‘Avoid!’ Expats share the most difficult and ‘complicated’ thing about living in Germany

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Germany is one of the most popular global destinations for expats and there are an estimated 107,000 Britons living there. The majority of British expats live in North Rhine-Westphalia in the west of the country.

In the HSBC Expat Explorer survey, expats shared their tips and advice for newcomers to Germany.

While most of the comments were positive, they also issued a few warnings for potential expats.

One said: “If you plan to stay for a long term, you can exchange your foreign drivers licence for a German one within the first three months.

“After that time window, you will need to attend a driving school (it’s in German). It’s lengthy and expensive -avoid that if you can!”

Expats will need to exchange their driving licence quickly if they want to avoid taking a test in German.

The driving exam could be particularly difficult for British expats who don’t speak fluent German.

While obtaining a driving licence was one difficulty for expats, many faced challenges with paperwork.

One said: “Check out everything thoroughly in advance. Everything is difficult for an expat, especially health insurance and the ability to get a job without a German university degree.”

British people who are thinking of moving to Germany will need to plan ahead to make sure they will be able to work there.

Since Brexit, British expats will also need to sort out health insurance if they want to move to Germany.

Another expat said: “You need to know that the German tax system is complicated. Taxation is on a global income.”

British expats may need to seek information or advice to make sure they are paying the correct amount of tax in Germany.

Although there were challenges to expat life in Germany, one expat shared a tip to make life easier.

They said: “Learn the language! Germans speak English, but you will never feel truly at home unless you make the effort to learn German.”

Expats felt that people would feel more included if they made an effort to learn German and integrate with the local community.

Another expat gave advice on the best areas to visit in Germany. They said: “Visit the major cities like Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg.

“Go wandering in the Bavarian Alps, travel along the rivers Rhine and Mosel and visit the Black Forest.”

North Rhein-Westphalia is home to the beautiful German city of Cologne, known for its beautiful buildings and Christmas markets.

The second most popular area with British expats is the Bavaria region which is the largest state in Germany and home to the idyllic city of Munich.

Berlin, Germany’s buzzing capital city, was the third most popular destination for British expats.

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