When a German employer sends a contract, the first question should be “What obligations and terms am I accepting?”, not “Where do I sign?”. Salary, accommodation or training discussed in the interview may mean something different in the document. Reviewing it is about understanding the agreement, not distrusting every employer.
This is a practical reading checklist, not an individual legal assessment. If deductions, substantial repayment obligations or termination clauses are unclear, show the complete contract to a qualified employment-law adviser. A single sentence may not convey the meaning of the whole document.
1. Who exactly is my contractual employer?
Check the employer's full legal name, address and signatory. The agency advertising the vacancy may not be the organisation named in the employment contract. If you work at another company, establish who pays your wages and who gives daily instructions.
Match your personal details to your passport. Do not leave an incorrect surname or old address to be “fixed later”. Obtain the corrected copy and identify the final version. Verifying the company does not automatically validate the contract's legal terms.
2. What work will I do, and where?
Read the duties as well as the job title. “Warehouse worker” can involve packing, loading, documentation or other tasks. If a duty requires an authorisation you do not have, clarify it before signing.
Does the contract specify one workplace or assignments in different regions? For mobile work, ask how travel and accommodation are arranged. Check the contract before assuming the city in the advert is your permanent workplace.
3. Which part of the pay is guaranteed?
Separate basic gross pay from supplements, bonuses and expense reimbursements. “You will receive this much a month” is incomplete without the hours and conditions. Note the payment date and method too.
Section 2 of the Nachweisgesetz sets out documentation requirements for essential employment terms, including pay components and working time. List each item separately: basic pay, supplements, conditional bonuses, reimbursements and possible deductions.
4. What are the hours, shifts and breaks?
Distinguish weekly hours from the number of working days. Ask when shifts start, when schedules are issued and how changes are communicated. Pay alone is not enough to plan commuting or family life.
Clarify what “flexible” means and for whom. Do you choose your hours, or do shifts change to meet the employer's needs? Understand how breaks and working time are recorded.
5. How is overtime handled?
Who authorises extra hours, how are they recorded and how are they paid or compensated with time off? If a clause says “included in salary”, have its scope and validity checked. Such clauses cannot all be declared lawful or unlawful at a glance.
Plan to keep your own shift records. Ask in advance about the app, terminal or timesheet used. If the verbally described workload differs sharply from the written weekly hours, clarify the discrepancy before calculating.
6. When does work start, and what happens if I am delayed?
For applicants arriving from abroad, the start date depends on the paperwork. A contract alone does not authorise work in Germany. Ask in writing how to adjust the date if the necessary visa and other permissions have not yet been obtained.
Do not commit to non-refundable costs based on a verbal “a month's delay is fine”. Clarify how the new date will appear in an addendum or updated document. An unconfirmed date cannot be guaranteed on behalf of the embassy or employer.
7. Is the contract fixed-term or open-ended?
Befristet (fixed-term) and unbefristet (open-ended) are different terms. For a fixed-term contract, find the end date or the condition determining its duration. A possibility of renewal is not automatic renewal; ask who decides and when.
Contract duration and residence permit validity are separate matters. They may be related but belong to different documents. Check what happens to housing or training obligations when the employment term ends.
8. What are the probation and termination rules?
If there is a probationary period, read its length and the termination rules that apply during it. Section 622 of the German Civil Code sets general notice periods and a rule for agreed probation, with exceptions such as collective agreements. Do not apply a single number found online to every contract.
Do not set a termination notice aside as routine information: legal deadlines can be short. Have it reviewed promptly by an appropriate specialist. Before signing, distinguish the rules applying to each party.
9. Which working week is the holiday allowance based on?
Ask which working-week pattern is used for the stated holiday allowance. The minimum under section 3 of the Federal Holidays Act of 24 days is based on a six-day working week; it should not be read as 24 days for every five-day schedule. Check the working days in your contract and any additional leave separately.
Starting partway through the year, schedule changes or special circumstances can affect the calculation. Do not book travel based only on the headline annual figure. Ask HR how leave is requested and approved.
10. What accommodation costs and other deductions apply?
Employer-provided accommodation is not necessarily free. Ask about a private or shared room, rent, utilities, deposit and the move-out rules after employment ends. Read any separate housing agreement alongside the employment contract.
| Item to check | What to clarify in writing |
|---|---|
| Accommodation | Address, room occupancy and price breakdown |
| Transport | Who arranges and pays for it |
| Work clothing | Issue and return arrangements |
| Payroll deduction | Basis, amount and period |
11. Must I repay training or relocation costs?
Could costs initially paid by the company later become your liability? Under what circumstances, how much would you repay and does the amount reduce over time? Do not accept language-course, travel and document costs as one combined debt without understanding the terms.
Illustrative example: a course was described as “company-funded”, but an appendix requires repayment if employment ends early. Obtain the details in writing and have a specialist assess the clause. This example is not a conclusion about its enforceability.
12. Which appendices and additional rules apply?
Obtain any document the contract refers to. A collective agreement, works agreement, job description or expenses appendix can affect essential terms. Having the signature page does not mean you have all the conditions.
Finish by collecting your questions in one email and saving the replies and agreed final copy. For the overall process, see the guide to moving for work; obtain individual legal advice on the contract from a qualified adviser.
Frequently asked questions
Is a translator or AI enough?
Translation helps you understand the wording but does not assess a clause's legal validity. Show unclear terms to a specialist alongside the German original. A favourable interpretation in translation may not exist in the actual document.
What if a verbal promise is missing from the contract?
Ask for the important term to be clarified in writing. Do not rely on later recollections of salary, housing or cost discussions. Obtain an updated final copy after any changes.
What if I am asked to sign immediately?
Request reasonable review time and all appendices. Pressure alone does not establish a legal conclusion, but it is no reason to accept obligations you do not understand. Pay particular attention to repayment clauses.
