If you are coming to Germany or have just arrived, this simple guide will help you to understand what you need to be able to start working legally. Here are the key steps, in order, and links to more comprehensive guides for each topic.
What can you do before travelling?
Even if you are not yet in Germany, you can already anticipate two very important things:
🏠 Find accommodation
Start looking for a room or flat from your country. Read our complete guide to finding accommodation in Germany.💼 Search for a job
Many companies accept online interviews. Find out how to do it in our guide to finding a job without speaking German.
🛂Arriving with the right visa
First things first: You need a visa that allows you to work in Germany.. Some common options are:
Work and Holiday Visa
Work visa
European passport (no visa required)
(We will be adding more information on how to get each visa soon!)
💼 Blank work requirements
These are the documents you will need in order to be able to work formally (next to each one we leave in brackets the German word for which you can ask for it):
💳 German bank account (Bankkonto)
Your employer will ask you for a German IBAN to pay your salary. Here we explain how to open a bank account.🏢 Registration of domicile (Anmeldung)
This is the most important formality in Germany. You do it by registering your address in the city where you live. Follow this step-by-step guide to the Anmeldung.🆔 Tax ID or tax identification number (Steueridentifikationsnummer or Steuer-ID)
You will receive it by post at your home address a few days after the Anmeldung, or you can order it in person at a Finanzamt (3 days after you have started the Anmeldung).🏥 Public health insurance (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung or Krankenkasse)
It is compulsory for employment. Some jobs will ask for it before you start, In other cases, the same company will affiliate you. We recommend that you have it ready before, Why? Because you are often registered without being informed, they don't explain what coverage you have and how to use it., And when you need it, you don't know where to call or what to do.👉 By law, you have the right to choose your preferred public insurer.. You are not obliged to stay with the one the company assigns you, so it is better to decide from the beginning.
👉 You can resolve this procedure before signing a contract, y you won't pay anything until you start working.
Here's a step-by-step guide to joining online in minutes: How to take out public insurance in Germany🔒 Social Security Number (Sozialversicherungsnummer)
You need it for your pension contributions and to be registered in the social security system.
This number you automatically receive it when you register for compulsory public insurance..👉 If you do so through the link we left you before, you will receive it by email at 2 to 4 working days, without the need for any additional formalities.
📱Other useful tips
German telephone numbernot compulsory, but highly recommended for paperwork, banks and job interviews.
Know some GermanAlthough it is not a legal requirement, it opens a lot of doors for you. There are free courses or apps that can help you.
Having additional insuranceIn addition to the compulsory health insurance, there are other insurances that are highly recommended (such as civil liability, accident or home contents insurance). In this comprehensive guide to insurance in Germany we explain which ones are worth it and how to choose them according to your situation.
✅ Ready to get to work!
With your visa in order and all the formalities completed, you are ready to start working legally in Germany.
If after following this guide you feel you missed something or got stuck on a step, leave us a comment - we're here to help!
