Many people seek to open their own business abroad, which will provide them with a stable income and a decent life. Business in Germany is a rather promising direction for this in 2021. The country is economically attractive and is successfully developing despite the influx of refugees and the global financial crisis. It has created favorable conditions for business activities not only for its own citizens, but also for foreigners.
Benefits of organizing and doing business in Germany
Anyone who has a sufficient amount of money and entrepreneurial skills can open a business in the country, regardless of their place of residence. At the same time, it is important that entrepreneurial activity brings benefits to the region and the economy.
Before investing, you need to think about what kind of business will be profitable and draw up a plan for its development. It should be noted that entrepreneurs have the opportunity to transfer a business already existing in another country to Germany, create a subsidiary company, buy a stake in a German company, or open an enterprise from scratch.
Find out more about business immigration to Germany.
The country opens up broad prospects for foreign investors:
- goods manufactured in Germany are recognized all over the world as a German brand, distinguished by high quality;
- the government gives subsidies to enterprises and, if necessary, allocates subsidies for development;
- companies can get a loan on preferential terms in German banks;
- the low level of taxes in comparison with other states allows you to quickly increase profits;
- it becomes possible to conduct commercial activities not only in the domestic market, but also throughout the European Union.
An entrepreneur has the right to register intellectual property and participate in international business projects.
In order to start a business in Germany and open a limited liability company, a minimum share capital of 25,000 euros is required. At the initial stage, it is allowed to deposit half of the amount - 12,500 euros.
What business ideas are the most promising in Germany
To open a successful business, you need to study the needs of the population in whose interests the company will operate, and analyze its financial capabilities. The most profitable business, which is in demand in all parts of the country, is considered to be working with real estate. This is a very promising and interesting direction. That is, actual business for Germany is:
- purchase of apartments and other premises for the purpose of renting them out for commercial, warehouse and trade activities. If you choose the right object for purchase and subsequent leasing, the rental business quickly pays off. However, one should take into account the technical characteristics of the premises, their location and the prospects of the settlement in which they are located;
- purchase of land plots for building. The completed object is easy to sell and get a high profit;
- hotel business. By opening a hotel, you can recoup all costs and earn good money, since many tourists from different countries come to the country;
- nursing home. Buying and running such a business is a guarantee of a stable income. The state helps such institutions, allocates subsidies and provides benefits.
In addition to real estate, you can choose other options for a profitable enterprise. For example, fast food chains are popular in Germany, but the demand for expensive restaurants is gradually decreasing: many people prefer to dine and dine in eateries, where food is inexpensive and tasty. Therefore, if you open an institution in a crowded place and provide high-quality service, it will not be difficult to recoup the costs and make a profit.
A highly demanded small business in Germany is hairdressing and beauty salons. The demand for such services and the prices for them in the country are quite high.
You can also successfully invest in opening a store. Trade in food products, household chemicals and clothing is always in demand. People actively visit supermarkets, therefore, with the right business, this area brings a solid income.
In addition, there is a special line of business in Germany that has no analogues in Russia: specialists who are called Freiberufler and are considered businessmen are exempt from paying business tax. Translated from German, Freiberufler means "a man of a free profession." He must have a special education and have skills in his field. This category includes:
- doctors and other members of the medical profession;
- notaries;
- lawyers;
- designers;
- photographers;
- actors;
- writers;
- translators;
- journalists.
It should be noted that all conditions have been created in Germany in order to successfully implement new business ideas. In particular, according to experts, the construction of solar battery parks and other projects aimed at preserving the environment have great prospects.
Take a sociological survey!
[yop_poll id = ”14 ″]
What organizational and legal form should be chosen
The simplest form of doing business in the country is the Sole Proprietorship Das Einzelunternehmen. It can be opened by a natural person - for example, a person of a liberal profession, and run it independently. Foreigners who are not residents of Germany can create a capital company. This is a form of a commercial enterprise that involves contributions from participants to the total capital. In a capital society, several forms are distinguished:
- joint stock company Aktiengesellschaft - AG;
- limited liability company Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung - GmbH.
You can find out about all the organizational and legal intricacies of doing business for citizens of the country and foreigners from the article "Forms of ownership in Germany".
Foreign entrepreneurs often set up a GmbH. Community members draw up an agreement in which they indicate the amount of capital, scope of activity, address and certify the document with a notary. The founder of such an enterprise can be an individual or a legal entity.
A kind of GmbH, or mini-GmbH, is UG in Germany (Unternehmergesellschaft). This organizational and legal form is of greatest interest to entrepreneurs who are just starting their own business and do not yet have large start-up capital. To open a company in Germany in the form of UG, the same rules apply as for a regular limited liability company, except that the amount of the registered capital of UG can be from 1 to 24 999 euros.
The joint stock company must have a statutory fund of 50,000 euros. Moreover, a fourth of the amount must be paid at registration. The AG form in Germany is typical for large companies. The company's management is required to publish financial statements annually.
How to open your business in Germany
To open a company, you need to decide on its organizational and legal form and collect a package of necessary documents.
GmbH - an analogue of a Russian limited liability company (LLC) - consists of founders and a director. It is allowed that it was one person.
What documents will be needed
The legal form of GmbH allows you to open a business in Germany without citizenship. To register a limited liability company, you will need detailed information about the founders, the director and the company itself. You need to prepare:
- the charter of the company, which describes in detail the activities of the company;
- list of founders;
- information on the shares of shareholders;
- home address, name, date of birth of each member of the community. Data must be written in Latin;
- information about the marital status of shareholders. Legislation requires the spouse of the founder to be present when the documents are registered.
The legal address of the company must be German. Foreign investors usually provide the address of a tax lawyer or firm that helps with paperwork.
Once registered, the founders are eligible for a business visa. Its validity period varies from one month to a year.
What papers you need to provide for registration of this document, you can find out from the material "Business visa to Germany".
Provided that the firm is operating normally, all shareholders can apply for a residence permit for themselves and their family members. Having your own business, over time you can count on obtaining German citizenship.
Company registration procedure
Company registration is carried out by a notary and takes about an hour on average. The fee for his services is approximately 600 euros. To visit a specialist, you need to make an appointment with him in advance and not be late for an appointment. It is advisable to arrive 5 minutes before the appointed time.
The director and one of the founders of the company must personally attend the registration procedure. The rest of the founders can issue a power of attorney for another person, which must be certified by a notary in Germany, and do the same in Russia if the shareholder lives there.
It is important to collect all the constituent documents and take them with you. At the beginning of the procedure, the notary's assistant will examine the clients' passports and make copies, then read the company's charter and other provided documents aloud.
An interpreter must be present during registration. He is obliged to understand legal terminology and reproduce it in two languages.
After reading the documents and translating them, the notary draws up a paper confirming the registration of the company. It is signed by the director, founders, notary and translator. This completes the registration of the company. The notary usually sends a certified copy of the registration certificate by mail, but you can ask him to speed up the procedure and receive the document immediately. If the assistant notary has time, he will issue the paper in a quarter of an hour.
How to open a bank account
Having in hand a notarized copy of the certificate of registration of a company in Germany, you can go to any bank in the country to open an account. It is desirable that it be a large bank with many branches. Trustworthy by locals and foreigners:
- Deutsche Bank,
- Dresdner Bank,
- Stadtsparkasse,
- Commerzbank,
Each bank provides customers with step-by-step instructions that allow them to use the services of a financial institution to the maximum.
The amount of the authorized capital of 12,500 euros must be deposited into an open account, a statement of payment must be taken and taken to a notary. Having received it, the specialist will transfer the documents to the municipality, which will assign the company a number in the Commercial Register. It will cost you 300 euros.
The number is obtained within a month, however, the company can start doing business from the day the authorized capital is deposited into the account.
Registration of the company in accounting and tax accounting
Having registered in the Commercial Register, you need to get a few more numbers necessary for the company to work:
- Internal and European tax number Steuernummer, USt-Identnummer.
- Company identification number for the insurance service Betriebsnummer.
- Zollnummer customs number - issued if necessary.
The assignment procedure takes 4 weeks. The tax number is issued by the local financial service Finanzamt. You will need it to complete your tax return and submit your annual tax returns.
Starting a German business for foreigners requires proper accounting organization. As a rule, accounting services are carried out at an hourly rate, based on the real profit of the company for a month and the annual turnover of funds. Tariffs for legal entities and individuals are clearly stipulated in the legislation.
Due to the fact that the work of accounting services most often takes place in an automatic mode, accounting costs an average of 70 euros per month. In addition, the tax consultant will have to pay from 700 euros annually for the formation of the annual report.
Buying a ready-made business in Germany
Your business in the EU country allows you to raise your public status and establish new partnerships. However, some people prefer not to start a company from scratch, but to buy a ready-made business. All conditions for this have been created in Germany. It is easy to acquire a firm that provides a specific service or manufactures goods here, along with equipment, customer base and employees.
Buying a ready-made business is quite a profitable business - this is facilitated by transparent legislation and a stable economy of the country. For example, profitable real estate in Germany is very popular.
However, before proceeding with the transaction, you must:
- Analyze the available proposals.
- Examine the documentation, reporting, reputation among partners and the credit history of the company.
- If no pitfalls are found, contact your local municipality for a purchase permit, providing a business plan for the development of the enterprise.
Having received permission, it is necessary to draw up a purchase and sale agreement in the presence of a notary and formalize the transfer of ownership. The documents are signed by two parties and notarized. After that, the purchase of the business is considered complete.
It should be noted that the purchase and sale of businesses in Germany is quick and hassle-free. And yet, in order to exclude the possibility of a scam on the part of the seller, it is better to trust the professionals when buying a business. There are many companies that provide legal support for the purchase of commercial and residential real estate. Their employees select a company, taking into account the wishes of the client, check the object for legality and accompany the buyer at all stages of the transaction.
Features of taxation
In 2008, Germany underwent a tax reform, which resulted in significant concessions for businessmen.
In particular, the corporate income tax rate (Körperschaftsteuer) has been reduced to 15%. All companies incorporated in the form of a limited liability company (GmbH) or a joint stock company (AG), as well as all branches of foreign corporations in Germany, must pay it. Added to this rate is 5.5% of the tax amount - the so-called solidarity surcharge. As a result, the rate is 15.825%.
In addition, the company will have to deduct:
- Umsatzsteuer value added tax and Mehrwertsteuer value added tax - 19%;
- trade tax Gewerbesteuer - its rate depends on which municipality the company is located in, and ranges from 14% to 17.15%;
- Einkommnsteuer income tax;
- Grunderwerbsteuer land acquisition tax - levied in case of real estate transactions;
- real estate tax (objects worth less than 20,000 euros are not taxed).
Loyal taxation conditions help to attract foreign capital to the country.
You can read more about the German tax system in the article "Taxes in Germany".
Investments
Investing in the German economy is a reliable way to increase capital. Any foreigner can invest in bank deposits or a ready-made business, but not only. Buying a house, apartment or commercial real estate will quickly reimburse all costs and provide a high income for years to come. Renting premises in the country is always in great demand, since many Germans live in rented apartments all their lives, so there is no shortage of clients.
In addition to purchasing real estate, they quickly pay off:
- term deposits in banks - you can open a deposit and receive a good interest annually;
- securities - it is profitable to buy government bonds, bonds of federal lands, bank bonds;
- shares - their purchase contains a certain risk, but if successful, it brings good income.
Finally
Business immigration is quite common. In Germany, anyone with sufficient capital has excellent prospects. The main thing is to clearly define the goal and know how to properly manage money: start a business from scratch, buy a ready-made enterprise or invest in the economy in another way.
