Moving to a new country in search of work and better opportunities? Relocating can be both exciting and scary, but being prepared for what to expect is a good way to get yourself grounded somewhere new. Rewire’s relocation guides are meant to help you with the essential information you’ll need to get started in a new country.
Germany: Quick Facts for Migrants from India
- Population: 83 million
- Capital: Berlin
- Main language: Germany
- Emergency phone numbers: 112 (fire and ambulance), 110 (police)
- Electricity: 230 volts, 50Hz
- Currency: Euro
- Euro to Indian Rupee: 1 Euro = ~85 INR
- Embassy: Tiergartenstraße 17, 10785 Berlin; https://indianembassyberlin.gov.in/
Finding an Apartment in Germany
The first thing you want to do when apartment hunting in Germany gathers the necessary paperwork so that you can have everything ready to go when you go see a place. Make sure you have a passport or official ID, payslips from your work, and a copy of your credit record if you have one. If you can’t provide the necessary documents or requirements for an apartment, it’s a good idea to bring a guarantor. When you’re ready to start looking, these are some websites you might find helpful in your search:
Besides looking online, check with the local migrant community in your city to see if they have tips on finding housing or moving to Europe in general. There are even Facebook groups for Indians in Europe where you can ask for advice about housing, finances, or anything else. When you look for your first apartment in Germany, it’s important that you try and stick to your budget. Our budgeting for migrants series can help you understand and set up your own budget so you can understand how to prioritize your earnings.
Finding Work in Germany
There are tons of internationals scattered all over Germany and particularly in the bigger cities, meaning there’s plenty of work opportunities for migrants. Some migrants and expats find it tricky though to find new work without speaking the language as it can be difficult to learn, so it’s definitely helpful to start learning as much German in advance as you can. When you’re ready to begin your search, here are some websites you can use to do that. Keep in mind some of the postings will be in German, so having a basic grasp of the language will be a huge help.
Getting Around Germany
Getting around is a lot less challenging than finding an apartment or a job, but is necessary to nail down if you want to be able to go to apartment viewings and job interviews easily. The transportation in Germany is great and offers many options for getting around cities and the entire country.
The national train service, Deutsche Bahn, is the most efficient way to get around the country. However, there’s also the S-Bahn, which connects smaller suburbs outside of cities to major metropolises. The U-Bahn is the metro system, which also operates in bigger cities. Of course, there are also buses and trams to help you get around the cities easily and cheaply.
Send Money to India from Germany
New Indian migrants to Germany might find managing their finances to be the trickiest part of moving. Between navigating a new job and currency and figuring out how to transfer money to India, there’s a lot to learn. Luckily, there are online money management services, like Rewire, that can help you take care of everything. Rewire offers a global money transfer service that you can use to transfer money back home. Aside from there, you can also get a free prepaid debit card to make spending a little simpler, as well as a Euro payment account (IBAN).
To Wrap Up
We’re confident that with the right preparation and a little bit of patience, you’ll be able to integrate quite well into German society and find a home, whether temporary or permanent, among the migrant community there. Just remember that a little advance planning can go a long way when it comes to moving to a new country!
