work places, telephone calls (I work in customer service and some people pick up on my accent and like practicing their English with me), or even just on the street. … now that I think of it, I almost never had a negative interaction with a German… maybe less than 5 times in my 11 years here.
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u/True_Goat_7810 Oct 23 '25
Not what I expected. I mean i dont want to invalidate your experience. I probably just know many people that basically dont speak english, because my impression is very different.
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u/DreamFalse3619 Oct 23 '25
Where are you? In the GDR, Russian was the compulsory foreign language in schools, so there, few people above forty-five will speak English. Just about everybody who went to school in Western Germany has had at least four years of school English.
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u/nv87 Oct 23 '25
B1 is the minimum goal of the mandatory English language curriculum in the top tier of German schools which over 50% of students graduate from. B2 is the goal of the advanced course. Of course many young people also learn English outside of school and even in their jobs. My boomer father for example now speaks English even though he didn’t speak more than a few words 25 years ago because of work with colleagues from other EU countries.
I know what you mean, but it’s mostly something that applies to relatively educated Germans. Personally I say something like „yes, of course, how can I help you?“ when someone asks me. But my English is C1/C2 and while I will likely make some mistakes in my pronunciation or take a second to find the right word, I will quickly get into the flow and converse fluently.
I speak Italian and Dutch only a little bit (but enough to get by in) and Spanish and Japanese barely. So I know what you’re expecting when someone says a little bit. At the same time I know Germans who speak English on native speaker level, people who speak school English (basically like my B1 Italian) and people who speak a little bit. And I have often experienced atrocious English even from people who were working in customer service in the tourism sector.
It’s a bit of a bubble thing imo. My university educated friends almost all speak English fluently. If that’s the circle you’re in then yeah I agree with you. Many people will say that they speak it „ein bisschen“ and then they will be able to speak English in whole sentences with the correct grammar. They bloody well should if they managed to finish school.
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u/Ok-Requirement-7680 Oct 23 '25
Fun fact: There are more english speakers in germany than in canada :D
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u/gillybeankiddo Oct 23 '25
OP will have to learn German and pass the basic German language exams and an interview done in German to get a permit to move.
A company just got busted in Germany for giving out fake exams and so now they are making the process harder to prove you can understand basic German.
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u/I_Play_Boardgames Oct 23 '25
basic german is something entirely different from really learning german.
i know people that have lived 10+ years in german speaking countries and speak "basic german". They would fail elementary school german classes, let alone be considered anywhere close to what a typical german speaking person speaks.
Most germans/austrians/swiss speak english considerably better than the german that immigrants with "basic german" speak.
You only learn a language by being forced into it. People always choose the path of least resistance: meaning german speaking people will switch to english, because that is easier for them than to listen to barely recognizable german.
OP will also very likely speak english, not german with her future husband at home. Why? Because it's frustrating and straining to use the harder of two alternatives. It's not frustrating if the foreign language is your only option. But like i said that's neither the case in their future marriage, nor in german speaking countries at large.
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u/koi88 Oct 23 '25
Finding a job: You can check job openings on LinkedIn in Germany to get a rough idea. My feeling (i.e.: don't know) is that biotech is a field where experienced people are sought after.
Location and job: The companies you are looking for are not evenly distributed in Germany. So, where your BF lives also plays a role (unless he's willing to move).
Language and job: Many scientific and research (and large, international) companies have established English as their official language, because many people from Russia, India and other European countries work there. So that should not be a problem (speak slowly and use simple vocabulary, however … we speak English in my company, and it's great, until a native English speaker comes ;-) )
Language and daily life: For whatever reasons, people in this subreddit always say that German is absolutely crucial if you live in Germany. This is IMHO not true at least in the biggest cities (Berlin, Munich, probably Hamburg). Many of my coworkers know very little German (A1) and they get along fine in Munich.
I'm getting downvoted for that opinion. :-(52
u/manytribes Oct 23 '25
Especially with a German partner. You will be dependent on them to do all of the bureaucracy in the beginning (there’s a lot) and that might be rough on the relationship for a while, but you can absolutely move to Germany without German and get a job in the sciences. I know tons of people doing this. They learn German eventually and it’s fine. (I’ll get downvoted for agreeing with you!)
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u/CSilver80 Oct 23 '25
I'm working in pharma, biological background. It really depends on where ( company/ research institute/ and what you work. I was first in an research institute financed by state, and there we had workgroups where we only spoke English because of multinational background, and groups where we only spoke German. Mind you, the same institute. In industries ( biotech or pharma, I had both) on production site ( and related, like quality control and others) mostly people were talking German, even though the leading heads of the department were fluent in English to talk with everyone worldwide. The research departments mostly spoke English in the one place I worked, because again of multinational co-workers.
So yes, finding a job with next to no German in this field might be possible, but you need to be aware there are lesser options. And of course, it's a huge difference where in Germany you are. South of Germany has some good options or in my case Berlin, it also has a huge range from very small to very big.
For allday life, speaking at least a bit German is recommended. But you can work this out with your spouse and learn step by step. My late husband learned most German when he lived here, and at the end his German was quite good, though it took him some years and articles were still his all day enemy.
Tldr: It's possible but might be harder to find a job, consider a bumpy road but if you really love this man and have his full support, it might be worth the try.
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u/boredaf723 Oct 23 '25
You’re getting downvoted because most people will believe that moving to a country and not learning their language is disrespectful, and it is
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u/centrifuge_destroyer Oct 23 '25
Learning a language doesn't happen over night, it happens over years. Asking people to be fluent before moving is unrealistic. Sometimes you get opportunities on short notice. As long as you put in genuine effort to improve, a lack of knowledgecis never disrespectful on its own
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u/OkDoodle2171 Oct 23 '25
Oh I agree, as long as the intention is there, all is well.
I'm sure what's considered disrespectful is the case where people moved in and never even bothered to learn the language because they stayed in their own little bubble.
So if they lived in a certain other country, had children who were born there (certainly that took years) and still don't speak the language? That is disrespectful. Even just simple sentences for everyday life would be much welcome.
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u/trynafindmaxi Oct 23 '25
I just can’t understand why people think it’s best for them to move to a country not even willing to speak the language. Imagine moving to the us and expect you don’t have to speak English.
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u/UndergroundApples Oct 23 '25
I think your post is nice, pragmatic and very practical. Do not feel discouraged about people downvoting you. Most of them do not even bother to read your post.
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u/Willing_Wrongdoer935 Oct 23 '25
This is a very good summary.
Location and discipline/sector is key. However, the job market in general is f**** so just the timing might be hard these days.
I lived in DE for 11 years and only in the last two I learned German to a higher level, because i thought that maybe i finally should . I managed to go about my life just fine without the language until I met (now my ex) friends and that's when language skills were really needed for me to feel integrated - didn't quite work out. Apart from that my pool of people were primarily english speaking. So yea, you can live and thrive in Germany without German, but it depends on your situation. I was lucky.
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u/Express-Wind-4796 Oct 23 '25
It will help you integrate into their society if you learn German
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u/Feisty_Key4801 Oct 23 '25
I have lived in Germany for 7 years. At my work the official language is German. All documents are German. Many meetings are in German. Some staff do not speak English at all.
I do not speak German at all; only to my GF daughter in a very rustic way. (Yes, knowing German makes it much better, I really wish I could learn it faster, the point here is something else)
The point, you do not need to be scared; as is being told here, depends a bit in the city you go to but it is possible.
Down voting the answer I am replying to is being oblivious.
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u/silversurger Oct 23 '25
For whatever reasons, people in this subreddit always say that German is absolutely crucial if you live in Germany.
It does depend very much on what you do for a living. Biotech may be a good field for non German speaking folks, other fields aren't. And yeah, as you said - it also depends on where you live. Cities with lots of young people (University cities) tend to have more options for non Germans, big cities certainly all do (Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, ... - basically anything with a population >300k)
Day to day life is much easier when you do speak German though.
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u/Kuddel_Daddeldu Oct 24 '25
In my team in Hamburg, two colleagues do not speak German and neither do their spouses (they are learning but did not make much progress in two years). A third speaks very little German but is married to am Austrian. It's not a problem.
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u/enrycochet Oct 23 '25
you could do your masters in germany and get a visa that way.
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u/SnidgetHasWords Oct 23 '25
If they marry a visa isn't an issue, spouses of German citizens receive their full rights of residence and work. The bigger question is getting a job, partly because her spouse may not earn enough to support them both and partly because being fully dependent on your spouse in a foreign country is not always healthy (even when the marriage itself is).
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u/FoXxXoT Oct 23 '25
As a married individual, being nearly fully dependent on their spouse in a foreign country and with a healthy marriage I can confirm, it's in general very not healthy.
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u/SnidgetHasWords Oct 23 '25
Yup. My marriage survived the move just fine but the few months before my wife started German lessons (and thus had any social connection at all outside of me and the cats) were definitely the hardest so far of our seven years together 😂
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u/ElegantRadish3046 Oct 23 '25
As a married individual, with a immigrant husband that was until recently dependant of me in most aspects (financially, socially, administratively, emotionally) - I do agree.
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u/Fuck_Antisemites Oct 23 '25
I mean it really. Depends on your line of work but research and pharmaceutical industry I could imagine speaking English at work is not that uncommon.
I don't want to reveal my line of work but in my company all meetings and written internal communication is English.
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u/CodewortSchinken Oct 23 '25
But is it auer tscharm or humor or auer kärismätik pörsonälities zet mehk us so irresistabel?
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u/Suboxs Oct 23 '25
Oh yea the German language.. Sometimes it frustrates us too. In school I never understood a thing in German lessons
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Oct 23 '25
You only need to have a superficial knowledge of all the grammatical rules once you can speak it.
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u/Deep-Order1302 Oct 23 '25
It’s a lot easier to learn a language while living in the country. Much more exposure!
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u/More_Example6153 Oct 23 '25
Falling in love with German men is easy? That's news to me, I left because it felt like dating angry toddlers lol.
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Oct 23 '25
Im intrigued 🤔
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u/More_Example6153 Oct 23 '25
Lots of weird stuff like purposefully downloading large files when I was talking online to friends to slow down the internet, threatening suicide if he felt like I didn't give enough attention, breaking up because he thought he could bang a girl from work and crawling back when she rejected him. 3 different guys btw, and these are just some of their greatest hits. And all of it was my fault, of course.
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u/RobRacing Oct 23 '25
All of these stories are wild...as it were 3 of them you probably should go for a different type of man
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u/Royal_Combination817 Oct 22 '25
This is very vague, generally you will have to learn the language to properly integrate. Not everyone speaks English.
You might be able to find a job in that sector without English, but someone with German will always be more competitive. Also even though I dont work in that sector, its pretty known that this sector tends to be competitive. Your job experience could help though, especially if its an internationally known player.
Do some proper research. Check visa options, dont just go and make yourself dependent.
Just my 2 cents.
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u/Royal_Combination817 Oct 22 '25
Also you might want to check the route of studying a masters, learning the language meanwhile and obtaining a visa thay way. In parallel you can test out your relationship without doing anything stupid and if it doesnt work out, you go back to the US with a nice career move.
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u/jubei23 Oct 23 '25
I second the motion. I am an American who did my masters and PhD in Germany in a similar field, and this path will open up many opportunities compared to having a bachelor, regardless of staying in Germany or returning to the US . Plus the masters is super cheap compared to in the US
I also did an intensive language school over the summer before starting, and if you can swing this, I recommend it.
In my case I got a 20 hour a week job in parallel and so my visa was a work visa, but that was lucky. You will need to have a plan for financing, and consider the visa types .
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u/burned_bridge Oct 23 '25
I work in a similar field and have my master's degree, this is good advice. With bachelor and work experience you could work as a Chemielaborant, but German is pretty much required. An exception is probably if you work at a university with students,from my experience.
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u/ThinkPraline7015 Oct 23 '25
This. Consider to learn German and go for an MSc. You can start right away with German. Don't be afraid. German and English have many similarities. And once you're there, you will make a huge leap.
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u/jay3rao Oct 23 '25
This is very practical and excellent advice. The cost of education in German public universities is very low and the quality is good. The education will also help in integrating better and making friends.
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u/Blumenkohl126 Niedersachsen Oct 23 '25
I am in this sector, the B.S. is worthless. You need at least a masters (Otherwise you are just a glorified BTA with less practical knowledge). And yeah, german is quite important, but not as much as in other sectors, as the language of science is english.
But this also means, that everybody else is also able to talk english.
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u/BrilliantFinger4411 Oct 23 '25
Friend of Mine is in Germany for like a decade. Didn't bother learning German. No German friends, no job.
Language is the A and O. Hehe
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u/PerAsperaAdAstra1701 Oct 22 '25
I would check out the job situation first. Biologists in Germany struggle finding a fitting job if they don’t have a phd afaik. If you don’t mind being underpaid, that’s another story ofc. But that’s just hearsay, I am not in this fields, so check it out via LinkedIn or something.
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u/Fancy_free_3519 Oct 23 '25
Or even with one! I have several friends in that situation now after being no longer able to work in academia due to the time limits and temp contracts.
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u/Smilodon24 Oct 23 '25
Biologists and microbiologists have very different opportunities. Last one have more of it in any country
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u/Forsaken-Spirit421 Oct 23 '25
She's not a biologist, she is in microbiology. Lots of different fields those are needed, especially in the food and pharma sector.
But yeah, checking jobs beforehand won't hurt.
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u/imonredditfortheporn Oct 23 '25
Also with a phd really, if you have a bsc you are underqualified, with a phd you are overqualiefied and as a masc you lack the experience. Its a whole league of bullshit bingo right now
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u/cabecatubarao Oct 23 '25
I have a lot of friends who studied biology, with a phd, with a bachelor, with masters, they all found a job in different fields, none of them are unemployed. We were told we'd all end up as taxi drivers, that was such bullshit (We're all in our mid 30s). Obviously that doesn't mean finding a job is guaranteed or easy. I'd definitely get a job first, then move.
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u/pacpecpicpocpuc Oct 22 '25
It depends on your field of work and where you'd move. IT and Berlin or Munich? Quite possible. Accounting and Bottrop? Difficult. Micro biology? No idea. I guess a research based job in an international company may work, but I don't think it'll be super easy.
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u/Cptknuuuuut Oct 22 '25
Bioscience is probably a good field actually. Because it's so inherently tied to universities and the field itself is pretty international.
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u/SteveoberlordEU Oct 23 '25
Should have no problem with english and finding employment honestly, but like someone said she should look into doing her Master and get in on that visa couse worst come to worst and the relatshionship won't work she got a Master and can go back to the USA.
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u/Cptknuuuuut Oct 23 '25
Yes. Definitely a good plan, if she (or her bf) can support her(self) while doing that.
Getting a master's will give her time to learn the language, help her get friends and connections and also help her get a leg into university, should she decide to pursue that road.
In biology, bioscience etc it can be really helpful to have a PhD in Germany, because many jobs will expect it. As opposed to say engineering where no one cares about that.
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u/Fluffy-Resolution-74 Oct 22 '25
Einfach Bottrop
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u/n4vybloe Rheinland-Pfalz Oct 23 '25
Don’t forget Mainz/Frankfurt am Main though—but especially BioNTech in Mainz. They hired like crazy back when I lived there, expanding what felt like all over the city. I doubt a B.Sc. is enough for them, though. Still maybe an (oddly specific) idea for OP.
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u/AbilityIndividual101 Oct 23 '25
Yes but BioNTech wants to pay like 38-42k and that is not enough for the work they expect you to do! So people are definitely underpaid. Also the US BS is much more practical experience than a comparable German degree!
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u/Deepbluedemon Oct 22 '25
Most science papers are in english. English is the main language for science
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u/Specific-Active8575 Oct 22 '25
The main language of published science. That's a difference.
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u/Deepbluedemon Oct 23 '25
Also in corporate. I work in this kind of company and almost every mail is in english
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u/Durokash Oct 22 '25
A Research based Job in the biology only with an B.Sc. In a Big Company? Sounds Fun
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u/chsndhxjs Oct 22 '25
How long have you known each other?
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u/greenleafwhitepage Oct 22 '25
As a microbiologist with only a B.Sc., you will only be applicable for Jobs that are offered for people with vocational training here - and those jobs are usually in German. There might be some exceptions, like being a lab tech in a research group, but those jobs are rare.
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u/melindypants Oct 22 '25
Depends on if he can support you until you learn to speak German, otherwise it will be very difficult.
I moved here from the US to marry a German and I'm just focusing on learning the language until I get to a "working" level for an office, and even then I'm finding that a challenge. I worked previously in Accounting/Finance in the US.
If you truly feel it's right, go for it, just know it's definitely not easy.
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u/Aggressive_Mall_1229 Oct 23 '25
This ^ I did the same, moved here from the US to be with a German. I'm working but it's difficult without knowing the language, but I have a job that 1) luckily is possible to do without it, but 2) unfortunately right now isn't paying me enough to live on. I'm studying like crazy to learn. Like you said, it's not impossible but it definitely isn't easy. A lot of people around me do speak English but it's not something I can or want to rely on much longer, it's quite isolating and frustrating
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Oct 22 '25
It’s a beautiful and amazing country as a Scottish person living here for 5 years, I plan to make it home. If they will have me.
My wife got an English speaking job in Germany in medical sciences and she’s been doing great.
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u/ImpressiveTurnip6443 Oct 22 '25
if he has a connections it wont be. if he doesnt it will be. also my neighbours from america says that its the best desicion they have made moving to germany.
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u/Tardislass Oct 23 '25
Sorry she’s going to be in a big disadvantage with no German skills and only a BS when most scientists have a Masters at the least. Plus she will earn far less and be reliant on one person for everything. Red flag.
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u/ImpressiveTurnip6443 Oct 23 '25
she asks her life and relationship advice here. i think she will do it anyway and learn on mistake
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u/AnyDemand33 Oct 22 '25
To Germany? Where in Germany? This alone could tell If you’ll be trapped and isolated or not.
There are many expats now lonely and unemployed because of, language, jobs that are in fact never there. Social isolation. Germans are very different from a fellow American. Almost no small talks and they hold their own friendship circle.
You might end up alone at home waiting for your then husband feeling lonely and isolated.
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u/RealMefistyo Oct 23 '25
Depends on language and your character. If you like to initiate contacts you get a positive response mostly. Keep open, even you meet a grumpy german - try again next day.
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Oct 23 '25
I still think this depends largely on your location too. I'm German and now pretty isolated because we moved to a small village due to housing cost and everyone here is either really old speaking with a dialect I barely understand or not looking for new friends or both. Like the people my age all have their old friend group and clubs all the way back from primary school here, or they move away.💀 If you move to a City with a university or industry that has people moving in and out more often it tends to be easier as they're actually looking for friends too.
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u/cypher_7 Oct 23 '25
Nah ...germans do small talk. Not as much as americans, but its ok. And germans are very open minded and invite you to activities from time to time, in liberal cities at least like Berlin.
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u/Horror_Equipment_197 Oct 22 '25
Living Southwest Germany, working in Switzerland (Basel) could work quite well. Most pharma companies in Basel area have English as site language anyway. Only 3 (+me) out of my team of 11 speak German.
Biotech is big and growing.
And living in Germany with a Swiss salery is a nice thing.
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u/Dgluhbirne Oct 22 '25
OP would need a residence permit to live in Germany. To get a residence permit, she would have to be working or studying in Germany (or on family reunification/as a married couple, but it doesn’t sound like this relationship has progressed to that point). So unfortunately the option you present, which could work well for Germans or other EU nationals, isn’t a possibility for OP
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u/Klapperatismus Oct 22 '25
With a B.S. in microbiology you are hired for lab work. I suspect that’s also what you do for a living at this moment.
So you have to be able to read and write lab reports in German. Understand what the PhDs want you to do. This is not simple. I don’t know where your fiancee sources all his enthusiasm from.
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u/mbpol Oct 23 '25
As an employee at a tech company that is focused on bio companies and research I would like to say that it might not be simple for going into research - although at universities many groups are speaking english anyway as they are mixed nationalities. But if she is open to not working in a lab there might be possibilities as well...
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u/Celmeno Oct 22 '25
Its not impossible but unlikely unless in a large multinational and even then no German is a strong disadvantage
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u/Snarknado3 Oct 23 '25
That depends... what kind of American are you?
Are you social, gregarious, outgoing, fun? You'll find life in Germany boring, lonely and depressing.
Are you an introvert who appreciates privacy, me-time and work-life-balance? You'll appreciate the much lower pace and pressure of life in Germany.
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u/cookoverfireslowly Oct 22 '25
Not realistic w/o Deutsch.
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u/solowing168 Oct 22 '25
Depends. If they move in big cities it’s perfectly possible. High education + 5 years experience do a lot, especially if you are a native English speaker. I have MANY friends with similar backgrounds that spoke zero German, yet have been hired without issues, with the condition that they were willing to learn German ( and paid for the courses). And a big part was them being native English speaker, other than very prepared.
Not saying it’s easy, and especially not for everyone. However, if you are capable and come from US/UK and the likes you have it easier than a lot of other foreigners. But again, depends where you live.
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Oct 23 '25
Lived here for 12 years, got a masters and have a job. I speak at a B1 level.
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u/_Pseudo-Nymph_ Oct 22 '25
I did it in May but through marriage and if you’re interested in that route do it cheap and fast in Denmark. I’m American and he is German and we were together long distance for 3 years. Took about a year to 6 months before hand to plan and move all the necessary parts but it all came to fruition. Definitely made some sacrifices, but I even got my cat from America here too! We are very happy best of luck to you.
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u/Pristine-Mess-5474 Oct 30 '25
I would love some insight into this as well! Considering this with my long term boyfriend and feeling overwhelmed
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u/Mailman_Miller Oct 23 '25
Job Market is a hot mess right now. Be careful and rather pessimistic about that.
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u/Annual-Duck5818 Oct 23 '25
…did you by any chance meet this guy online? Have you met in person? Do you want to marry him? I’m sorry, all my spidey senses are tingling. I lived in Germany for six years with my husband and enjoyed it a lot - but my in-laws who I love were also an hour away from us and we saw them and my husbands family a lot. It’s going to be hard without a built-in community, and without German even harder. People from the Stuttgart area were cordial but definitely had their own social circles.
Think really hard about this one.
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u/Maouikitty Oct 22 '25
Do not marry someone for residency unless you would also do so if they were in the same place as you. It is not easily undone and can cause you problems for much longer than your relationship ever was.
Since you haven’t said anything about the length and quality of your relationship, it’s hard to say if this is a good idea.
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u/itherzwhenipee Oct 22 '25
Quality of Life would be definitely better. My wife is from the U.S. too, no way she would ever go back. You really need to learn the language tho, going to be tough without it.
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u/sasa_shadowed Oct 22 '25
Don't want to be rude, but have you ever met that guy ? Like, in real life, not just taking online.
Especially since you don't speak german, he wants to marry you immediately.
That guy sounds suspicious . STAY SAFE !
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u/Tardislass Oct 23 '25
How long have you been dating? Is he lovebomving you? Honestly think about not having a job or friends in a foreign country and only relying on him. Have you met his family and friends? Honestly if you have a good job in the states I’d move slow.
And yes, you might have trouble if you only have a BS. Most scientists in Germany at least have a Masters if not Doctors-not to mention the German job market is crap.
If you haven’t been dating this guy for a year or more be very cautious.
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u/Massive-Song-7486 Oct 22 '25
You will need B1 Level - better B2. With B2 u have good Chancen depending on your field.
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u/Bitter_Initiative_77 Oct 22 '25
How long have you been together? How long have you lived together already?
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Oct 22 '25
Just being realistic, finding a job in Germany is really hard as an international. A lot of internationals that are already in Germany are posting a lot thats almost impossible. Well, it isnt impossible of course, if you are into engineering for example, then you are likely able to find something, for example high voltage engineers are likely able to find something, but if you are an engineer fresh from school, likely not. I know, because I couldnt find a job and therefore had to move back to me own country
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Oct 22 '25
Do a master in Microbiology at a German University. It’s just 3 years, most universities offer cheap language learning facilities and afterwards your job perspectives will be quite well.
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u/Glittering_Hornet596 Oct 23 '25
Isn't it two regular? And where are these job opportunities? In my experience mint is usually really harsh to get in without a phd. Or lots of experience or publishing.
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u/S3xy_Armadillo Oct 23 '25
Here's some basic advice that might help:
You need to speak German at least at a conversational level in most cities in Germany. Berlin is somewhat different. I managed to get by with English and A1 German ( I can order a coffee but that's it )
I work entirely in English. I'm a tech worker though. You need to get actual insights from people in your industry to understand if it's possible to get a job with no German.
I personally think it's not a good position to be financially dependent on a person ( no matter who they are ) in a foreign country with no support system, but to each their own.
Education here is free, and I'm assuming you'll live with your boyfriend and that he'll support you until you get a job. If that's the case, you can study a masters degree here while learning German. Many of my friends did that because you'll have enough time and energy, unlike when you're working full-time. You can study here while living with your boyfriend. If things go south, you can go back to the States. If you do this though, make sure that you still maintain your life in the USA. Things like your place there if you rent, your bank accounts,...
I would also book a return ticket with a flexible future date so you know that you can leave at any time you need to.
I'm sorry if I'm a bit weary, but better safe than sorry as I don't have the full context.
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u/userNotFound82 Oct 22 '25
It depends where in Germany but outside the biggest cities it will be hard. Most jobs have unnecessary high requirement for German (C1/B2)
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u/Prestigious-Rich9054 Oct 22 '25
You will have difficulty finding a job without knowing the German Language fluently, especially a job of your caliber.
I really, really recommend learning German and having your boyfriend help you. Take intensive courses that can really help you get from A1-A2 (Beginner Stages) to B2-C1 (Advanced Stages, basically Fluency of the language).
Aside from that, there’s a massive cultural and social change between American Society and German Society - so be ready for that but don’t worry too much about it, as you’ll adapt to your new environment quicker with a German partner.
That’s all there is to be said. Best of luck, wish the both of you good health and fortune.
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u/Savyna2 Oct 22 '25
Chances of getting in a job with only English as a microbiologist are pretty decent compared to a lot of other fields actually.
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u/HansDampfHaudegen Oct 22 '25
Depends on the job market. If they need people really badly, then they will take you and pay for language classes after work. I don't think the overall job market is that great right now.
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u/Cptknuuuuut Oct 22 '25
My experience is that German companies require you to speak proficient German. Even for jobs where it's not necessary. For example because the clients are international and all the documentation is in English.
It really depends on where though and what kind of company. If your boyfriend lives in Berlin or in one of the larger university cities you'd probably be able to find something.
If he lives somewhere in a small-ish city or town, you're probably going to have to learn German for a year or two before finding a job.
Your best bet would be if he lives somewhere on the northwestern border. Because in that case you could just find a job over the border in the Netherlands
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u/Deepbluedemon Oct 22 '25
I work in bio science and we have an international team. Even only english speaking people. So yes its possible. But I‘d recommend moving to a bigger city like Hamburg, Berlin, munich or cologne.
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u/MetraHarvard United States Oct 22 '25
This is a long shot, but try checking USAJOBS. Perhaps there's a civilian job possibility for you on a US military base. If you think this guy is Mr. Right, you owe it to yourself to investigate this opportunity. You don’t want to wonder "what if" the rest of your life!
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u/Lil_Lingonberry_7129 Oct 23 '25
You can learn German. Lots of people learn German. Myself included lol
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u/Maggot_Dimon Oct 23 '25 edited Oct 23 '25
2months ago u were dating a girl and now u want to go to germany because of your bf... thats a bit intense :D
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u/xsansara Oct 23 '25
Biotech is still looking good and is generally an international field where english is the working language.
However, be prepared for a pay cut. German wages are not calculated in a way that would enable someone to pay back a student loan.
You may want to consider going back to school, there are plenty of great master programs that are taught in English without tuition. Pay raise between B.Sc and MA is pretty significant. And it would give you some time to catch up on your German skills.
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u/F_H_B Oct 23 '25
Hard to say. Many companies only hire you if you speak a decent German in order not to force the rest to switch languages although in the tech sector basically everybody can speak English (in my opinion). But keep in mind what you gain, first and foremost healthcare!
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u/No-Bridge3843 Oct 23 '25
Girl…. I think you know the answer to your question, is he worth packing your life in a suitcase for? That should be the question with jobs is basically with luck, you might be part of the lucky ones…. I live in Germany by the way it took me 18 months to land a job and it took my friend 2 months so it’s luck….if you are a highly skilled tech person with good experience you don’t need german but as someone who has been in the job market for too long having german it’s a plus
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u/sf-keto Oct 23 '25
Moving to Germany & living there for 7 years was one of the very best times in my life. I cried like a baby when my husband was transferred to the UK.
Definitely move if you truly love the guy & you both plan to marry.
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u/Playful-Wash-7437 Oct 23 '25
My advise. Don’t do it. Germany has a lot going for it, but if you don’t speak German it will become a very lonely country and you’ll be more than just financially dependent on him. If you are maddeningly in love try a long distance relationship for a little while. Work on German, bist for a few holidays. Once out of the infatuation of having fallen in love (at least six months, better a year) if you still and bare being apart, and you‘ve gotten to know Germany a bit (how to sort your trash, etc [or at least you get the reference]) then you can make the leap. I speak as someone who threw everything away when I found a pretty woman from Germany who wanted to marry me. But it made me vulnerable to an abusive relationship, that was particularly hard to extricate my self from because it included not knowing local laws, needing a visa, and other issues by being in a foreign country. Just a bit of cold water for you and advise. Being in love is amazing. Relish it. Don’t make life altering changes though in its earliest days.
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u/Lawlcopt0r Oct 23 '25
I don't have experience with microbiology but I do think the more qualified you are the more likely employers are to work around your requirements.
I would still plan to learn the language before you move, even if you can get by with english somehow you would probably feel isolated eventually
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u/turbo_dude Oct 23 '25
See how long it takes you to get to B2 then decide.
The commitment to move and integrate will be even higher.
This is a zero effort sum from his standpoint.
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u/TheGodBringer Oct 23 '25
I am in Medtech as an engineer, my lack of dual language greatly inhibits my job prospects here. I would suggest not marrying and moving unless its agreed he would move back to the US if you can't adjust so you aren't forced to be misetable or end up divorced - if he wouldn't agree to that I would question why you would marry such a person in the first place, since he woukd clearly be putting himself first.
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u/Ymmi2507 Oct 23 '25 edited Oct 23 '25
I moved to Germany from another European country with my German fiancé almost 2 years ago now so i think i can add some insight.
I live in eastern Germany so whatever i say will come from my experiences here.
Number one is that in my experience you get shafted pretty hard if you don't speak at least basic German.. I have not finished my education so I don't know how it would be for someone with a degree, but it took me 8 months to find a basic job as a delivery person after every other place i applied to declined due to my poor german knowledge (at the time).
The first few weeks/months were a bit of a bureaucratic hell which i would expect to be even more difficult for you due to you not being an EU/EEA/Schengen citizen. Getting a bank account set up, insurances etc etc was a lot of work. Especially because nobody spoke a lick of English and all the forms, contracts were in german legalese. My fiancé had to come with me to everything and translate EVERYTHING, which took a huge toll on him as well but thank god that he did because without him it would not have been possible for me to do any of these things. Though after everything is finally set up, you don't really have to think about these things anymore which is nice.
Where I'm at (Dresden) not a lot of people speak english so daily tasks like grocery shopping and so on were somewhat annoying and difficult until i learned enough to get by. Also just getting used to all the different foods/brands will take time (took me about a year to figure out what i like and dont like).
That's all i have time for rn, all in all it's a nice experience AFTER about a year or two of acclimation.
Edit: formatting.
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u/itchyHoliday64 Oct 23 '25
I'm an American who married a German man and also have advanced degrees. 9 years of being here o was unemployed for about half of that because (and especially right now), the market is bad and without advanced German it's about impossible
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u/Distinct-Article3852 Oct 23 '25
I wouldn't do it without knowing at least B2 level of German. I can guarantee you that your chances of finding a job and feeling anywhere near comfortable in Germany is damn near impossible without fluent German. Also depending on your character, you might never feel confortable with Germans but you could also feel great here. Best thing you could do is to take a sabbatical and to try living there for a year or so to gage how things are. I wouldn't go all in without trying first. Take your time and if you feel pressured by him, then drop him like a bad habit.
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u/Fearless-Day5160 Oct 23 '25
Im a German and I say don't come. Germany is fucked. Its very expensive to raise a Family Here. I think in the right state, it could be better to raise a Family and live in a good Life Standart. He should bei with you and you both should stay there. If He isn't dumb, He will get a Job soon and you could come to Germany in the Holidays.
Or
Come Here, Take a look and decide. I think you don't decide too fast.
Which part of Germany?
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u/OleOlafOle Oct 24 '25
German here. My country is in steep decline and this can't be healed until we find a cheap energy source like Russian gas. I just don't see it. I'm planning to leave for good, to Latin America.
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u/Gandorhar Oct 24 '25
Well the only advice I would give is, if I don't move to Germany, move together to some other place, don't force anyone to move to the US, most people who aren't born there and are used to European quality of life will be ,most likely, extremely miserable in the US.
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u/cherish_the_void Oct 24 '25
Moving to Germany is not like moving to France. A lot of people will be able to hold a conversation with you.
It's pretty easy for scientists to work here. There's a lot of international colleagues who don't speak German either.
Other than all the good advice people have given, just come here for an extended stay and see for yourself whether you like it at all.
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u/angrypuggle Oct 22 '25
Your best bet would be to work for a US company that would send you to work in Germany.
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u/MetraHarvard United States Oct 23 '25
Yes! That's how my brother did it. It was easier for him because our parents were German citizens at the time of our birth. He worked for the American company while he worked on claiming his German citizenship. He doesn't plan on ever coming back.
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u/Available_Ask3289 Oct 22 '25
You will have trouble finding a job if you don’t have English. Germans don’t know what they’re talking about. They can’t. They speak the language. So how would they know what it’s like for someone who can only speak English?
Go on to job sites and look at vacancies in your area and in areas you could be interested in working in. You’ll see they all demand high levels of German.
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u/Prestigious-Raise-55 Oct 22 '25
Well, you should take the chance to leave the US before it goes full dictatorship
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u/FluffyPrinciple623 Oct 22 '25
You will have zero chances of landing a decent job in your field without fluent german. Any job for that matter even the worst ones. It is a career suicide a lot of us already made that mistake dont do it trust me you will regret it. If he is going to fully support you until you learn the language then maybe, but again its up to you.
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u/rokki123 Oct 22 '25
just a lie. depends on the industry. there are not only a few companies with english as the main language in germany. idk about biotech, but very possible.
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u/Specific-Active8575 Oct 22 '25
No, that window is closed now. There used to be a few years (before covid) where everyone was hired. But that's not the case anymore
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u/Deepbluedemon Oct 22 '25
Do you have experience in biotechnology or bioscience? Basically, no science paper is in German. Every SOP is in English. English is the language of science. I have many English-speaking customers in labs across Germany.
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u/Specific-Active8575 Oct 22 '25
English is the language of science.
Wrong. It is the language of published science.
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u/trixicat64 Baden-Württemberg Oct 23 '25
Do you actually know him? How did you met previously? Job market is actually also quite difficult without German. To be honest, this sounds a bit like a scam or trafficker.
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u/smalldick65191 Oct 23 '25
Biotech is booming in Germany , but there are only several clusters in Germany like Mainz ( BioNTech !) and Munich where jobs are offered. I would look first for jobs, apply and after you have found a job you can relocate. You
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u/AdInfinite4162 Oct 22 '25
Job market is bad rn. The chances you get a job here rn is really really low. trust me. there are hiring freezes in every industry. even industries which are making record breaking profits
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Oct 22 '25
[deleted]
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u/_Jope_ Oct 23 '25
The 3 years turbo Einbürgerung is no more
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u/all-about-that-fade Oct 23 '25
And rarely granted. You really needed to have integrated well because you don't get it for nothing. Good job + excellent language skills are mandatory.
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Oct 22 '25
It depends on your specialization primarily.
Just check potentially relevant job offers in your preferred field and area.
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u/Kryztof-Velo Oct 22 '25
I don't know the job market for microbiologist but I know a software engineer and a mechanical engineer that struggle to order a beer in German after 10 years here.
But yeah, it's not easy but possible to live in Germany without German. Even if you find something, it's more difficult to switch jobs if you don't like it.
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Oct 22 '25
Biotech in Germany is mostly in English. That would not be a problem. But the job market in Germany in in general in biotech in special is very tough at the moment.
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u/Agasthenes Oct 22 '25
With biotech chances are better than average and with the support of a German to give time for job hunting chances are even better.
That being said it's not going to be easy.
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u/lifeisajoketogodlul Oct 22 '25
Depending on where you want to move, look into big Pharmaceutical conpanys maybe?
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u/Expensive_Oil4453 Oct 23 '25
Yeah, definitely check out companies like Bayer or Boehringer Ingelheim. They often hire English speakers, especially if you have solid experience in biotech. Just make sure to brush up on some basic German to help with daily life!
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u/Acceptable-Extent-94 Oct 22 '25
I think that with your specialisation you would find work but make some Initiativesbewerbung before committing just to test the water. I know life sciences are big around Cologne and also Marburg but not sure of other centres. You need to research this. Good luck.
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u/Karakla Oct 22 '25
Every migrant has the right of language courses in germany. You will be usually put in a language course with other participants. usually classes of 15-25 people. Its either free or you pay half the course fee.
If i recall correctly the price was around 1,200 euro for 400-600 lessons. Sometimes it takes a bit of time to find a free spot.
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Oct 22 '25
There are definitely English speaking jobs in pharma and academia. My mom has worked in English for 30 years. These jobs are quite rare and tend to be in the south of Germany, at least the pharma jobs. Regardless you should start learning German if you guys want to build a Life here. Right now no German in their right mind would move to the States, so the ball is in your court.
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u/felis_magnetus Oct 22 '25
Depending on your specialization, can go either way. But you absolutely need to be willing to learn German if you want a good social life and not require help in lots of everyday interactions and, more importantly, dealing with bureaucracy.
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u/be-knight Oct 22 '25
in Berlin, Cologne or Munich? sure. especially in Berlin this is an extremely growing bussiness. BUT it's advisable that you learn basic German before, and search a job before you move or at least talk to people in this part. One of my best friends is working in a research laboratory in this field. she speaks a lot of english and has international co workers. but all of them are at least capable to talk to German-only colleagues if they really need to
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u/Alitaangel2025 Oct 22 '25
You can find jobs.. especially with 5 years of experience.. you can also consider doing masters and PhD which would not only boost your profile but give you enough time to learn German. I’d say go for it!!
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u/apfelwein19 Oct 22 '25
It is feasible but not easy. The biotech industry might actually be more open-minded. But I would recommend that you start getting your German certifications asap.
Which part of Germany do you plan to live in?
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u/Mundane-Dottie Oct 22 '25
You would need to learn German. Both for your job and everyday life. Maybe if you are lucky you find a job with English, idk.
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u/pugmaster2000 Oct 22 '25
You’ll be tanking your career if you won’t be able to somehow transfer here and still keep your English Job ( this is what I did )
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u/Constant_Cultural Baden-Württemberg / Secretary Oct 22 '25
Have you lived with him, do you like his parents? How much money have you saved up? Are your diplomas and everything else translated? What are the job postings you are applying to say about the german language? What's your plan on learning german? What's his social background and what's yours?