Working in Germany

Employment:
What you need to know

Employment contract

The employment contract governs the rights and duties of both the employee and the employer. The primary duty of the employer (= hospital) is to pay a salary, the primary duty of the employee (=you) is to perform work.

Helios offers you a contract in German language. An English version is also available upon request.

Important matters you should consider and discuss in your job interview include: salary, working hours, holiday entitlement, any special benefits (e.g. further training courses, language courses, etc.) probationary period, notice periods.

The amount of the salary is not standardised, but varies from hospital to hospital. The salary usually depends on the size of the hospital and, above all, on the region, which means that people usually receive higher pay in large cities where the cost of living and especially rents are higher than in rural areas.

Tip: You should base your choice of location not only on the salary, but also on other criteria, such as rental prices. The cost of living in rural areas is usually considerably lower than in cities, leaving you with more money at the end of the month. In Germany, it is not considered rude to ask your superior about the salary in a job interview.

The gross salary is the amount stated by your employer. It is considerably higher than the amount paid out to your account at the end of the month. You have to pay taxes and social security contributions, such as health and pension insurance contributions, from your gross salary. The salary paid out is lower than the gross amount; it is the net amount. You can find a salary calculator here.

Once a year, you can file a tax return, in which you disclose your income to the revenue office. In Germany, there are tax advisors specialising in that. Since these tax advisors usually charge high fees, we recommend contacting the Income Tax Assistance Association, where you can get professional assistance at a reasonable price.

As described above, some amounts are deducted from your gross salary, including pension insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance contributions. These contributions are also called social security contributions.