How to get international care workers to Germany – we support you as an employer

You have made the decision to hire a care worker from abroad and want to ensure that they are supported well on their way to Germany? Then PROGEDO is here for you. We offer support in the early stages of preparation of the process and guide you professionally through all necessities.

PROGEDO is not a placement agency or provides service in this field, but we work together with partners and offer to connect you with them.

We offer support on the following steps towards the first day of work:

Application for a visa with a working permit

In case this is necessary, PROGEDO supports you during this process. We inform you about all the necessary steps that need to be taken and check for you if all requirements are met for the application of a visa for employment. We also check if you have all required documents ready and how to book an appointment at the responsible German embassy or consulate.

PROGEDO does not offer any legal services according to section 2, subsection 1 of the German legal service law!

Applying for a German health insurance

For all people living in Germany it is mandatory to have health insurance. We can prepare your membership with a German health insurance before your arrival thanks to our partners that we have worked together with for many years.

Important note: Your German health insurance becomes valid only on the first day of work as stated in your contract of employment. It is thus advisable to organize a travel insurance that covers you from arrival until your first day of work. We can support with this as well.

Move

In case your new employee wants to arrive with their belongings, the move needs to be organized. Especially with oversea moves it is sensible to plan well in advance because containers are on ships for a couple of weeks. PROGEDO works together with a variety of German removal services, who make for a smooth transition of goods with their international partners. And in case there are any queries, the responsible partner is in Germany and not anonymously abroad.

More on our services for household removal and all other settling-in services we offer can be found here: https://www.relocation.de/en/relocation/relocation-packages/

Temporary apartments

Already before your employee’s arrival we provide you with a list of temporary housing options, adapted individually to your needs and budget that you can choose from. We have a great network of apartments and shared flats and find a fitting solution for your budget. We take care of organizing a rental contract, coordinate deposit and rent payments and if you would like that we buy your first stock of groceries for you before your arrival.

Meet &Greet

When your employee arrives, we can pick them right up from train station or airport. If desired, we organize a monthly ticket for public transport so you can get to know your new surroundings without limitations. We accompany them to their rented home and advice on German customary practices to ease any insecurities. This covers house rules, waste separation, neighbors, correct heating, and ventilation, how to use electronical appliances etc.

Information on residential area

The employee receives a welcome package upon arrival with all necessary information surrounding their new surroundings.

• City map
• Emergency numbers
• Local administrative authorities guide
• Grocery stores
• Public transport system
• Leisure time activities

On demand we can show them around in their new surroundings, especially for shopping, nearest public transport station and other individually relevant spots of interest.

Registration

It is mandatory to get registered in Germany: Every person moving either to Germany from abroad or within Germany needs to communicate this to the responsible local authority. On the first day after their move in your employee can be registered. We provide support on all documents concerning this.

Everybody who registers in Germany automatically receives a tax ID from the responsible tax office. This is important for payroll and we can pick it up from tax office within three days after the official registration with a power of attorney and can forward it to the employer.

Opening of a bank account

We give an overview of the different banks available and schedule an appointment with the bank chosen by your employee. Of course, we accompany your employee to their appointment and translate the conversation with the bank. As soon as the bank account is officially opened, your employee has direct access and receives their bank card via mail within 10 days.

Registration with utility services

Rent in Germany is differentiated by “cold” and “warm” rent. Cold rent is the usage of the living space and warm rent includes additional costs. Those are either for water or for water and heating, often general building maintenance is added as well.

On top of this a tenant has to register electricity and sometimes heating themselves with a provider and pay that themselves on a monthly basis.

Every household in Germany needs to pay a monthly utility tax for tv and radio of 17.50€ (even if they don’t own a radio or tv).

Of course, we take care of organizing all necessary utility service registrations.

Insurances

In Germany it’s common to have a private liability insurance. Often this is a requirement mentioned in the rental contract. Such an insurance isn’t expensive and compensates for damages that one has accidentally done to other people’s goods or health.

We inform your employee about additional useful insurances like home contents insurance according to individual needs.

Phone and Internet

A very important aspect for newly arriving employees is often the ability to stay in touch with loved ones in their country of origin. If your employee needs internet or phone connection for their new home, we consult him on available options and support in setting up the contract with the desired provider.

Together with your employee we organize a German SIM-card for their mobile phone. For this, one needs a German registration and a passport.

A contract with a mobile phone provider is only possible once the visa has been changed to a residence title (in case this applies).

First day of work

Of course, we can accompany your new employee to their office on their first day of work.

Administrative Procedures

Often additional administrative procedures are necessary, for example the application of a police clearance certificate. We offer to organize those appointments and accompany you to them.

Immigration

As soon as your new employee is officially registered in Germany, one can file the application with the responsible foreigner’s department to change the visa to a residence title with a working permit.

We schedule the necessary appointment and support with the preparation of all necessary documents. For the appointment, your employee needs to be personally present for the foreigner’s department to be able to collect their biometrical data. We can accompany them there and collect the residence title a couple of weeks later with a power of attorney and deliver the document to their new home or the place of work.

Homesearch

The search for a long-term home for your employee can be taken over by us. The German housing market is fast moving and without proper German skills and necessary know-how it is a challenge to come out on top of competitors.

Thanks to our network and the good connections with real estate agents and private landlords we can from experience say, that we find a fitting home within a short period of time.

Our home search service includes the following aspects:

• Thorough preliminary talk with needs assessment
• Sending of different objects to further clarify needs and search criteria
• Accompanied and time efficiently scheduled viewings with driving service
• Communicate and translate the necessary application documents like payment slips and self-disclosure
• Explanation of the rental contract and its content
• Coordination of rental agreement
• Handing over of apartment with protocol
• If applicable negotiation of kitchen take over or furniture etc from previous owner

You can find further information here: https://www.relocation.de/en/relocation/relocation-packages/

Family accompanies your future employee?

We offer support for integrating your employee’s family as well. The search for a daycare, registration with school, application of child allowance and parental leave allowance can all be organized by us. Here you can find further information https://www.relocation.de/en/relocation/relocation-packages/#toggle-id-5

We can calculate an individual package according to your future employee’s country of origin and citizenship.

Of course, you can also book all services we offer for care workers from within Germany. Especially home search and organizing a suitable day care can be challenging when you live elsewhere within the location of a future place of work.

Use our service to set yourself apart from competitors in the tight market for care workers. What is a standard in Start-ups and the IT-sector can help you as well to gain an advantage on the tough market for well skilled employees.