Due to reciprocal agreements, EU citizens do not require an entry or work visa to gain employment in another EU country. All EU workers, regardless of nationality, receive the same treatment in the workplace as the host country’s nationals, and many of rights are also extended to the families of migrant workers.

If you are not an EU national but would like to work or travel within the EU, you should consult the relevant embassy or consulate.

Working in another EU country – your rights

1. Social Security

You should be insured in the country you are working in.
You should be entitled to local social security benefits such as sick and maternity pay (which can sometimes be extended to your family) but you are obliged to pay into the host country’s social security scheme.

2. Taxes

You will usually become a “resident for tax purposes” in the EU state you are working in but you should note that bilateral tax conventions have been agreed between member states aiming to avoid any double taxation.
It is important to inform your home tax office of your move abroad to avoid any future complications with your tax status.

3. Family

Your family has the right to accompany you to another EU state regardless of their nationality if they are:
a. Your spouse;
b. A child under 21 years of age, or an older but dependent child;
c. Your parents or parents-in-law if they are dependent on you.

Looking for work

There are several ways of going about finding a job abroad. We recommend searching GAAPweb for possible opportunities in Europe or even further afield, but you can also take the decision to start your job search when you’ve already arrived in your new country of residence. You could even be given the chance to work abroad by your present employer, in which case you will be known as a “posted worker”.

If you are going to be spending more than one month abroad in another EU country as a posted worker, your employer is obliged to inform you of your pay and working conditions in writing before your departure. In this scenario it is also usual that you remain affiliated to your home social security system.

The EU job hunt

Every EU citizen is given a “reasonable period” of time – ranging between three and six months – to find suitable employment in another EU state. This time frame can be extended if there is proof that an offer of employment is likely in the near future.

Looking for work

• You should be recruited according to the same conditions as the host country’s nationals and do not need to meet any additional criteria.
• You should note, however, that some public sector roles focusing on safeguarding public order or security are restricted to nationals of the Member State’s.
• However, in general, you can apply for any roles in the public or private sectors and should be treated with the same fairness as a national of that country.

Property

If you are thinking of relocating to Germany, you could start your property search with FindaProperty.

Education and Schooling

Germany’s international schools offer education in English and the qualifications include International Baccalaureate (IB) and British GCSE exams. There are international schools based In Berlin, Bonn, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Haimhausen, Hamburg, Hannover, Heidelberg, Herzogenaurach, Kandern, Leipzig, Munich, Neuss, Potsdam, Salem, Stuttgart, Weimar, and Weisbaden. You can find out more information on these schools, the courses they offer, their fees and entry requirements on the Directory of International and English Schools Worldwide website.

If you intend on a long-term relocation, the German state school system could be a good alternative to international school if you expect your children to learn German effectively while receiving a good education. German schools are known for their high levels of achievement and education is provided free of charge to expatriates from infant school to university.

In state system, children start attending elementary school (Grundschule) at age six. At the end of the fourth grade, children are streamed according to aptitude and parental preference and go on to attend Hauptschule, Realschule or Gymnasium:

• The Hauptschule’s curriculum is similar to that of Realschule or Gymnasium, but the students also attend some vocational classes and develop towards apprenticeship training.
• The Realschule leads to part-time vocational schools and more advanced vocational courses, but high achieving students can switch to Gymnasium, a rough equivalent to the British grammar school, at the end of the course.
• The Gymnasium prepares students for their university studies by working towards the high school diploma known as the Arbitur.

Berlin

The capital city of Germany, Berlin has a population of 3.4 million and a vibrant community with a thriving cultural life. Its exciting nightlife and diverse history make it Europe’s third most popular tourist destination.

Berlin’s economy is focused mainly on the service sector, and since reunification unemployment has been steadily falling. Siemens and Deutsche Bahn have headquarters in the city, and secondary departments of national and international companies, such as Daimler and BMW, as well as several pharmaceutical companies, are establishing themselves in the city and further boosting Berlin’s economy.

The city is well served by good transport links including road, rail and air.

Frankfurt am Main

The fifth largest city in Germany, Frankfurt am Main has a large multicultural population and is an international financial hub, rivalling the famous business centres of London, Paris, New York and Toyko. This is recognised by the Big 4 accounting firms, who all have bases – or, in the case of PwC, their German headquarters – in the city.

As the financial and transportation centre of Germany, Frankfurt am Main is the home to the European Central Bank, the German Federal Bank, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the Frankfurt Trade Fair.

The city is well served with good transport links including road, rail, and air.

Property

If you are thinking of relocating to France, you can access some excellent advice from the Transitions Abroad website.

FUSAC is another useful guide for people who have newly arrive in Paris or who are considering the move.

Education and Schooling

France’s international schools offer education in English and the qualifications include International Baccalaureate (IB) and British GCSE exams. There are international schools based InAix en Provence, Bailly, Bordeaux, Caluire, Cannes, Fontainebleau, Grenoble, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Paris, Pau, Strasbourg and St Germain-en-Laye. You can find out more information on these schools, the courses they offer, their fees and entry requirements on the Directory of International and English Schools Worldwide website.

If you intend on a long-term relocation, the French state school system could be a good alternative to international school if you expect your children to learn French effectively while receiving a good education. France is known for having an excellent education system and most children enter the state school system. Schooling is compulsory from the age of six to at least sixteen, although children as young as two are allowed to attend school. Unlike schools in the UK, French school days are often longer and usually require students to attend on Saturday mornings with a free Wednesday afternoon.

Private schooling is another option in France and the price tag is nothing like its UK equivalent. Private schools can often cater better for children with special educational needs or if parents want their children to be schooled in a religious environment (all state schools in France are secular.)

Paris

Paris is one of the most populated areas in Europe, but estimates of two million inhabitants within the main city limits disregard the entire population of the extended metropolitan area, which puts the population closer to 12 million.

Paris is financially and culturally rich, and is the home of the famous Paris Opéra, the Musée d’Orsay, the Eiffel Tower, and has a famous philosophical tradition. It’s no wonder that Paris is one of the world’s dream destinations, welcoming an estimated 30 million visitors every year.

Paris is France’s centre of economic activity and its focus has been pointing towards high-tech industries, finance, and IT. Despite this shift, however, Paris is still plays an important role in international manufacturing.

Property

If you are thinking of moving abroad to Spain, you can access some excellent information on the Other Countries website.

Education and Schooling

Spain’s international schools offer education in English and the qualifications include International Baccalaureate (IB) and British GCSE exams. There are international schools based In Alicante, Asturias, Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Malaga, Mallorca, Murcia, Sotongrande and Valencia. You can find out more information on these schools, the courses they offer, their fees and entry requirements on the Directory of International and English Schools Worldwide website.

Spanish schools are either state funded or private, and about 30 per cent of students attend private schools. Compulsory education is from the age of six and all schooling is carried out in Spanish. At fourteen, children either go to a vocational school or continue their studies in a secondary school with the intention of attending university.

To enrol your child in a Spanish school, you will be required to attend an interview, to which you must bring evidence of your child’s education so far (“convalidation”) as well as passport, record of immunisation, proof of residence, and passport photograph of the child.

Spain’s dramatic history has not hindered its economic progress and it is the eight largest country economically in the world according to the World Bank. Since the introduction of the new Euro currency, Spain has created more than half of all new jobs in the EU, and this dynamism has resulted in steady foreign investment, adding to the estimated 40 billion Euro brought in annually by its thriving tourist industry.

Madrid

Madrid’s wider urban area is estimated to be home to around 5.84 million people and the city, also the home to many major Spanish companies, is regarded as Spain’s major financial centre.

As a visitor to Madrid, you will be able to enjoy its famous “Golden Triangle of Art”, made up of three famous museums, the Prado Museum, the Thyssem Bonemisza Museum, and the Reina Sofia Museum. In the evenings you can enjoy the famous nightlife in the Bilbao, Tribunal, Alonso Martinez, Moncloa, Puerta del Sol, Huertas and the Chueca district, filled with top clubs and discos.

Barcelona (Catalonia)

This major economic centre is home to about 5.5 million people and houses the seat of the Catalan government.

Manufacturing and services are both important industries in Barcelona, but the economy is focusing more closely on logistics, publishing, telecommunications and computer sectors.

Barcelona is filled with wonderful attractions, but Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia Church should definitely be on the top of any traveller’s list.

Property

If you are preparing for a move to Italy, you may find the Buying Property in Italy website a useful guide.

The Italian www.casa.it website is also extremely useful for flat and house hunting, whether you want to buy or rent while you are abroad.

Education and Schooling

Italy’s international schools offer education in English and the qualifications include International Baccalaureate (IB) and British GCSE exams. There are international schools based In Bologna, Como, Florence, Genoa, Lanciano, Milan, Modena, Monza, Naples, Padua, Rome, Rosa, Treviso, Trieste, Turin, Udine, Varese, Verona and Vicenza. You can find out more information on these schools, the courses they offer, their fees and entry requirements on the Directory of International and English Schools Worldwide website.

In Italy, school is compulsory from age six to sixteen. An alternative to international schools is the state school system which has a good reputation. After receiving the Diploma di Maturità (A level or IB equivalent), students move on to start work or university.

Milan

Italy has the eight-highest quality of life index rating in the world and was a founding member of the European Union. It was ranked as the seventh-largest economy in the world in 2006 and the fourth-largest in Europe.

The northern city of Milan is the home of the Italian Stock Exchange, or Borsa Italiana, and Milanese industry has sprawled across the landscape of northern Italy in the past fifty years, creating the still sharp divide between the rich, industrialised north and the less developed southern region. Attempts at reform and development seem to falter, but this has not impeded Italy’s emergence as a powerful economic force since World War 2.

Indeed, the World Bank recognises Italy’s freedom of invest and its great trading and business capacity despite the sometimes difficult bureaucracy and heavy taxes.

Italy’s main economic strength has come from its large collection of SMEs, and Italian industry is envied for its advanced design and its internationally renowned pillars of fashion and design: Prada, Gucci, Armani to name but a few. Furthermore, car manufacturing, the food industry, and tourism are all also very important to the Italian economy, and the country is ranked as the world’s fifth most popular tourist destination. With such treasures as Venice, Rome and Florence, this trend definitely seems set to continue.

Jobs

Jersey offers great opportunities in finance especially considering its small size. There are over 50 accountancy firms in Jersey as well as over 300 law, trust, banking and fund businesses.

Due to its offshore nature, Jersey requires finance professionals for specialist areas such as Trust and Fund Administrators as well as general accounting roles.

Tax

For both Jersey and Guernsey, income tax is payable on a flat rate of 20% under a system called ITIS (Income Tax Instalment System) where tax is deducted by the employer taking into account generous personal allowances. You’ll also pay the equivalent of National Insurance though it will be significantly below the UK rate.

After arriving on the Island you’ll need to register with the Income Tax department within 30 days.

Housing

Jersey operates a strict housing control policy. Only people born in Jersey or essentially employed locals who have been on the Island for 12 years or more are eligible to buy or lease property. For newcomers to the Island unregulated accommodation is generally the only option.

Due to the demand for skilled professionals the Island’s authorities have shown an increased willingness to grant 'J category’ consent to people who bring to the Island a particular area of expertise that can’t be filled by the island’s current workforce. This allows you to occupy specified types of accommodation, leased or purchased by your employer, and so increases the number of properties available to you.

Guernsey also places strict controls on housing. Approximately 10% of the Island’s housing is ‘open market’ and these are generally the most expensive properties. You will need a housing licence to occupy any property unless it is on Part A of the open market register. As with Jersey though, the Housing Authority issues ‘essential’ housing licences if you are deemed to have an essential skill. For jobs in the finance sector these are usually issued for three or five years initially.