*** Updated Jan 2023. ***
All British citizens can travel to Germany visa free for 3 months. For a stay longer than 3 months, you are required to register with your local German Citizens Office or Town Hall and announce the purpose of your stay. (Registration – ‘Anmeldung’)
If you arrived into Germany after December 31 2020, and want to work in Germany, you are required to get the relevant working visa from your local Town Hall or Foreigner’s Office. (Ausländerbehorde). You can access some helpful links here.
If you are a UK citizen and were living in Germany before December 31 2020. you are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and therefore have the automatic right to work in Germany. This is one of the key rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. We do know of cases where that right has been challenged by local authorities, so here is some information that may help:
Information on working rights
The Bundesagentur für Arbeit provides information on the right to work for UK citizens in Germany. Separate information is given for both those who covered by the WA (here called “Old Britons” or “Bestandsbriten”) and those who are not.
www.arbeitsagentur.de/en/brexit/british-nationals-in-germany
www.arbeitsagentur.de/brexit/briten-in-deutschland
The Bundesministerium des Inneren Frequently Asked Questions includes the following:
‘From 1 January 2021, persons who were entitled to live or work in Germany (or another EU member state) until that date and who also exercised that right will essentially have the same rights as they had before withdrawal. ‘ BMI FAQs
The Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales published “Fragen und Antworten” on Brexit on 17 November, 2020. The introduction includes the following:
‘Für EU-Bürgerinnen und EU-Bürger, britische Staatsangehörige sowie ihre Familienangehörigen, die zum Ende der Übergangsphase dauerhaft im Vereinigten Königreich bzw. in der EU leben und arbeiten, sieht das Austrittsabkommen einen vollumfänglichen Bestandsschutz ihrer Rechte vor.’
BMAS faq-brexit
We have tried to further sum up your residency rights here under the Withdrawal Agreement.
Information for employers
There is a memo published jointly by the BMI and BMAS and addressed specifically to employers: brexit-informationen-arbeitgeber
Version in English Arbeitgeber-Flyer Brexit V2.0_EN-b
Were you already working for your employer before 1 Jan 2021? In that case, your employer does not need to ask you for proof of your right to continue working. The same is normally true, provided that you are covered by the WA, even if you start working for an employer after 1 Jan 2021. Employers are advised to require evidence of status by the end of 2021.
New version 2 published 2 June, 2021
This version includes important changes.
- “Trust” period for employment of UK citizens extended from 30th June to end of 2021
- Statement that it may take the authorities until the end of the year to complete processing for residence documents
- Information on professional activities “not classed as work” for business travellers and persons working in the sports or arts sectors
Key information in the flyer
The flyer, addressed to employers of UK citizens, includes very specific information. So you can point your employer directly to this as an authoritative source.
‘Wenn Ihre Arbeitnehmerin oder Ihr Arbeitnehmer unter das Austrittsabkommen fällt, ist er oder sie auch ohne entsprechendes Dokument berechtigt, bei Ihnen zu arbeiten. Wenn Sie wissen, dass Ihre Arbeitnehmerin oder Ihr Arbeitnehmer berechtigt ist, müssen Sie nichts
weiter unternehmen.
Dies gilt vor allem dann, wenn
- britische Staatsangehörige oder
- Familienangehörige britischer Staatsangehöriger mit Aufenthaltskarte oder Daueraufenthaltskarte
bereits vor dem 31. Dezember 2020 bei Ihnen legal gearbeitet haben. Sie können dann, ohne sich weitere Dokumente vorlegen zu lassen, diese Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer auch danach einfach weiter beschäftigen. Sie müssen keine Dokumente kopieren oder scannen oder zu Ihren Lohnunterlagen nehmen.
Gleiches gilt grundsätzlich auch, wenn eine Arbeitnehmerin oder ein Arbeitnehmer unter das Austrittabkommen fällt und erst ab dem 1. Januar 2021 eine Beschäftigung aufgenommen hat oder noch aufnimmt. Auch dann ist keine weitere Vorlage von Unterlagen erforderlich. Auch dann müssen Sie keine Dokumente kopieren oder scannen oder zu Ihren Lohnunterlagen nehmen.
Bis zum Ende des Jahres 2021 können Sie der Aussage britischer Staatsangehöriger, ein Aufenthaltsrecht nach dem Austrittsabkommen zu haben, vertrauen. Davon können Sie zumindest dann ausgehen, wenn die Berechtigten am 31. Dezember 2020 in Deutschland gewohnt haben.’
There is also an official ‘Weisung’ (directive) from the Bundesagentur here: https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/datei/weisung-202012007_ba146766.pdf
The Bundesministerium des Inneren Frequently Asked Questions includes a question and answer in English and German: ‘I am an employer and employ UK nationals or their family members. What do I need to bear in mind in future?’ / ‘Ich bin Arbeitgeberin oder Arbeitgeber und beschäftige Britinnen oder Briten oder deren Familienangehörige. Was muss ich künftig beachten?’
BMI FAQs in English
BMI FAQs in German
In case your employer or prospective employer is confused or uncertain about your right to work, the links and documents above should provide clear information and reassurance.
Evidence of Withdrawal Agreement rights
Just in case you do need to provide proof that you are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement before you get your Aufenthaltsdokument-GB, you may be able to use documents that you already have. For example, a Meldebescheinigung, proof that you were previously working, a rental agreement, bank statements etc. But you can also request a temporary Fiktionsbescheinigung from your local Ausländerbehörde.
Not yet notified your residence and rights? Don’t delay! For more information: Residency – latest
Information on Withdrawal Agreement rights
We have tried to further sum up your residency rights here under the Withdrawal Agreement.
Summaries and detailed guides from British in Europe https://www.britishineurope.org/page/1016540-explanatory-guides
Moving to Germany now?
Then you will not be covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and will need to request permission to work as a third country national. For German government information, see make-it-in-germany.com
British in Germany e.V. is run by volunteers all giving their time and their expertise for free. We therefore value your membership for 15 Euros a year, which goes towards expenses incurred in running the organisation. You can apply for membership here.