Research stay based on a fellowship
Fellowships are usually exempt from compulsory social security payments, with the exception of health insurance which even fellows have to have. The rest of the information on this page is not of relevance to fellows.

Research stay based on an employment contract
If you are going to spend time researching in Germany on the basis of an employment contract you are subject to the statutory system of compulsory contributions to social security ("Beiträge zu den Sozialversicherungen") in Germany. Employers and employees pay one half of the contributions respectively which together comprise ca. 40% of your gross salary.
As soon as you take up your post, your host institution will take the steps necessary to register you for insurance. You will be registered with the Health Insurance Company ("Krankenkasse") of your choice which will then inform the other social security providers. Once registration has been completed you will receive an Insurance Number ("Versicherungsnummer") and a Social Security ID ("Sozialversicherungsausweis") from the provider handling the pension scheme which you have to hand in to the host institution. The employer is responsible for paying the contributions and will deduct the sum at source.

Transfer of claims
Citizens of a Member State of the EU are covered by the "Community Provisions on Social Security" which regulate the rights and transferability of social security entitlement within the European Union. There are two basic principles in the Community Provisions:

1. You are insured in the country where you exercise your professional activity.
2. You are subject to the legislation of only one Member State at a time.