Recommended After Studying in Cebu, Philippines! A Thorough Guide to Non-English-Speaking Working Holiday Countries [Germany / 2025 Edition]

“I studied English in Cebu, so what's next?” English-speaking working holidays in countries like Australia and Canada are the standard choice, but have you noticed **the other “English plus alpha” possibilities out there?**

One of them is **the working holiday program in Germany, Europe**. People tend to think “I can't speak German, so it's probably impossible...” but in fact, **many young people take on the challenge with English only and work there without problems.**

• Berlin and Munich have **many workplaces where English is understood**
• A **multinational working environment** that can accommodate language anxiety at the start
• An excellent base for traveling around Europe
• The system is simple, **with no quota and an easy application**

This article thoroughly explains, from the perspective of someone who has studied in the Philippines, **the latest 2025 mechanics of the German working holiday visa, how to apply, jobs available locally, the English level needed, and the reality of life in each city**.

Who should read this:

• People who, after studying in Cebu, are **looking for a place to actually use their English**
• People who want to take on challenges beyond English-speaking countries and **are interested in multiple languages and cultures**
• People who want to broaden their career and life possibilities in Europe in the future

Not an English-speaking country, yet you can work in English! A strong working holiday country in Europe

Germany is one of the countries in Europe that concluded a working holiday agreement with Japan early on. People tend to think “not English-speaking = impossible,” but **in fact, in urban areas an environment where you can live and work in English alone is steadily expanding.**

Germany is also highly regarded among EU member states as **a “livable country” with a good balance of safety, systems, and cost of living**, and in recent years it is becoming “a hidden gem for English working holiday seekers.”

Program overview (2025 edition)

Visa Application Process (Basics)

• Check the required documents on the official website of the German embassy
• Prepare a resume, an English letter of motivation, and a stay plan
• Make a visa application appointment online
• Bring your documents on the designated date and time, and have an interview and apply at the counter
• The visa is issued within a few weeks (handled in Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Sapporo, etc.)

Feature Summary

• **With no quota, there is no risk of being rejected** (many other countries use lotteries)
• **German ability is not required (though it helps if you have it)**
• Full-time work is allowed, and the visa offers a lot of freedom
• There are cities where you can work with English alone (Berlin, Munich, etc.)
• Also excellent as a base for traveling around Europe (budget airlines are plentiful)

From the image of “Germany = German,” it may look like a high hurdle at first glance. But **for you, who built English fundamentals and practical ability in Cebu, Germany is an ideal field where you can “move on to the next stage in English.”**

Reason 1: An environment where you can work with English alone is spreading in urban areas

In big cities such as Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg in particular, an “environment where you can live and work in English alone” is in place in the following ways.

• At startups and IT companies, **many workplaces use English as the common language**
• Cafes, restaurants, and tourism have job openings aimed at foreigners
• Many foreigners work at Airbnbs and coworking spaces, creating an atmosphere tolerant of English

Reason 2: Few Japanese = an environment where you truly have to use English

Compared with Australia and Canada, there are very few Japanese working holiday makers, so **“building relationships in English” is naturally required.**

• With no Japanese-language environment, using English becomes “forcibly part of daily life”
• Locals are used to foreigners, so English is easily understood
• Because the Japanese community is small, you may even get closer support

✅ For those who say “I learned the thrill of speaking English in Cebu, but I still lack confidence...” this is a country where, thanks to the environment, you tend to improve.

Reason 3: A well-developed living environment x high safety x the heart of Europe

• Germany has **very well-developed social infrastructure such as healthcare, public transport, and housing systems**, which gives a sense of security in daily life
• Safety is also relatively stable within Europe, and **crime rates are low even in big cities**
• Above all, with Germany as a base, **weekend trips to other countries such as France, Austria, and the Czech Republic are easy** (buses and trains are cheap)

With the German working holiday visa, **there are no restrictions on industry or working hours, and full-time work is possible**. That said, because it is not an English-speaking country, matching your language ability to where you work is very important.

1. Jobs you can try with English only (mainly big city areas)

✅ Startups and IT-related (Berlin, Munich)

• Many companies use English as the in-house official language, and resumes and interviews are also handled in English
• Japanese marketers / social media management staff / Japanese-English bilingual support, etc.
• Remote and flextime work are also available, allowing flexible working styles

**Language level needed: B2 or above (upper-intermediate) + business skills / specialist skills required**

✅ Tourism, hostels, cafes, restaurants (Berlin, Frankfurt)

• In places with many foreign customers, English alone is enough to cope
• Mainly taking orders, kitchen assistance, check-in duties, etc.
• There is a tipping culture, so customer service skills and friendliness are easily appreciated

**Language level needed: B1 or above (intermediate) is enough / smile and attitude matter**

✅ Japanese restaurants and Asian food and beverage

• Fewer than in Dublin or Paris, but a certain number exist in urban areas
• Often English in the dining room / Japanese-speaking environment in the kitchen

**Language level needed: A2 or above (beginner) is possible / for those who want to secure a job first**

2. Jobs that open up if you have German

✅ Retail shops, local restaurants, bakeries

• Interacting in German is required during customer service
• Small talk with regular customers is easily appreciated, with a community-rooted atmosphere

**Language level needed: B1 or above (intermediate) + ability to handle German phrases**

✅ Event staff and trade show assistants

• In Germany, which hosts many international trade fairs, there are also positions for Japanese-language support and interpreter-type roles
• English + Japanese bilinguals are sometimes in high demand

**Language level needed: English B2 or above + minimal German greetings may be enough (depending on the job)**

✅ Education, language support, and lesson instructors (making use of Japanese + English)

• Assistant to a Japanese language teacher (private lessons)
• You can also work as an instructor in culture classes such as calligraphy, origami, and cooking

**Language level needed: English B2 + German is supplementary (knowledge of Japanese culture is your weapon)**

Language Level Chart for Working Holiday (Guide)

• There are definitely environments where you can work with English alone
• Adding German will make **both your daily life and relationships even richer**
• Your speaking experience in Cebu is **the perfect foundation for preparing to use English in the real world**

Germany is a federal state, and culture and lifestyle differ greatly from city to city. Here we compare four cities popular for working holidays, plus local areas, from the perspectives of **English environment, living costs, types of jobs, and atmosphere**.

Berlin | A cutting-edge city where you can live in English

• **Features**: The capital of Germany, yet with the most “multicultural and free” atmosphere
• **Estimated living costs**: €1,000-1,400 per month (rent €500-800 per month)
• **Job trends**: Startups, cafes, events, English customer support, etc.
• **English environment**: Excellent. Many workplaces and areas where English is understood (you can live without German)

✅ Ideal for those who want to gain “experience working in English” after Cebu ✅ A popular city for those into art, music, and IT as well

Munich (München) | A high quality of life “wealthy city”

• **Features**: Capital of the state of Bavaria. Clean, safe, and with outstanding infrastructure
• **Estimated living costs**: €1,200-1,600 per month (rent €600-900 per month)
• **Job trends**: Hotels, manufacturing, tourism, restaurants, etc.
• **English environment**: Good. English is easily understood in the center, but German ability is needed in the suburbs

✅ Recommended for those who value safety, cleanliness, and comfort ✅ For those who want to live a calm life while gaining customer service experience in English

Frankfurt | A city of business and international flavor

• **Features**: The EU's financial center. An airport city where foreigners constantly come and go
• **Estimated living costs**: €1,100-1,500 per month (rent €500-850 per month)
• **Job trends**: Cafes, hostels, airport-related jobs, language support, etc.
• **English environment**: Good. English is an advantage in tourism-related and international areas

✅ Often chosen by those interested in finance or seeking internships ✅ Some workplaces use both English and Japanese

Hamburg | Port city x local warmth

• **Features**: The largest port city in northern Germany. Tradition and modernity blend together
• **Estimated living costs**: €950-1,300 per month (rent €450-750 per month)
• **Job trends**: Cafes, bakeries, logistics, sightseeing boat-related jobs, etc.
• **English environment**: Fair to good. Because of the strong local character, having German is an advantage

✅ For those who want to live in a calm environment where nature and city are in harmony

Local cities (Leipzig, Cologne, Dresden, etc.)

• **Features**: Lower prices, and areas where you can experience “more authentic German life”
• **Estimated living costs**: €700-1,000 per month (rent €300-600 per month)
• **Job trends**: Manufacturing assistance, farms, cleaning work, local food and beverage, etc.
• **English environment**: Limited. German is often needed, but conversely it is a good environment for learning it

✅ Recommended for those who want to “live cheaply while also picking up German”

A working holiday in Germany is not merely “overseas experience.” **A year spent working in Europe and living independently while making use of the English you gained in Cebu** becomes an asset that greatly influences the rest of your life.

Here are three typical paths people choose after staying in Germany.

✅ 1. Use it for career advancement after returning to Japan

• Strong for jobs at foreign-affiliated companies and in tourism, hotels, and the English education industry
• The double overseas experience of “Cebu -> Germany” becomes **proof of drive and international adaptability**
• Through work experience in the EU, you are highly valued as someone who “can work in different cultures”

✅ 2. Switch to a student visa locally in Germany

Germany is known as **a country that is easy to study in, with very low tuition and visas that are relatively easy to obtain**.

• Tuition at public universities is basically free or under €1,000 per year
• **Visa extension is also possible** through language schools and vocational schools
• There is also the route of attending a “Studienkolleg (university preparation course)” and aiming for university admission

✅ Based on the English you built in Cebu and Germany, you can also consider **a new challenge: “going to university in English (or in German).”**

✅ 3. Connecting to another country's working holiday or a migration route

• Using the experience and network gained on the working holiday, **many people expand to the next country**
• Australia, Canada, France, South Korea, and others in particular are easy to combine
• Making use of your German and English, **you can also aim for local employment or a permanent residency application**

✅ In addition to experience in English-speaking countries, **the rare record of “taking on a challenge in a non-English-speaking country”** helps with building an international career.

Learn the English You Need to Survive Before Your Working Holiday: The Practical Course Is Back!

If, in addition to building your English in Cebu, you want to **raise your English ability for real-world use before your working holiday**, the [Around-the-World & Working Holiday English Course] offered by 3D ACADEMY is perfect for you.

This course is a **'Survival English' program** designed for English beginners about to leave on a working holiday and for people planning a round-the-world trip.

This course focuses on that kind of practicality and thoroughly trains **'conversational English that beginners need to survive abroad.'**

Course Appeal 1 | Learn 'Survival English' Through Images

In this course, 2 hours of the 4 hours of daily one-on-one lessons are devoted to **dedicated Survival English lessons**.

▶ Survival English 1 (Comic Format)

• Memorize phrases intuitively using illustrated materials
• Repeatedly practice real exchanges in story form
• Go beyond feeling like you have memorized it, to the point where English comes out reflexively

▶ Survival English 2 (By Situation)

• **100 situation-based conversations** covering airports, shopping, restrooms, asking directions, hospitals, and more
• Practice answering questions based on photos and images, responding in English
• Build quick-response skills with more realistic scenarios

Course Appeal 2 | Boost Your Hospitality Skills with Group-Learned 'Tourism English'

Group classes feature 'English for Tourism.' You will learn English expressions for settings such as hotels, restaurants, and tour guiding.

• Learn from both perspectives: handling situations as a customer and as staff
• Includes training in writing an English resume and answering interview questions
• Builds well-rounded English skills useful in tourism and customer service, **the most common workplaces for working holiday makers**

Course Appeal 3 | Regular Practical English (ESL) Classes and Elective Classes Also Available

• The remaining 2 hours of one-on-one lessons and 2 hours of group classes can be **freely customized, just like the ESL Course**
• **Optional classes** (casual discussion, yoga classes, etc.) in the morning, at noon, and in the evening are also open to join freely

Sample Daily Schedule

Course Fees (Includes Dormitory and Meals)

The Around-the-World & Working Holiday English Course Is Perfect for These People!

✅ People who want to brush up their English before traveling abroad ✅ Beginners who feel anxious about a working holiday ✅ People who want to use English in customer service or tourism ✅ People who want to put their English to use right after studying abroad ✅ People who value English that gets understood over grammar

Available again: from April 3, 2023 | Apply by the week!

You can join for as little as 1 week, so it is also recommended as **short, intensive English preparation just before a working holiday or trip**.