Eight signs that a job offer cannot be trusted

Eight signs to stop

• A guarantee that your visa will be approved. Nobody can guarantee this, because the decision lies with the German consular authorities.
• Pressure to transfer money the same day, with the excuse that places are running out.
• No access to the full employment contract before you sign.
• Earnings far above the usual level for that occupation, with no explanation why.
• No clear name of the employer or the place of work.
• A request to pay into a personal account instead of a company account.
• No invoice and no receipt for any payment.
• Contact only through social media accounts, with no office address you can visit.

Three things to do before you sign anything

• Ask for a translation of the contract into your own language and read every clause on pay, working hours, accommodation and duration.
• Visit the company's office in person at least once. A real address, real people, real desks.
• Ask directly: if the visa application is refused, which payments are refunded, how quickly, and in which clause of the contract this is written.

Note:Any promise only counts once it is written into the contract. Promises made by phone or text message are not legally binding.