Hiring, Payroll & Employment
in Germany
Hire Contractors in Germany
Project Global helps international businesses hire, onboard and manage freelancers/ contractors in Germany. Through our established presence in Germany and in-country expertise, we provide contractor management, payroll, compliance, recruitment and workforce administration services.
Services available in Germany
关于德国
德国位于欧洲中心，是全球政治、经济和文化的领导者。它在汽车、工程、制药和可再生能源等领域拥有多元化的经济。德国以创新和教育著称，引领着全球潮流，在国际贸易和技术进步方面发挥着至关重要的作用。
德国：国家资源
货币
欧元（EUR）
首都：
柏林
语言
德国
方便经商
非常简单
人口
83.5M
增值税
19%
在德国走向世界
Our multinational clients trust us to take care of international payments and compliance for contractors working in Germany.
Whether you’re making a single hire or scaling a larger team, we’re here to support your growth every step of the way.
Explore Other European Employment Guides
Explore our country-specific guides covering employment, payroll, compliance and workforce management across Europe.
英国
Source, onboard and manage workers in the UK
爱尔兰
Source, onboard and manage workers in Ireland
View all Country Guides
Explore employment, payroll and compliance requirements by country
常见问题
Public holidays in Germany vary by federal state. Employees typically receive between 9 and 14 public holidays per year, in addition to their statutory paid annual leave entitlement.
Nationwide public holidays include:
- New Year’s Day: January 1
- Good Friday: March/April
- Easter Monday: March/April
- Labour Day: May 1
- Ascension Day: 39 days after Easter
- Whit Monday (Pentecost Monday): 50 days after Easter
- Day of German Unity: October 3
- Christmas Day: December 25
- Boxing Day: December 26
Compensation details, including base salary, allowances, bonuses, special payments, and overtime, must be outlined in the employment contract. Employees are also entitled to sick pay, which is equal to their usual remuneration without overtime for up to six weeks, followed by reduced pay from health insurance for up to 72 weeks if the illness continues.
在德国，雇员有权享受多种假期，包括
- 年假：每年至少 20 个工作日，每周工作五天。
- 产假：产前六周，产后八周，某些情况下可延长。
- 育儿假：最长三年，在某些情况下可延长。
- Nursing care leave: Up to six months unpaid leave for caring for a close relative
员工人数超过 10 人的企业的雇主只有在与员工的个人情况、行为或紧急业务要求相关的正当理由下才能解雇员工。通知期根据服务时间长短而不同，从四周开始，并随着任期的延长而延长。严重不当行为可立即解雇
雇员必须参加社会保障制度，其中包括养老金、医疗、护理、失业和工伤保险。缴费通常由雇主和雇员共同承担
Hiring in Germany without establishing your own company requires careful assessment of the proposed employment model. Where a worker is employed by one organisation but assigned to work under another company’s direction, Germany’s regulated employee-leasing rules may apply.
The appropriate route depends on where the worker and client are based, where the work is performed, how the individual will be managed and whether specific labour-leasing requirements apply.
Project Global can assess the proposed requirement and help identify the most appropriate engagement route.
An AÜG licence is a German labour-leasing licence. It can be relevant where one organisation employs a worker and assigns that individual to work under the operational direction of another organisation in Germany.
A compliant arrangement requires more than payroll administration. The legal employer must retain genuine employer responsibilities while the client’s authority is generally limited to operational instructions.
German staffing rules may also introduce obligations around documentation, equal treatment and assignment duration.
A genuine freelancer can be engaged in Germany, but the arrangement must operate as an independent business relationship in practice.
German classification focuses on the reality of the relationship. An employee is generally integrated into the client’s organisation and subject to instructions regarding how, when and where work is performed. An independent contractor has greater freedom to organise and deliver their services.
Simply using a freelancer agreement does not automatically determine employment status.
Freelancer misclassification can arise when someone is described as self-employed but works under conditions that indicate dependency on the client organisation.
Warning signs may include close supervision, fixed working methods, limited control over working time or location and a role that operates similarly to an internal employee.
Misclassification can create tax, employment and social security risks for both parties.
Assess the complete working relationship before the freelancer begins work.
The review should consider how the work will be organised, the level of supervision, the individual’s independence and whether they will become integrated into the client’s operations.
The contract should accurately reflect the working relationship and should be reviewed if the nature of the engagement changes significantly.
No.
Freelancer registration and tax registration do not determine employment status by themselves.
Authorities look at the practical working relationship rather than registration alone. A registered freelancer may still be considered an employee if the working arrangements demonstrate dependency, control or integration within the organisation.
Not every freelancer is required to register a trade or business.
Many professional freelancers operate under a separate freelance registration model rather than a commercial business registration. However, freelancers are generally expected to register their activity with the relevant tax authorities and meet ongoing tax obligations.
The appropriate registration route depends on the nature of the individual’s activity.
A German freelancer should be able to provide appropriate tax-registration information relating to their independent activity.
Organisations should ensure that invoicing details, tax information and payment instructions are verified before work begins. Appropriate onboarding checks help reduce payment delays and administrative issues later in the engagement.
Yes.
Self-billing can be used where both parties agree the arrangement and the invoice complies with the relevant invoicing requirements.
It is important to establish who is responsible for creating invoices and to ensure that all required information is included before payments begin.
Potentially, yes.
Remote working does not automatically place an arrangement outside Germany’s temporary-employment framework. Depending on the structure of the relationship and the level of direction exercised by the client, cross-border remote arrangements may still require assessment.
Organisations should review the locations of the worker, client and employing organisation before the arrangement starts.
Fixed-term employment contracts are permitted in Germany, but the reason for the fixed term and the required documentation should be carefully considered.
Some fixed-term arrangements require an objective justification, while others may be permissible subject to specific conditions. Fixed-term contracts must be documented correctly before employment begins.
If formal requirements are not met, the arrangement may not operate as intended.
German employment documentation should clearly record the essential terms of the relationship.
These commonly include the parties, start date, place of work, duties, probationary period, working hours, salary, annual leave, notice provisions and other key employment terms.
Well-structured documentation provides clarity for both the employer and employee and helps reduce future disputes.
Termination in Germany requires careful handling of both the reason for the termination and the process followed.
Employers should consider notice requirements, documentation, length of service and any applicable employment protections before taking action.
The formal process is an important part of termination and should be managed correctly from the outset.
Germany offers access to highly skilled media, technology, digital and professional-services talent.
Project Global can help organisations define their requirement, identify specialist talent and assess the most appropriate engagement model before onboarding begins.
Considering recruitment and workforce structure together can help organisations move more quickly once the right candidate has been identified.
Project Global can help organisations assess workforce requirements in Germany and support contractor engagement, compliance reviews, onboarding, contracting, invoicing and payment administration.
The most suitable engagement route depends on the worker location, client location, nature of the work and overall workforce strategy.
Each requirement should be assessed individually to ensure an appropriate structure is selected from the outset.
