How to Move to Germany as an Employee
Thousands of international workers arrive in Germany every year for work. With a thriving job market, Germany offers ample work opportunities for employees across many different sectors. But when it comes to bureaucracy in Germany, setting up as an employee can be difficult.
So how exactly do you set yourself up in Germany as an employee? Follow our checklist below…
Work Visa / EU Blue Card
Unless you are an EU/EEA citizen, you will need to successfully apply for a Work Visa or EU Blue Card in order to start working in Germany.
Work Visa guides:
EU Blue Card Guides
To apply for a Work Visa or EU Blue Card, you first need a job offer in Germany. If you are yet to obtain a job in Germany, then you may benefit from our German Job Hunting Guide and German Job Seekers Visa Guide.
Health Insurance
When starting work as an employee in Germany, it is mandatory that you take out German health insurance. Without a suitable policy, you will not be permitted to start work. Adequate health insurance is also a key prerequisite for obtaining a Work Visa or EU Blue Card.
For employees in Germany, our favourite German health insurance is TK Public Health Insurance. To find out why this policy is well suited, see our German Health Insurance Guide.
Accommodation
When arriving in Germany as an employee, a priority will be finding suitable accommodation. To ensure you have a roof over your head from day 1, we recommend that you book a short-term, furnished apartment before arriving in Germany.
Once in Germany, you will then have plenty of time to navigate Germany’s vast rental market and secure a long-term place to call home.
To explore your options, see our German Apartment Hunting Guide.
Once you have found suitable accommodation in Germany, it is essential that you complete your address registration (Anmeldung). For further guidance, see our German Anmeldung Guide.
Banking
To be paid by your German employer, you will need a German bank account. Thankfully, there are some great online German banks that can be opened in minutes and provide all the functionality you need for day-to-day life in Germany.
Specifically, we recommend opening an account with N26 or bunq, two market-leading online banks that are perfectly suited to newcomers to Germany.
For further tips, see our Banking in Germany Guide.
Personal Liability Insurance
While optional, everyone in Germany should have personal liability insurance, which covers you in the event of personal injury or property damage to a third party. Without this, even fairly innocuous accidents and mishaps can have grave financial consequences.
When it comes to personal liability insurance providers, our favourite policy is with Feather. For further information about the benefits of private liability insurance and why you should have it when living in Germany, see our Private Liability Insurance Guide.
Documents Required to Start a Job
Your employer will require a number of documents to fully onboard you as a German employee. This includes your:
For full details on how to get hold of all these documents, see our Starting Work in Germany Guide.