Business Immigration Services
Shortage of skilled workers, globalisation, Brexit - all of these factors are increasingly leading companies to recruit foreign employees and to deploy staff across borders throughout the group. The residence and labour law regulations are complex and multi-layered. In addition, access to labour markets is highly regulated worldwide. Due to increased compliance requirements and bureaucratic hurdles, the deployment of employees in Germany or in the target country can not only be delayed but can also result in sensitive risks and penalties for companies. For illegal foreign employment, both the employer and the employee are liable with market access restrictions, fines or entry bans for the employee.
With Business Immigration Service, advises BDO Legal clients on all facets of immigration law issues. Our lawyers and immigration specialists have extensive experience in advising on immigration issues and communicating with the authorities. We assist in the compilation and submission of the necessary documents to ensure that your staff are deployed in compliance with the relevant legal regulations and that the procedure runs smoothly, and your staff are deployed quickly.
Work permit procedures and questions of residence rights are often the ‘first point of contact’ in international personnel deployment, but BDO also always handles them in the context of tax, labour law and social security aspects. In this way, companies benefit from the team's experience in dealing with expatriates and the authorities as well as from our network at home and abroad.
Our Business Immigration Services support in particular with the following services:
Inbound Immigration - Entry into Germany
- Assessment of business trips and international personnel assignments (secondments / localisations) from a compliance point of view
- Support in applying for visas and residence permits (incl. work permits) for non-EU citizens
- Support of the application process in the home country and in Germany incl. communication with HR as well as the employee and dependents
- Communication with all authorities involved
- Advice on the best options under residence law for the employee as well as the family members
- Advice on registration; verification of the requirement to register as a resident; registration, re-registration and de-registration with the registration authorities
- Employer's notification obligations resulting from the new Skilled Workers Immigration Act (FEG)
- If necessary, coordination of external service providers (translator / relocator)
- Checking the recognition of university degrees
- Support with legalisations and obtaining apostilles
- Monitoring of validity of visas and residence titles and proper documentation
- Support with renewals of residence titles and work permits
- Immigration audits
Outbound Immigration - Entry into other countries
- Coordination of business immigration services provided via the worldwide BDO network abroad
- Advice on business trips (business visitor)
- Support with visa applications and processes at the foreign consulates in Germany
- Support with legalisations and obtaining apostilles
- General advice in connection with residence regulations in the destination country (e.g. application process, visa requirements, family reunification, health checks etc.)
- Monitoring of validity of visas and residence/ work permits and proper documentation