Relocating to Germany? Some advice for the first time movers from the UK
According to the latest reports, the expatriation of citizens from the UK has spiked with more and more people moving to other EU-27 countries and Germany being their main destination. In this article we are listing some key advices that will help your move during the early days.
Preparation is the key
Germany has a vibrant expat community, no matter which city will be your new home, from Frankfurt to Munich and Berlin you will find friendly locals and expats hubs that you can immediately start networking with.
Germany provides a range of interesting life style and job opportunities across the country.
In fact, Germany has done everything right to make your relocation relatively easy, but before integrating with the new local system and laws, there are certain things you should know and can prepare you.
There are 3 main expat focused cities in Germany
Without a surprise, Germany’s top 3 economic areas concentrate the most inbound population from other European countries; Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich. What might seem surprising for Britons though, is the fact that Germany has a very well balanced economy between its big cities, unlike the UK where london superpasses any other british city by orders of magnitude.
It is not a coincidence that you can draw lots of parallelisms between the German lifestyle in their big cities and London, as both places have seen equal influence from trends and incoming population. The biggest example of all is Frankfurt, if you have gone to Old Street or London Bridge or Even Canary Wharf then that’s Frankfurt.
Having rightfully gotten it’s brand name as the financial hub of Germany and potentially Europe’s, Frankfurt is the house to the headquarter of the ECB (European Central Bank) and German stock exchange.
Berlin is a vibrant city of culture and creativity, with lots of lifestyle options, greenery and parks; for Londoners imagine a city-wide combination of Soho, Shoreditch and a tad of Camden Town. A perfect city for the young and the creatives ones with festivals, nightlife, a flourishing arts scene, and a range of art industries. Berliners like to commute, as the capital city is well linked with a highly efficient public transport, while cycling is often an option to move around too.
At the Upper Bavaria (Oberbayern) is Munich. Munich has a unique character of its own, being so close to the Alps and embracing its Bavarian traits, it is an attractive place to live with high standards of living.
Germany is divided by Industries; Where to live and work
Germany is the country of engineers, in any field. Well-paid high-skilled jobs are easy to find in any big city, offering a great balanced standard of living.
Munich is the city with often high-paid salaries, as it is hosting the biggest conglomerates such as Siemens and BMW. Not just engineering, Munich and Berlin are also hubs to creative industries like filming and publishing.
Are you working in finance? then it’s Frankfurt. The city has a very high concentration of highly skilled opportunities in the financial, law, real estate, media, and other services sectors.
German Bureaucracy
Registering as a British citizen there used to be no need for a visa or special treatment, but due to Brexit things might change. If you are planning on staying for more than 3 months, it is mandatory to register within your first 14 days at the local Residence Registration Office (Einwohnermeldeamt).
If you are planning on staying for more than 3 months, you’ll need to register at the local Residence Registration Office (Einwohnermeldeamt).
What you might be asked:
- Your reason for relocating
- Prove you are financially stable
- In case there’s a need for Visa, show that you have a valid one
- In case you have a UK driving License, you might be asked to exchange it for a European one
- It is possible to test your basic Germans
- Where you are planning to stay
- Any employment contracts or job offer letters
- Have the right health insurance
- Documentation (eg Degree) for your qualifications
To book your appointment at the Citizens’ Office (Bürgeramt) for your registration you can either phone at 115 (expect busy lines) or just paying a local visit could also work but expect also long hours of wait.
One-stop Solution to get Banking, Insurance, Credit and Rental support
At Ocyan we have realise that moving can be hard. So for the fast moving population anywhere in Europe we are offering a service to apply for access from Banks, Insurances, Finance and other services providers in a single click. Get registered at https://ocyan.com.
