Living in Germany

Top 5 cities to live and work in Germany

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frankfurt

Germany is a favorite with travelers from all over the world. A destination that presents you with a wealth of tradition and leaves you with everlasting impressions. Germany is a beautiful country and one of the largest countries in Europe by population and area.

Here are the 5 best cities in Germany to live and work

Berlin:

Berlin is one of the most fascinating urban areas and isn’t just Germany’s capital and biggest city, it is likewise the social center point of the country. Berlin has an energetic culture and a developing populace of over 3.76 million individuals. It is home to the biggest populace of ex-pats from a wide range of countries, including the U.S., Italy, and Turkey.

Berlin is energetic and tense and is Germany’s middle for a lively blend of style, structure, music, and craftsmanship.

A social city consistently progressing and a spending voyager’s heaven, the German capital has something for everybody, from throbbing nightlife to in excess of 170 world-class exhibition halls, displays, and philharmonics, and from masterful relics that despite everything recount to the tale of its violent past to all the guarantees of a sparkling future.

Berlin is the startup capital of Europe and Berlin’s startup fascination depends on a blend of reasonable day to day environments, the general dynamic and inventive culture, a various pool of ability, and aptitude, just as appealing financing programs.

With around 500 new tech new startups every year, Berlin would be your next destination to live and work

Berlin startup ecosystem is ranked 1 in Germany and 7 globally.

Frankfurt:

When anyone hears about Frankfurt, skyline pops in mind. Frankfurt is conveniently situated at the core of both Germany and Europe.

Frankfurt is an extraordinary strolling city, and most by far of its midtown goals might be reached by walking. Its international airport, which is directly accessible from all across the globe, is just a couple of minutes from Frankfurt’s primary train station, one of the biggest in Germany.

With a population of 753,056+, there is a well-developed public transport system, which connects Frankfurt with the surrounding Rhine-Main Region both quickly and easily. Frankfurt is a global hub for finance and education. In Frankfurt, you’ll find HQs for the European Central Bank, German Federal Bank, Commerzbank, Frankfurt Stock Exchange, and Deutsche Bank.

As the startup ecosystem is growing rapidly, it can be your next destination to live and work in Germany

Frankfurt’s startup ecosystem is ranked 4 in Germany and 94 globally.

Munich:

Munich is the capital of Bavaria and one of the most excellent and reasonable urban areas in Germany. It is one of the most lovely and enchanting urban communities in the entirety of Germany and is documented with exhibition halls and wonderful engineering. It is generally acclaimed for being the focal point of the Oktoberfest celebration, which pulls in more than 6 million guests consistently.

Munich is a cultural hub with a population of 1.47 million residents. With the most remarkable economy in Germany, Munich is home to outstanding corporates and prominent universities and research establishments. Simultaneously, its startup biological system is esteemed at $4.5 billion, as indicated by 2018 insights by Startup Genome.

Munich startup ecosystem is ranked 2 in Germany and 41 globally. Can it be your next destination to live and work in Germany?

Stuttgart:

Stuttgart was chosen as the least stressful city in the world and the heart of the automotive industry in Germany. It’s a home for global corporations such as Daimler AG,  Porsche, Bosch, Dinkelacker, and many more.

Stuttgart is likewise a vehicle intersection and has the 6th biggest air terminal in Germany. And might be your next destination live and work in Germany

 Stuttgart startup ecosystem is ranked 7 in Germany and 195 globally.

Hamburg:

Hamburg is the second biggest city in Germany. With a population of roughly 1.84 million individuals, it is likewise a famous goal for sightseers from around the globe. Home to numerous elite athletics groups, Hamburg is an enormous financial city, and it is the most loved among ex-pats searching for occupations in finance.

Hamburg is a major European science, research, and education hub, with several universities and institutions. It has architecturally significant buildings in a wide range of styles and no skyscrapers

According to Wikipedia, The many streams, rivers, and canals are crossed by some 2,500 bridges, more than London, Amsterdam, and Venice put together. Hamburg has more bridges inside its city limits than any other city in the world

Hamburg’s startup ecosystem is ranked 3 in Germany and 61 globally. Would you consider Hamburg as your next destination to live and work in Germany?

Which among these fabulous cities would you choose to live and work in Germany? Let us know in the comments.

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Top 6 facts about Germans

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Facts

Germany is one of the most powerful countries in the world. There is a lot of facts in Germany, home of more than 80 million people diversified in different ethnic groups. We will talk about the top 6 in this post.

Punctuality:

Germans are very punctual and expect others to be. They always make it on time or 10-15 mins earlier for appointments. If you ever meet a German or have a date with a German girl or boy, make sure you arrive on time or earlier.

Planning:

Most Germans like to plan their day earlier. They like to have a schedule each day of things they have to achieve and things they want to get done by the end of the day.

Following rules:

Most Germans are systematic and stick to the rules. If you break the rules like crossing the traffic signal when red, they might get offended. Over time, Germans have established a set of rules to manage every part of life.

Beer:

Beer has a long tradition in Germany and is crafted only from 5 ingredients. Every city is proud of its own beer brand. Germans love beer on every occasion. All restaurants serve beer mostly regional brands based on region. And a lot of bars, restaurants advertise which beer they sell. You may not find water, but definitely beer 🙂

Language:

Germans love to speak their own language Deutsch and expect you to speak the same. Different parts of Germany has different dialects.

Coffee:

Most Germans are coffee lovers and Germany is the 3rd largest market for coffee in the world.

There are still many more interesting facts about the Germans. But these top 6 facts give you some idea. What do you think about the facts? Please add in comments if you know more

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Which income tax class you belong to in Germany?

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Tax Class

Moving to Germany from another country and to work have to go through a lot of formalities and it is also important to know which income tax class you belong to. Before that, make sure you have Tax Id

All employees are classified into tax categories for the wage tax deduction (Einkommensteuer). The income tax is paid to the government from your gross salary and it is automatically deducted from your monthly paycheck.

The minimum taxable gross income is €9,169 (no tax is charged under this amount). The tax rate starts from 14% and goes up to 45% for the highest earners (over â‚¬265,327).

The income tax class depends on your marital status and divided into 6 tax classes (Steuerklassen)

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Class I:

All employees who are single, living in a registered civil partnership, divorced, widowed or married unless they fall under tax category II, III, or IV.

Class II:

Applies to employees who are single parent

Class III:

Applies to employees who are married and

  • Spouse reside in Germany
  • Spouse doesn’t earn a wage or Spouse earns a wage and classified under Tax Class V

Class IV:

Applies to married couple and earns a equivalent income and reside in Germany.

Class V:

Applies to married employees and earns a less income than partner (classified under class III)

Class VI:

Employees who are receiving multiple wages from more than one employer (Multiple jobs)

How can you change Tax Class?

When you married and your spouse is residing in Germany, then you are eligible to change the tax class.

  1. Fill and signed application from both partners, you can fill the application form online
  2. You can visit Finazamt or send a post based on your residence

They will process the form on the spot and give you newly printed Lohnsteuerkarte with new tax class

Important tips:

  1. If spouses belong to class III and V, it’s better to file as a Joint tax return and will receive only one tax assessment (Steuerbescheid), also will receive a refund to one account if any.
  2. If one of the partners earns a higher income (income ratio of 60:40), then it makes sense to change class to 3 and 5 and this might increase the net salary(Nettogehalt) of the higher earner.

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Residence Registration – First thing to do after your arrival in Germany

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Residence Registration

One of the most common words you hear in Germany is Anmeldung also Registration. In this post, we will talk about the Residence Registration/City Registration that has to be done after your arrival in Germany.

If you are planning to stay for more than 3 months in Germany, you need to register yourself as a resident within 2 weeks of your arrival at the registration office (Anmeldeamt, BĂĽrgerbĂĽro or BĂĽrgeramt) of the city you arrived in.

Why Residence Registration is important?

The residence registration certificate also known as Anmeldebestätigung or Meldebescheinigung is required for many purposes:

  1. Tax ID – After registration is completed, you will get the tax id in the post within 3-4 weeks which is required for your employer and for tax claims
  2. Health Insurance: once you arrive in Germany, Health insurance is one of the mandatory things and without proof of residence certificate, it is not possible to apply for Health insurance.
  3. Bank account: Without a residence registration, you cannot open a bank account in Germany.
  4. Residence Permit/work permit
  5. University registration
  6. Mobile Phone Contract
  7. Credit Card without Bank account – Some banks provide the Credit Card without a bank account. Residence Registration is required to apply for such credit cards.
  8. Landline internet
  9. Vehicle registration permit
  10. Pet registration – You read it right and the residence registration certificate is required to register your pet
  11. And many more

Documents required for Residence Registration:

You need the documents below to receive your certificate of registration as a resident in Germany

  1. Valid Passport or national ID card (original required)
  2. Rental agreement from your Landlord (also called Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)
  3. The registration form signed by landlord (Anmeldeformular/Meldeschein), you can get this form from the BĂĽrgeramt
  4. Visa if you have one (optional)
  5. Marriage certificate if applicable

How and where to register?

Check your city website and get an appointment or directly visit BĂĽrgeramt which can take more time especially in larger cities.

You can look for it here with your postal code

Please check the timings before directly visiting the registration office

Important things to note:

  1. At the time of registration, you will be asked about your religion. If you belong to either Protestant (evangelisch) or Catholic (katholisch), You are required to pay church tax (Kirchensteuer) which is about 8-9% annual income based on the region.
  2. According to law, Lately, registration or incorrect address details can make you pay fine up to 1000 euros
  3. You need to repeat the registration whenever you are moving to a new residence address.
  4. If you are moving out of Germany permanently, it is also mandatory to deregister within 2 weeks
  5. After your registration, You will also receive the Rundfunkbeitrag, the national TV and radio tax which costs €17.50 per month.

Blue Card – 7 Advantages and 2 Disadvantages

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Blue Card Pros and Cons

The aim of the Blue Card is to make it easier for workers to come to Germany without having to go through the bureaucratic demands of regular visa applications.

However, there are some advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of Blue Card:

  • The Blue Card/work permit can be issued for up to 3/4 years
  • A permanent residence permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) can be obtained after 33 months of employment or after 21 months with proof of good German language proficiency (B1)
  • The Blue-Cardholder can stay without a visa for up to 90 days in all Schengen countries
  • After 18 months, the holder can travel to another EU country and within one month can apply for the Blue Card EU in that country (not valid for Great Britain, Ireland, and Denmark!)
  • Eligible to stay in a country outside the EU for up to 12 months
  • The family reunion is possible and Blue-Cardholder must demonstrate that they have the financial resources to support those family members and that the family members have the required health insurance and suitable accommodation.
  • Family members may immediately work without restrictions.

Disadvantages of Blue Card:

  • The Blue Card is just a work permit to stay and work in Germany. If you lose the job, it is essential to find a job as soon as possible otherwise you have to return back to your country.
  • Staying more than 12 months outside of the EU is not valid anymore

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