In order to get your residency permit, you’ll have to prove you have health insurance. Opting for the country’s subsidised health insurers, known as Gesetzlichen Krankenkassen, can prove a bargain for families or those with pre-existing conditions, while the young and single can benefit from a private insurer – if they qualify.

Regardless of the type, you’ll also have to pay for Pflegeversicherung, or nursing-care insurance, to take care of you if you no longer can, regardless of your age. It is calculated as 1.75% of gross income for people with children or 1.95% for those without, and is split between employer and employee.