As a German citizen, you are not required to obtain a work permit if you want to work in another EU Member State/ EEA State or Switzerland. You are entitled to a residence permit and freedom of movement.

Article 45 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and a bilateral agreement reached with Switzerland on 12 June 1999 form the basis of the European legislation.

Germans who are planning a research stay in a country outside of the above-mentioned region, i.e. neither within the European Union/EEA nor Switzerland, must contact the representation of the respective countryto find out about applicable regulations and requirements.

This same applies to citizens of other countries staying in Germany for research stays both within and outside Europe.

On Returning to Germany

If you are working as an employee ("Angestelltenverhältnis") at an institution of higher education or research in Germany and wish to take up a research position abroad, you must bear in mind that if you return to a position at an institution of higher education or research in Germany, your employment in the other country will not usually be taken into consideration with regard to pay scale classification(e.g. age bracket, seniority, probationary periods).

If you are working as a civil servant ("Beamtenverhältnis") and return to Germany after holding a research position in another EU Member State, periods of time spent abroad can only be recognized under certain circumstances. Details should be discussed with your employer in advance. Special regulations (cf. Delegation Regulations ["Entsendungsrichtlinien"] - 2005, p. 1073) apply to positions with European institutions (e.g. EMBL).

Legal advice on matters of higher education and occupational legislation (matters relating to substitutes for professors, occupational legislation, advice on first-time professorial appointments, as well as taxation, insurance and benefit regulations for civil servants) can be obtained for a fee from the German Association of University Professors and Lecturers "Deutscher Hochschulverband".