Administrative Hurdles

German bureaucracy is a challenge to navigate on the best of days. And that's if you speak German. For English speakers who are new to the country, it can be a nightmare. Hopefully this post will shed some light on the subject and point you in the right direction.

What is the best tip I can give you when dealing with these matters? If you can, bring a German speaking friend with you to help translate. This can save a lot of headaches. Although many Germans can speak English quite well, many will downright refuse to conduct these matters in any language other than German. It's mostly to protect themselves. They simply can't risk translating something wrong or having a misunderstanding. If you bring someone with you, it lessens the chance of a misunderstanding.

First Things First, Register.

All cities have offices called Burgerburo. No it's not the office for hamburgers but in fact the citizens office. This is where Germans go to get their ID cards, passports and of course to register their address. Now you can stay in Germany legally for up to three months without registering, but I recommend getting it out of the way as soon as possible. Once you're registered, it will make everything else a lot easier. In the bigger cities you will need to make an appointment. In the smaller towns you can just walk in and take a number. If you're new to the city they might even give you a small welcome package.

Next. Get a Bank Account

There are many options here. You'cant really go too wrong. Sparkasse is the biggest. They have branches everywhere and are pretty reliable. The other big banks are also ok. Check out their offers. Some will give you a starting bonus of 50 euros or something similar. I had a friend come with me the first week I was in Germany. I was not registered and did not have a job. Still I had no problems.

Another option is to go completely online. I don't have much experience in this area but below are a couple links to articles about the digital bank N26 and digital banking all together.

N26
Online Banks are Winning

While we are on the topic of banks, I feel it important to mention that everything here is done via electronic bank transfer. All of your bills, rent, everything is paid this way. To make and receive transfers you will need to know your IBAN. IBAN is a 22 digit number beginning with 'DE' and can be found on your bank card.

Health Insurance

This is a tricky one. Now if you are already in Germany then you probably had to prove that you are insured against medical emergencies. Usually a good travel insurance package should suffice. That's what I did and my original visa was approved with no problems. Essentially, if you are unemployed and end up in the hospital, the Germans won't have to pick up the tab. 

Once you get a job however, things will change. If you are making more than 450 euros a month then you'll be required to enter into the German public health care system and you will have to choose a provider. To be honest there isn't much difference between the providers. The provider you are with makes zero difference when you are going to the doctor, dentist or hospital. They might vary a bit when it comes to customer service or special deals on fitness training but that's about it. Once you've chosen a provider then your HR department should be able to set it all up for you. At least that's how it was with me. If you do indeed have to pay a visit to your provider's office then be sure to bring your German friend and all of your documents. 

Now for some basic facts about the German health care system.

• The total cost is about 17-18% of your gross earnings.
• The employer pays half so your share ends up being between 8-9%.
• You are free to choose any doctor you like.
• When you are sick, go to the doctor, they will write a note and you can stay home with pay.
• There is no limit to the number of sick days.
• Prescriptions cost 5 euros. Some are even free if they have a deal with the provider.
• Visits to the dentist are also included. 

Employment Contracts

Every job in Germany comes with a written contract. This is because German labour law is pretty rock solid. So employers will hire you on a one or two year contract so they have an out if things don't work out. They can also build in custom probation periods and other clauses. However, employers can only renew your contract a maximum of two times before they are required to give you an open ended contract. So take the following example. You're hired on a one year contract. The year is up and they decide they would like to keep you. They can give you another one year contract. Now after that year is up and they still want to keep you, they are not allowed to put term limits on the contract. You will receive the holy grail of work contracts, The 'unbefristeter Arbeitsvertrag' or unlimited work contract. This is the highest level of job security you can have in Germany. 

Minimum wage in Germany is 8.84 euros per hour. Almost everywhere in Germany you get paid once at the end of the month. Minimum number of paid vacation days are 24 if you work a 5 day week. There are special bonuses for working evenings, weekends and bank holidays. Make sure you're getting paid what's owed to you.

So hopefully you're now a little better equipped to navigate your way through the jungle of German red tape out there. I summarised these facts for you as a rough guideline. Some of the numbers can be off or vary from state to state. Any questions, just leave a comment below. Check back for more posts later. Thanks for reading. Come back soon!