Moving to another EU country for work: the complete checklist

If you are an EU citizen moving from one member state to another for a job, the good news is simple: you don’t need a visa or a work permit. Freedom of movement is one of the core rights of EU citizenship.

What catches people out is everything else. Registration deadlines, tax residency, social security, health insurance and family members’ documents all still need attention, and the rules differ in each country.

What EU law guarantees

Under the EU’s free movement rules (Directive 2004/38/EC), as an EU citizen you can:

• live in any EU country for up to three months with just a valid ID card or passport,
• stay longer if you work, are self-employed, study, or have enough money and health insurance to support yourself,
• be treated equally to nationals when it comes to employment, pay and working conditions,
• acquire permanent residence after five years of continuous legal residence.

Who this does not cover

This is where many people get it wrong. Non-EU citizens who live in one EU country do not automatically get the right to move to another. A German residence permit, for example, does not allow you to take a job in the Netherlands.

There are exceptions:

• EU Blue Card holders can move to another EU country after 12 months under simplified rules. See our Blue Card guide.
• EU long-term residents (after five years of residence) have easier access to other member states.
• Non-EU family members of EU citizens who move with them have derived rights and receive a residence card.

If none of these apply, you need a new permit from the destination country, just like a first-time applicant. Our guide to work visas and job-seeker permits explains the options.

Your moving checklist

Before you move

• Check your employment contract for start date, probation period, salary and whether you’re employed locally or posted from your current country.
• If you’re being posted, ask your employer for an A1 certificate so you stay in your home country’s social security system.
• Plan housing early. In cities like Amsterdam, Munich, Dublin or Paris, finding a rental that allows registration can take longer than anything else.
• Collect civil documents: birth certificate, marriage certificate, children’s birth certificates. Some countries require apostilles or multilingual extracts. The EU’s multilingual standard forms for public documents can save translation costs.
• Request your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to cover you until you’re insured in the new country.

In your first weeks

• Register your address. In Germany this is the Anmeldung, required within two weeks of moving into a home. Other countries have similar steps, such as the BRP registration in the Netherlands.
• Register your residence if your new country requires it after three months. Many issue a registration certificate for EU citizens.
• Get a tax number and, where relevant, a social security number. You need them to be paid correctly.
• Join the local health insurance system. In Germany you choose a statutory health insurer (Krankenkasse) or, above an income threshold, private insurance.
• Open a local bank account. Under EU rules your home-country IBAN must be accepted for salary payments, but a local account makes daily life easier.
• Deregister in your old country where that’s required, to avoid double tax residency questions.

Within your first months

• Tax residency. As a rule of thumb, living in a country for more than 183 days in a year usually makes you tax resident there, but double taxation treaties decide the details. If you have income or property in both countries, take professional tax advice.
• Pensions. Your contributions in different EU countries are added together when determining your rights, and each country pays its share. Keep your records.
• Professional recognition. If you work in a regulated profession such as nursing, engineering or teaching, you may need your qualification recognised under the EU Professional Qualifications Directive before you can practise.
• Driving licence. An EU licence is valid everywhere in the EU, so no exchange is required.
• Children and schools. Register early; good schools near popular areas fill quickly.

How long does it take?

Most EU-to-EU moves take four to ten weeks from signed contract to settled, with housing as the main variable. Paperwork itself usually takes a few days to a few weeks, but appointment availability at local registration offices can stretch that in large cities.

How we help

We handle the cross-border part of your move: a checklist for your specific destination, help with registration and paperwork, and a single point of contact until you are settled. Tell us where you’re moving and we’ll tell you exactly what applies to you.