Any foreign national wishing to live in Germany requires a residence permit or a settlement permit, which are granted only in very specific circumstances. In this regard, the individual’s ability to settle and integrate, as well as Germany’s economic and labour market interests, must be taken into account.

As the topics Integration and Social Responsibility are very important, our colleague Praviena Srikumar (PS) conducted an interesting interview with one of our international staff members, Mohammad Masood Abdulakim (MMA).

The interview in full

PS: Hi Masood, could you please introduce yourself? What’s your name, where are you originally from, and what do you do for a living, or what are your career goals?

MMA: My name is Mohammad Masood; I’m from Afghanistan, from the province of Balkh, and I was born in Mazar-i-Sharif. I studied for a year at a teacher training college in the English department, and I’m also a mobile phone technician.

PS: You’re a young man. Why did you leave Afghanistan? What were you doing there last?

MMA: I came to Germany because of the security issues. I spent six years in the Bundeswehr as an interpreter.

PS: What does Germany mean to you? Do you miss home? Will you go back if conditions in Afghanistan improve?

MMA: I think Germany is lovely. Yes, I miss my home country, but I don’t think I’ll go back. Even if things were to get better back home.

PS: How much did it cost to travel from Afghanistan to Germany as a refugee?

MMA: I came to Germany legally. My visa and my plane ticket cost about 1,000 U$. I paid for them myself.

PS: Why didn’t you go to another country? Why a country like Germany, of all places?

MMA: I think Germany is a safe country. Safer than other countries.

PS: What is your educational background? Have you taken your A-levels?

MMA: Yes, I completed my A-levels in my home town and then studied for a year.

PS: What would you like to achieve in Germany?

MMA: I would like to achieve my goal of becoming an IT specialist and live in a peaceful environment.

PS: How has hsp Handels-Software-Partner GmbH helped you? What is the working atmosphere like?

MMA: hsp Handels-Software Partner GmbH has really helped me achieve my goal. I never thought I’d be working as a trainee in a large company with a great working atmosphere and friendly colleagues. I really appreciate this, especially the company’s managing director, Mr Paul Liese – a lovely man.

P.S.: Thank you very much for the interview, Masood.