If companies in Germany wish to hire employees from EU countries, they benefit from the freedom of movement within the European Union. This allows nationals of EU member states, as well as the European Economic Area (Liechtenstein, Iceland, and Norway), to work in Germany without a visa or work permit (Art. 45 TFEU). The only requirement is that new employees must register their residence with the relevant local authorities.
For employers, this means they can hire and employ these workers just like German citizens, without having to overcome additional bureaucratic hurdles such as permits or special work authorizations. This significantly simplifies the hiring process and allows companies to tap into a broad pool of qualified professionals from across Europe.
EU Member States: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Cyprus.
Additional EEA Members: Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.
Yes, there are facilitated conditions for nationals of certain countries, such as Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. These nationals can enter Germany without a visa and stay for more than 90 days (§41 AufenthV).
However, they are not allowed to work in Germany without a valid residence permit or work visa that permits employment. As obtaining a residence permit in Germany can take several months, and no employment is allowed during this time, it is advisable for employees who need to start working shortly after arrival to apply for a work visa in their home country. This ensures they can begin work immediately upon arrival in Germany.
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