Is it too late for Brit to move to Germany before the transition ends?

There seem to be many British desperately trying to move to the EU just before the door closes - we've had several on this forum recently (whose posts and our replies you may want to read, and then come back with more specific questions).
In short:
It is difficult to foresee the situation after Brexit (with no agreement found, as of yet), so all we can tell is speculation.
You can of course move to Germany before free movement ends for Brits at the end of the year. But that will not necessarily secure you any advantage afterwards (why should it?). You will then certainly need a visa, but nobody knows whether that will be easier to get for UK citizens than for other non-EU countrymen (again, why should it?).

Hi Beppa, thank you. I did try to find similar posts here but can't. Could you please forward the links to me if it's not too much trouble?
Kind regards
Louise

Hi there

I am British and moving to Berlin in December. As long as you arrive and register as a resident before December 31 2020 you should have no issues at all. After that we are at the hands of our idiot prime minister.

I am married to a German and could easily apply for a spouse visa but we are not doing that, we'll just use our EU freedom of movement rights to emigrate. You will need to later apply for settlement in Germany, which is the same rule for EU citizens arriving in the UK until the end of this year

Once in Germany and legally working, unless one had come on a specifically limited work contract with a residency specific to that time period, then it should be no problem to continue to work. It's not like the Brits will all suddenly get thrown out because they haven't yet acquired an unlimited residency. But it might change some of the conditions - and will certainly for eventual naturalization. For example, unless something specifically gets agreed upon, naturalization as a non-EU person would mean giving up their former UK citizenship.

Thank you! So as long as I register in Germany before the end of the year, I should be allowed to stay in Germany after the transition? I am a freelancer so won't have any employment contract.

I believe under EU freedom of movement rules you can emigrate as a job seeker. I'm not quite sure how that works but shouldn't be hard to find the specific language

Thank you!

I'm in the same position and it's now a frantic race against time, to get out of this disastrous wreck of a country before the door slams shut completely, leaving me trapped in an island madhouse for the rest of my days.  But my  main worry about making good my escape is whether remote working online for the same UK based company,  is or isn't  going to be defined as being in proper employment , by the German system since it's not a German  based company I'm working for, though the actual work for it IS being done physically here in Germany so in another sense, yes I would have a job while living here in Germany.  -  I'm getting many mixed and conflicting opinions about this conundrum, but nothing conclusive either way. Apologies if I mentioned this before elsewhere on the forum but I've absolutely no idea how to proceed with this. The situation has become a complete nightmare!   :-(

yes there are so many uncertainties and mixed opinions. I thought at the moment (before end of the year) we can still immigrate to Germany without any job offers? Under  the freedom of movement?

louise2020 wrote:

So as long as I register in Germany before the end of the year, I should be allowed to stay in Germany after the transition?

That is Tom's opinion - and I also think there will most likely be a transition agreement of some sort that allows Brits already in Germany to stay on under easier-to-meet conditions than other non-EU folks. But nobody can tell for sure yet - and at the rate your gouvernment burns the remaining good will on the side of the EU, it could also well be a "hard Brexit" with no special treatment. (Although probably not in anybody's interest, that would at least be fair.)
I wonder why such easier conditions should include people who are coming now, in a mad rush at the last minute. Finding things horrible at home does not make anyone an attractive immigrant elsewhere (as speaking the language and having an interest in our culture would).

louise2020 wrote:

I thought at the moment (before end of the year) we can still immigrate to Germany without any job offers? Under  the freedom of movement?

Yes you can.
But it is unlikely that you find a job until then - so what will you base your continuation of staying here on, legally? Are you at least in an industry with personnel shortage or have skills that would entitle you to a blue card?

Hi Beppi, I agree with you assessment of the likelihood of a transition agreement and the stupidity and ridicule of the UK government. But I think we all have different reasons to want to /need to move. Not necessarily for the reason you have said. Personally most of my clients and jobs are in Germany anyway. I want to move there for personal reasons, not because of Brexit. However, Brexit makes it more complicated.

I have to mention this. I think if a UK person is here and making a living then it's not likely they would just get thrown out after the end of the year. But if one is self-employed and not making enough money to support themselves then it will mean trouble. One cannot simply get public assistance. Even EU citizen foreigners have to work for around 2 years here before that would be possible. So I think a UK citizen will have a limited residency and after it runs out after likely 2 or 3 years then they better be making enough money or they will at best get another limited residency if not asked to leave - but not a unlimited one. It's a basic, understandable fact that they don't want to grant people permission to stay here indefinitely if they would likely become a burden to the State.

Of course you could, after Brexit, apply for political asylum here - THAT would be a novelty and media attention is assured!

beppi wrote:

Of course you could, after Brexit, apply for political asylum here - THAT would be a novelty and media attention is assured!

Not to give people ideas since this is meant sarcastically since the possibility of this working is absolutely zero.

Some might find this helpful.

Brexit: Brits in Germany urged to apply for residence status before 2021 deadline