From Kindergeld to subsidised day-care and schooling to support for single parents and more, Germany offers a collection of benefits for new parents.
These benefits are intended to help Germany mitigate its declining birth rate by off-setting the costs of raising children.
Parental benefits are not reserved only for German citizens. Foreign nationals who live and work in Germany can also qualify for these benefits in most cases. In fact, Germany’s relatively generous parental benefits are considered by many to be a major perk of starting a family in the country.
However, things may be a little more complicated for parents-to-be who want to birth their children in their home countries, or stay with their families outside Germany for a short time after giving birth.
A reader asked The Local if she would still qualify for maternity leave pay (Mutterschaftsgeld) or parental leave pay (Elterngeld) if she gave birth in her home country.Â
Here’s what foreign born mothers-to-be need to know.
Maternity leave benefits
The first benefits that an expecting mother needs to navigate is maternity leave (Mutterschutz) and maternity leave allowance (Mutterschaftsgeld), as these allow you to take time away from work leading up to giving birth.
In Germany maternity leave or Mutterschutz (literally mother protection), effectively protects working mothers from being laid-off due to pregnancy. Mutterschaftsgeld on the other hand, is the benefit that allows mothers to collect 100 percent of their salary during this time.
A minimum requirement for maternity leave is that you need to have worked for your employer for at least 12 weeks prior to the expected birth date.
A co-founder of Berlin-based pregnancy and birth consulting service Maternita, previously explained to The Local that working mothers-to-be can forfeit some of the time leading up to the birth. But you are legally obliged to take the two months after birth off work completely. Hence the importance of Mutterschaftsgeld to provide financial security at this time.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED - Everything you need to know about parental leave in Germany
Freelancers who have a sickness benefit in their insurance coverage, such as creatives who are members of the KĂĽnstlersozialkasse (KSK), may also qualify for Mutterschaftsgeld.
Both Mutterschutz and Mutterschaftsgeld are connected to your employment in Germany. So you will, of course, need to be employed by a Germany-based company to be eligible.
However you don’t explicitly need to be in Germany yourself during the entirety of your pregnancy. So mothers who wish to give birth in their home country, can still enjoy these maternity leave benefits.
Parental allowance
Beyond basic maternity leave, employees in Germany may also apply for longer term parental leave (Elternzeit), and can receive 65 percent of their salary - up to €1,800 per month - during this time in the form of parental allowance (Elterngeld).
New mothers and fathers are both eligible for this benefit, which can be used for up to three years per child in total.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED- The different types of extended leave you can take in Germany
You are required to apply for parental leave with your employer seven weeks before taking time off. Many new mothers may opt to effectively extend their maternity leave by directly switching to parental leave.Â
According to the Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act the following conditions must be met to receive Elterngeld:
- You are looking after and raising your child yourself.
- You and your child live in the same household.
- During your Elternzeit you will work less than 32 hours a week.
Additionally you must be able to work in Germany - having long-term residency or citizenship in the country.
Residents in other EU member states or in Switzerland can also receive Elterngeld if they are employed in Germany.
What if I leave Germany during some of this time?
Maintaining your German residency status is a must to remain eligible for both maternity leave or parental leave benefits, but you don't need to stay within the country's borders the entire time.
A representative at the ElternHotline.de - a helpful resource for questions related to parenting in Germany - confirmed this to The Local, noting that travel during parental leave is allowed as long as your residency is maintained.
In most cases, this would mean returning to Germany within six months, because generally German residency expires if you spend more than six months out of the country.
The same could be said of most social benefits in Germany that are contingent on long-term residency status.
READ ALSO: How long can you leave Germany for without losing permanent residency?
Asked for further clarification, a spokesperson for the Ministry for Family Affairs, Seniors, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) told The Local that there is not a set maximum period of time that you can stay outside of Germany while receiving Elterngeld.
However they added that "the parent must have his or her residence or habitual residence in Germany".
While the ministry is unable to comment on specific cases, the spokesperson said that generally maintaining an apartment that is "sufficiently equipped" for the parent to live in with their child would ensure that their habitual residence is maintained - provided their stay abroad doesn't last more than one year.
For parents with homes in multiple countries, this gets more complicated. Then the parent's "short- and long-term centre of life" would need to be considered.
What's the main takeaway here?
The main thing you need to know is that yes, you can return to your home country while still receiving Germany’s parental benefits, but only so long as you maintain your primary residence in Germany and intend to return.
Of course, it's also a very good idea to make sure all your paperwork is turned in and approved before leaving.
For more information about parental leave benefits you can see the Family Ministry’s information booklet in English.
Specific advice is also available by phone (08004 5555 30) or from the Employment Agency's family and children webpage
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