First Steps on Arrival at the Institute and in Hamburg
What must I do first when I arrive in the workplace? What must I prioritize once I’ve moved house? There are a few bureaucratic procedures that attend every move and the start of every new job. And then there are other steps that will help you settle into your new role and working environment.
On beginning employment at the Institute
Our HR department will give you an appointment to formally begin your employment. On this occasion you will receive, among other things, an onboarding folder with helpful information about working at the Institute. During the first few weeks you will meet important contacts in the various departments and learn about your team’s workflows.
On moving house to the Hamburg area
Within two weeks of your arrival, you must formally register as a resident of Hamburg (or of whichever municipality you will be residing in). In many cases, this can be done online. However, if you are relocating from abroad, you will need to make an appointment at one of the City of Hamburg’s Service Centers. You can find out more here.
If you do not live inside the Hamburg city limits, these steps will be oriented toward your local municipality, in which case the name of the relevant office or agency might vary slightly.
German taxpayer identification number
Once you have registered locally as a resident of Germany, your German taxpayer identification number will be mailed automatically to your new address. Please share this number with the Institute’s HR Department right away.
Public broadcasting fee
In Germany, a wide range of broadcast media is financed under a system in which every household pays a public broadcasting fee. It is immaterial whether you actually have a device you would call a radio or a television. Once you’ve registered your residence, you then go and register your new address with the organization that collects the public broadcasting fee. You can find more information on this here (the “license” fee).
Account with a German-registered bank
While the institute is able to deposit your salary into a foreign bank account, we would advise you to open an account with a German-registered bank. Registering your residence with the local authorities will enable you to open a bank account at the bank of your choosing.