Take the survey helping to shape Berlin's future.

Take the survey that asks you to help shape Berlin's future

“Berlin made me into the man I wanted to be”, Canadian Mo Moubarak tells us. It’s a theme that resonates with many who have come to the German capital to work in a vibrant atmosphere of innovation and progress.

Moubarak, one of the founders of the successful digital recruitment firm MoBerries, is effusive about the city he made his home: “I came here as a nineteen year old with 3000 in my pocket, and went to running my own company

“You know what makes this city incredible? Your word means everything - that’s what matters. Not your money.

“We want people to move here, show their art, and love them for it.”

Hurdles and challenges

It’s a sentiment echoed by Claire Waggoner, an American copywriter who moved to Berlin in 2019, although there were challenges.

Although she loves life in the capital, she states: “Making the choice to move here was pretty much the only "easy" thing about moving from the US to Germany.

“There were two major challenges: securing an apartment and getting the "letters of intent" required for my freelancer's visa.

“If I could have spoken with a government employee before my visa appointment, I would have been much more confident going into that initial appointment.”

Priyanka Nair…

A unique opportunity

These are some of the specific hurdles that Berlin Partners - a public-private partnership between the city government and local business - is trying to identify. Reaching out to the many internationals who have made the city their own, they have created the Talent Berlin Survey to highlight the stumbling blocks to a successful move.

Taking about fifteen minutes to complete, the survey covers all the important aspects of the relocation and settling process, and is specifically designed to indicate to the state government how Berlin can become a more welcoming and easier destination in which to settle.

As Burkhard Volbracht of Berlin Partners states: “Berlin is the most international city in Germany, and it’s changing all the time.

From my experience, we’ve seen a lot of people come to Berlin in recent years - and the government thinks that they’re all settling in smoothly.

“We feel that this is the wrong picture. Some people do struggle and have problems, and they do need the right person to speak, or the right door to open.

“What we at Berlin Partners want to identify are concrete points where we can be better - for example, language competencies or better digital services. We want to be able to put out the red carpet, in a sense.

“We think that this is the first opportunity for those coming to Berlin to really tell us how they found moving to the city”.

Shape Berlin’s future

Have you moved to Berlin to work, or are in the process of moving? Here is your chance to build the kind of city that suits both your career and lifestyle needs. 

Not only will it help build a friendlier, more inclusive German center of innovation, but for every survey completed, Berlin Partners will plant a tree, contributing to sustainability efforts in the Berlin area.

The Local is also offering one annual membership for one person that completes the survey - that’s a year of insider insights, advice and explainers for life in Germany. 

Now’s the time - become part of Berlin’s story, by helping direct its future for international workers, with Berlin Partners