# Offer to work in Germany



## nsinclair2 (Oct 17, 2014)

My company is offering to send me to Germany for two years on an assignment. This is my first offer to go work overseas so I am not sure what to look for in a company offer.

What benefits should I be looking for from the company for myself and my family, including spouse and children, when considering to take an offer?

Any help or previous knowledge would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


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## _shel (Mar 2, 2014)

The types of things offered or requested would be flights for family, temporary accommodation on arrival for a few months, health insurance, school fees for the kids, flights home once a year maybe on longer assignments, payment of shipping for household goods or pets. 

All dependent on the state provisions and cost to you and what would be reasonable given the position you are filling and the wage.


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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

Much depends on circumstances, of course. The full expat deal usually includes relocation and housing assistance, possibly school fees if the kids require an international school. Health insurance should be included with the job anyway.

Personally I would be wary of the ship-everything-you-own approach, if it is offered. That generally means living like a North American - having to rent a big enough house to store the overabundance of crap. It's not the best way to experience Europe. (Friends in London did this, had a huge place miles out of town because the employer sent over a full container with the entire contents of their house in the US. I think they ultimately regretted the decision.) I would rather reduce and store what I had at home, come over very light and rent a furnished apartment near the center of whichever city I was living in. If you can do without a car, even better. However, international schools are generally closer to where the expats live in big houses.

As for school, if your kids are young enough, throw them in the public system and let them learn German. If not, then it's fee-paying international schools, with a few exceptions like the JFK school in Berlin.


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