German Consulate Toronto: How to Apply for the Youth Mobility Visa for Germany
This page covers how to apply for the German Youth Mobility Visa (Working Holiday Visa) at the German Consulate in Toronto. Below, you will find detailed information on the visa application process to help you through the application process at the consulate.
❗ Note: We endeavour to keep our visa information up to date. However, before applying, we recommend always cross-referencing our information with the official application information from the German Consulate in Toronto.
For Canadians, the German Working Holiday Visa is called the Youth Mobility Visa. Unlike other countries, Canadian citizens can apply for the German Youth Mobility Visa twice, meaning you can live in Germany for a maximum of two years on this visa. The visa is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in German culture and really get to grips with the German language, all the while having the possibility of working to fund your stay.
So, without further ado, let us dive on in…
Who can apply for the Youth Mobility Visa at the German Consulate in Toronto?
In order to be eligible for the Youth Mobility Visa for Germany, there are a few basic requirements you must meet:
✔️ You must be a Canadian passport holder.
✔️ You must be between 18 and 35 years old. You can apply right up until the day of your 36th birthday.
✔️ You must not be travelling with dependents (e.g. children).
If you meet these prerequisites, then you are in luck, you are eligible for the Youth Mobility Visa for Germany! 🎉
The next step is applying for the Youth Mobility Visa at the German Consulate in Toronto.
Note: Canadian citizens can also apply for the Youth Mobility Visa after their arrival in Germany. We have put together a comprehensive guide of exactly how you would apply for the Youth Mobility Visa at the immigration office in Berlin.
What are the conditions of the Youth Mobility Visa for Germany
Citizens of Canada can apply for the Youth Mobility Visa twice under different categories.
The categories are:
🇦 Young professionals who wish to obtain further training under a contract of employment and increase their knowledge of Germany's language, culture and society.
🇧 Young citizens who wish to do a work placement in a business in Germany as part of their studies or training.
🇨 Canadian post-secondary students who wish to engage in an occupational activity during their academic vacation.
🇩 Young citizens who wish to stay in Germany for tourism and cultural discovery purposes while being authorised to work to supplement their financial resources.
For the first application, Canadian citizens generally apply under category D and for the second application people apply under category A and supply a German work contract when applying.
How to Apply for the Youth Mobility Visa at the German Consulate in Toronto
1️⃣ Prepare your application documents, book a visa appointment and apply for the German Youth Mobility Visa at the German Consulate in Toronto
2️⃣ Move to Germany. Register at an address, set up a bank account, find a job.
1️⃣ Prepare your application documents, book a visa appointment and apply for the German Youth Mobility Visa at the German Consulate in Toronto
How to book a Youth Mobility Visa appointment at the German Consulate in Toronto
📅 First up, you need to secure an appointment at the German Consulate in Toronto. This can be secured via the consulate’s appointment booking platform.
Once you have booked your appointment, you then need to go to the German Consulate in Toronto at the time and date listed on your appointment confirmation. The consulate is located at:
2 Bloor Street East, 25th Floor,
Toronto, Ontario, M4W 1A8
Essential documents for the German Youth Mobility Visa application in Toronto
At your visa appointment, you will be required to submit a number of documents:
✅ A valid passport
Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months longer than the intended stay, have at least 2 free pages, and not be older than 10 years old.
✅ Two current biometric passport photos
Guidelines recommend a 35 mm x 45 mm frontal shot with neutral facial expression, closed mouth, looking straight into the camera, with a light background.
✅ Completed forms
Youth Mobility Visa application form
Signed ‘YMA Declaration’
Declaration 'Use of Mail Services'
Signed 'Personal Liability Insurance'
Signed ‘Social Security Obligation’
All of these forms can be downloaded from the German consulate’s website.
✅ Photocopy of your passport data page
You must provide a photocopy of the data page (picture page) of your passport.
✅ Travel/expat insurance
In order to obtain the Youth Mobility Visa for Germany, it is mandatory that you take out a full-year travel/expat insurance policy. It is imperative that your policy covers you for the full duration of your visa.
For this, our favourite choice is Feather’s expat health insurance. We like Feather because:
It is widely accepted by German embassies and consulates worldwide.
It complies with the insurance coverage needed for the Youth Mobility Visa.
It offers a decent level of coverage at an affordable price.
The German consulate will need to see your Feather policy document showing the coverage dates and the policy inclusions.
Note: While Feather is widely accepted for this purpose, always check the specific insurance requirements with the German embassy or consulate before taking out and paying for an insurance policy.
✅ Proof of bonds to Canada
This is simply a letter with the names and contact details of family members in Canada. This can be your parents information or other family members.
✅ Signed motivational letter
The motivational letter must state what category you will apply under (see above) and a few sentences about your plans, e.g. you want to travel to Germany to learn about German culture, learn German and work to supplement your travels.
✅ Proof of accommodation
It can be a hostel/hotel booking confirmation or letter from a relative/friend you will be staying with along with a copy of their passport and proof of their residence in Germany.
✅ Flight itinerary
You can book a return or one-way flight.
✅ Proof of funds
Proof of funds totalling €3,000 shown on a recent formal bank statement issued by your bank. The bank statement should show your full name, the balance and the date. Credit card statements are not accepted.
✅ Prepaid, self-addressed Xpresspost envelope (Canada Post only), Regional Standard to Ontario or National Standard to all other provinces (shipment to a Canadian address only).
This only applies if applying by post or not picking up your passport and Youth Mobility Visa in Toronto. For further details about applying for the Youth Mobility Visa by post, see below.
How much does the Youth Mobility Visa for Germany cost?
💰 If applying in person at the German Consulate in Toronto, the cost is EUR 75 payable in local currency by cash or credit card.
Processing of the Youth Mobility Visa at the German Consulate in Toronto
🕓 The processing time if applying by post or in person is generally two weeks but can take up to three weeks. Make sure you factor this is when planning your relocation to Germany.
Your passport will be taken off of you at your appointment and will be kept by the German consulate for the duration of the visa processing time since the Youth Mobility Visa sticker has to be inserted into the passport.
🎉 Congratulations! Once you have made it to this stage, you will have successfully applied for the German Working Holiday Visa and can start preparing for your move to Germany.
2️⃣ Move to Germany. Register at an address, set up a bank account, find a job
Once you have successfully applied for the Working Holiday Visa in step 1 above, you are ready to make the move to Germany. On arrival in Germany, there are a number of key things you should do to ensure you have a smooth relocation.
🏠 Officially register at an address (Anmeldung)
Once you arrive in Germany, it is essential that you officially register at an address in Germany, a process that is known as Anmeldung. Without Anmeldung, you cannot receive your German tax ID (which you need when starting work in Germany) or perform most administrative tasks, such as signing up with an internet or energy supplier.
If you need to quickly register at an address in Berlin, then you may be interested in booking a furnished apartment with Smartments. Smartments provide well-located, studio accommodation and offer Anmeldung so long as you book for at least 14 nights. By opting for Smartments, you can get registered within days of arriving in Berlin.
We have also put together a guide on securing longer-term accommodation in Berlin, which may come in handy.
💰 Set up a German bank account
When starting out on your working holiday, it is important to have easy and (preferably) free access to your funds in Germany. To ensure this, we highly recommend that you set up a German bank account shortly after your arrival.
For Canadian working holidaymakers in Germany, an N26 bank account is a great option. The sign-up process is simple and the account is completely free to open and maintain. When you factor in a free Debit Mastercard and free ATM withdrawals, it definitely is a good choice for your working holiday. For additional info, check out our N26 review.
If you are also interested in doing lots of travel around the rest of Europe during your working holiday in Germany, then you may also benefit from getting a free borderless account with Wise, formerly TransferWise. Wise’s borderless account allows you to spend money in any currency at a market-leading exchange rate.
🧑💼 Find a job in Germany
One of the great benefits of the Working Holiday Visa is that it permits you to work in Germany. But you will still need to land a job – to get you started, we have put together some free job hunting resources:
👍 Best board job boards in Germany
👍 Startup jobs, hospitality jobs and teaching jobs in Berlin
Frequently asked questions about applying for the Youth Mobility Visa at the German Consulate in Toronto
✅ How do I apply for the Youth Mobility Visa for Germany by post?
You do not have to apply for the Youth Mobility for Visa in person at the German Consulate in Toronto. You can also mail your application to the consulate. For this, you would send your application to:
German Consulate General
c/o Visa Section
2 Bloor St. East, 25th floor
Toronto, ON M4W 1A8
To apply via post, you would need to send all of the documents listed in section 1 above to the consulate.
Here is some important info to note if applying by post:
You must post your original passport (not just a copy)
You must provide two identical sets of each document as well as two biometric passport photos
Your signatures on both sets of documents must be certified, including a notary seal by a notary public. This can be done at:
The visa fee needs to be paid by money order or bank draft.
If applying by post, you will actually only be granted a temporary 90-day Working Holiday Visa. This will permit you to start working on arrival in Germany, but you will then need to upgrade your temporary visa to a full Working Holiday Visa at an immigration office in Germany. We have provided full details of how to apply for the Working Holiday Visa at the immigration office in Berlin.
✅ When to apply for the Youth Mobility Visa for Germany?
You can apply for the Youth Mobility Visa at the German Consulate in Toronto within 90 days of your intended arrival in Germany.
The processing time is 2 to 3 weeks so make sure you always apply at least 3 weeks prior to your intended arrival in Germany.
✅ Where else can Canadian citizens apply for the Youth Mobility Visa for Germany?
When it comes to the Youth Mobility Visa for Germany, Canadian citizens can apply at a number of places aside from the German Consulate in Toronto:
At an immigration office in Germany. Here the application requirements differ slightly from the requirements at the German Consulate in Toronto. If you are interested in applying in Germany, here is full, step-by-step guidance on how to apply for the Youth Mobility Visa in Berlin.
At any German consulate or embassy overseas that processes Working Holiday Visas. This option may be good if you are already living or travelling outside of Canada and have not arrived in Germany yet. For example, if you are travelling around Europe, then you may consider applying at the German embassy in London or Prague.
Always check the application process and requirements at the embassy or consulate where you will be applying.
✅ How to apply for your second-year Youth Mobility Visa
Most Canadians choose to apply for a second-year Youth Mobility Visa once their first visa expires. As you will likely be living in Germany at the time, you can apply for the second-year Youth Mobility Visa at an immigration office in Germany.
For second-year applications, most Canadians apply under category A:
Young professionals who wish to obtain further training under a contract of employment and increase their knowledge of Germany's language, culture and society.