New regulations for EU citizens in 2011

As of May, 1st 2011, the transitional rules or limitations on freedom of movement to the German labour market will be waived for all EU members who joined in 2004: Citizens of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Hungary do not need to apply for a work permit anymore.

The limits still apply for countries that joined the EU on January, 1st 2007, till December, 31st 2013. For citizens of Bulgaria and Romania, a work permit is still necessary.

With the onset of the free movement of workers to nationals of these eight new EU Member States the labour market approval process with the German labour authorities will change. An altered structure and organization of operations will be performed as of May 1st 2011.

The main innovation is that the labour market approval procedures will be in the responsibility of the Central Placement and Placement Services (ZAV), a special agency of the Federal Employment Agency, headquartered in 53123 Bonn, Villemombler Strasse 76.

Within the ZAV the labour market approval process will be carried out in six teams, with locations in Bonn, Duisburg, Frankfurt / Main and Munich.

Which team will be responsible on which location for the respective work permit applications can be researched on: www.zav.de, or requested at RSB.

Decisions on work permits for EU-nationals of Bulgaria and Romania and their families will be exclusively handled by the work permit authorization teams of ZAV as of May 1st 2011.

The local employment agencies, which have been involved in the process more intensively before, and the ZAV are trying to organize a quick and smooth implementation process. However, there may be delays during the transitional period.

Do you have any questions on the procedure of work permit applications?

Please contact us for further information or send us an email with your request through our contact form.

(Source for the above information: Federal Employment Agency, Central Placement and Placement Services (ZAV))