How do you hire a German employee in 2026?
Germany requires a written employment statement within 7 days of the start date under the Nachweisgesetz. Miss that window and you face a regulatory fine. Probation runs up to 6 months. Notice during probation is 14 days for either side.
· Germany guide
Illustration · Berlin, Germany
The Germany hire process has five steps: offer letter, work-authorisation check, Nachweisgesetz written statement, social-insurance registration, first payday.
The written employment statement must be issued within 7 days of the start date. This is a legal requirement under the Nachweisgesetz.
Probation can last up to 6 months. Either side can end the contract during probation with 14 days notice. After 6 months of service, dismissal protection under the KSchG applies.
What does the end-to-end Germany hire process look like?
Five steps from accepted offer to first payslip: offer letter, work-authorisation check, Nachweisgesetz written statement, social-insurance registration, first payday.
The key deadline is the written statement. It must reach the employee within 7 days of the start date, not weeks later.
| Step | What happens | Owner | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Offer letter | Written offer with role, salary, start date, and key terms | Client / Teamed drafts | Same day after verbal accept |
| 2. Work-authorisation check | Verify right to work in Germany: EU/EEA citizen or valid residence and work permit | Teamed | Before the employee starts |
| 3. Nachweisgesetz written statement | Written particulars of employment under the Evidence Act | Teamed (legal employer) | Within 7 days of start date |
| 4. Social-insurance registration | Register the employee with pension, health, unemployment, and long-term care insurers; collect tax ID (Steueridentifikationsnummer) | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| 5. First payday | First payslip issued, Lohnsteuer-Anmeldung filed with the Finanzamt | Teamed | End of first calendar month |
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Issue the offer letter
Send a written offer the same day as verbal acceptance. Include role, salary, start date, probation of up to 6 months, probation notice of 14 days, and any conditions such as work-authorisation or references.
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Complete the work-authorisation check
Check identity documents for EU and EEA nationals, or verify the residence permit for non-EU nationals, before the employee starts. Record the document details and retain a copy.
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Issue the written statement
The Nachweisgesetz written statement of key employment terms must be issued within 7 days of the start date. Teamed's standard German contract meets all current requirements. Clients choose commercial terms; Teamed signs as the legal employer.
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Complete social-insurance registration
Register the employee with the German social-insurance system: pension, health, unemployment, and long-term care. Collect the Steueridentifikationsnummer, Krankenkasse choice, and IBAN. This runs across days 1 to 7.
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Issue the first payslip and file tax return
Run the first payroll at the end of the first calendar month. File the Lohnsteuer-Anmeldung with the Finanzamt by the 10th of the following month. The employee receives their payslip and is on the payroll record.
What must a German offer letter include?
An offer letter is not the binding contract. It is the document the candidate decides against.
Standard inclusions: role title, reporting line, start date, gross monthly salary, working hours, location, probation period of up to 6 months, notice during probation of 14 days, and any conditions such as work-authorisation or reference checks.
Three traps to avoid in German offer letters:
- Quoting net salary. German employees care about net pay, but committing to a net figure in writing creates problems when tax rates or social contributions change. Quote gross only.
- Conflicting probation terms. If the offer letter sets a 6 months probation and the Nachweisgesetz statement then contradicts it, the statement governs. Align them before the employee starts.
- Promising collective agreement benefits. Some sectors have binding Tarifvertraege (collective wage agreements). If your employee is covered by one, the offer letter must not undercut the agreed minimum terms. Teamed checks coverage before drafting.
Teamed's standard German offer letter template covers all required ground. Clients choose commercial elements; Teamed holds the legal-employer position and issues documents in both German and English where requested.
Germany work-authorisation checks (Arbeitserlaubnis)
Every employer must check work authorisation before the employee starts.
EU and EEA citizens have the right to work in Germany without a permit. Non-EU nationals need a valid residence permit with work authorisation (Aufenthaltstitel mit Arbeitserlaubnis) before they can start.
EU and EEA nationals
Citizens of EU and EEA member states can work in Germany without a separate work permit. The employer checks the identity document (passport or national ID card) and retains a copy. No online portal or government system is required for this check.
Non-EU nationals
Third-country nationals must hold a valid German residence permit that authorises work. The employer checks the document before the start date and records the permit number, type, and expiry date. A follow-up check is required before the permit expires.
Common permit categories include the Fachkraftvisum (skilled worker visa), the ICT card for intra-company transfers, and the EU Blue Card for highly qualified workers. The Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur fuer Arbeit) approves most categories before the permit is issued.
Employers must verify that a worker holds the right to work in Germany before employment begins. For non-EU nationals, a residence permit with an explicit work authorisation (Aufenthaltstitel mit Arbeitserlaubnis) is required. Employment without valid authorisation is an administrative offence.
Source: Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS): Labour Law
Ongoing checks
For employees on time-limited permits, Teamed tracks the expiry date and triggers a reminder ahead of renewal. A permit expiry without a renewal is a compliance breach. Teamed manages the calendar so no renewal is missed.
The German written contract: what must it contain?
The Nachweisgesetz (Evidence Act) requires the employer to give the employee a written statement of key employment terms.
This statement must be issued on the first day of work for core terms, and within 7 days for the remaining terms. It is the legally binding document, not the offer letter.
What the Nachweisgesetz written statement must include:
- Names and addresses of both parties
- Start date of employment
- Place of work and, if the employee works at multiple locations, a note to that effect
- Job title or brief description of the work
- Gross salary and components (base pay, allowances, bonuses), pay intervals, and payment method
- Agreed working hours per day or week and any rules on overtime
- Annual paid leave entitlement (at least 20 days for a five-day week)
- Notice periods: 4 weeks minimum employer notice and 4 weeks minimum employee notice after probation
- Probation period, if agreed (up to 6 months)
- Any applicable collective wage agreement (Tarifvertrag) or works agreement (Betriebsvereinbarung)
- Details of any pension or occupational benefit schemes
- Reference to the disciplinary and grievance procedures applicable to the employment
The Nachweisgesetz was substantially amended in 2022 to implement the EU Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive. The expanded list of required disclosures has been in force since then. Teamed's standard German employment contract satisfies all current requirements.
Key source: Nachweisgesetz (Evidence Act) via Bundesministerium der Justiz.
Onboarding admin in the first week
Days 1 to 7: written statement issued, social-insurance registration completed, tax ID collected, bank details collected, and benefits setup.
Teamed handles the payroll and compliance side. The client handles the cultural and operational side.
| Onboarding task | Who does it | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Nachweisgesetz statement signed | Employee and Teamed | Day 1 |
| Work-authorisation check completed | Teamed | Day 0 (before start) |
| Steueridentifikationsnummer (tax ID) collected | Employee submits to Teamed | Day 1 |
| Social-insurance registration (pension, health, unemployment, long-term care) | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| Health insurer (Krankenkasse) choice confirmed | Employee selects; Teamed registers | Day 1 |
| Bank details (IBAN) collected for SEPA payment | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| Occupational pension or benefits enrolment | Teamed (admin) and Client (decision) | Days 1 to 7 |
| Equipment and system access | Client | Days 0 to 1 |
| Manager introduction and first-week plan | Client | Days 0 to 7 |
| 30-60-90 day plan documented | Client (manager) | Days 1 to 14 |
How does Teamed handle German employment for you?
Teamed becomes your legal employer of record in Germany for from $599 per employee per month, with zero FX mark-up in any currency.
Payroll, social-insurance registration, the Nachweisgesetz contract, and the full German employment law stack run on one platform.
Real HR and legal experts handle your German hires, from the first offer letter through every monthly Lohnsteuer-Anmeldung. An actual person, not a chatbot or a pooled queue. There is no setup fee and no exit fee. Employer cost passes through at cost, itemised on every invoice.
EOR payroll, contractor onboarding, and entity setup all live on one platform. A German contractor who converts to full employment keeps their record. Run the Crossover Calculator to see the month your German hire is ready to graduate to your own entity. Start from the Germany hiring overview; each guide here takes one layer of German employment law.
Key sources: BMAS Labour Law, Nachweisgesetz, and BGB section 622 (notice periods).
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to hire someone in Germany through Teamed?
Teamed can onboard a German employee with EU or EEA work authorisation within a few business days. The critical path is the work-authorisation check and the Nachweisgesetz written statement, which must be issued within 7 days of the start date. Social-insurance registration runs in parallel. Non-EU nationals who need a work permit will take longer, as the permit must be in place before the start date.
What is the Nachweisgesetz and when must the written statement be issued?
The Nachweisgesetz (Evidence Act) requires every employer to give a written statement of key employment terms to each employee. Core terms (name, place of work, role, salary, start date) must be given on the first day. The full statement must be issued within 7 days of the start date. Missing the deadline is a regulatory offence. The statement is the binding employment contract; the offer letter is not.
What is the probation period and notice during probation in Germany?
The probationary period in Germany can last up to 6 months under BGB section 622(3). During probation, either side can end the employment with 14 days notice. After probation ends, the minimum employer notice rises to 4 weeks for employees with less than 2 years of service, and scales upwards with tenure.
When does dismissal protection under the KSchG apply?
The Kuendigungsschutzgesetz (KSchG) applies to employees who have been employed for more than 6 months. After that threshold, the employer must have a socially justified reason to dismiss: personal reasons, conduct-based reasons, or operational reasons. The employee has 3 weeks to file a challenge at the labour court after receiving notice.
What is the minimum annual leave entitlement for a German employee?
The minimum paid annual leave entitlement under the Bundesurlaubsgesetz is 20 days for a five-day working week. Germany has 9 public holidays that apply nationwide; most states observe additional regional holidays on top of those. Leave accrues from the first day of employment.
The Nachweisgesetz deadline catches companies out more than anything else in German onboarding. Seven days from start date sounds manageable until you realise that translated, signed, and countersigned has to happen inside that window. We run the contract in parallel with the offer, so day one is never a scramble.
Germany gives you 7 days to deliver the written employment statement. The clock starts on day one.
Social-insurance registration spans four separate funds. All must be notified before the first payroll.
Get the dates right from day one and you stay clean.
