Life for expats in Germany can frustrate, surprise, and delight. From residence permits to healthcare, find answers to all your big questions.
As of 2020, 12.9% of the population in Germany is foreign-born. That is a significant chunk. But what’s life really like for expats in Germany? In bureaucrazy Germany the stereotypes of Europe’s engine room may ring true, on the surface. Everything runs like clockwork, mostly. And the standard of living is high. However, like anywhere else in the world you do need to prepare yourself to deal with a variety of new challenges. Having said that, expats in Germany will find that the country is a wonderful place to make a home.
From the rule of law to German culture, this article explores life in Europe’s largest economy. Topics covered below include:
It’s fair to say Germans do not enjoy a reputation for being warm and friendly. And expats twig to this immediately, citing locals’ unfriendliness towards foreigners as a significant challenge, according to a 2018 survey. In fact, HSBC’s Expat Explorer 2021 league table, based on a survey of over 20,000 expats in 46 countries, ranks Germany 27th overall.
What Germany does have is an excellent reputation as a place to do business, a strong economy, good jobs for expats, and tolerance towards migrants. After all, it was Angela Merkel who challenged her countrymen and the rest of Europe to accept refugees and migrants. In 2015, she declared: ‘Wir...
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