Germany: Do I need to register my business in order to hire employees?

Following its incorporation, a startup will particularly need to do the following registrations before hiring first employees in Germany:

1. Registration of business (if any) with the trade office (Gewerbeamt) responsible for the place where the Company has its statutory seat;
2. Applying for membership with the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Industrie- und Handelskammer - IHK; or – but usually not relevant for startups – the Chamber of Crafts (Handwerkskammer));
3. Registration with the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit); and
4. Registration with the Employers' Liability Insurance Association (Berufsgenossenschaft).

In addition, depending on the business case, further regulatory requirements may need to be observed.

Please also note that in case a startup would like to hire employees outside of Germany, additional registration obligations may apply. The startup should check with its legal and tax advisors before any hiring activities outside of Germany.

Related FAQs

• Germany: What agreements do I need to enter into with my employees and independent contractors?
• Germany: Are there any other regulatory requirements that I should consider as startup when concluding employment agreements?