What is the social security number?
The social security number serves as your official identification within the national social security system. Every country has its own rules, in this article we are focusing on the German rules.
When you start working, your employer needs this number as soon as possible. This lets your employer take pension contributions from your paycheck. You also need this number if you leave Germany, and want to get your pension payments back.
What is the number used for and how does it look like?
Basically, the Deutsche Rentenversicherung uses your social security number to identify you. It is a 12-digit number that looks like this: 12 123456 A 123. It’s a unique number containing a combination of your birthdate, the first letter of your maiden name, and it never changes.
In German, it has many names:
Sozialversicherungsnummer, SV-Nummer or SVNR
Rentenversicherungsnummer or RNVR
Versicherungsnummer (this can also mean your health insurance number)
In English, it also has many names:
Pension insurance number
Social insurance number
Social security number
Where can I find my social security number?
Your social security number can be found on the following documents:
your payslips
your Jahresmeldung: every year, between January 1 and February 15, your employer gives you a Meldebescheinigung zur Sozialversicherung. Your social security number is on this document.
your previous employer (if you don’t live in Germany anymore, contact your previous employers. They will know your social security number. It’s also on the tax documents they gave you before)
your tax advisor
your Sozialversicherungsausweis, which is your personal social security document.
For more information about this document, please check out the information site from Deutsche Rentenversicherung.
Why does WorkFlex need my social security number?
To ensure that your temporary stays abroad (workations and/or business travels) are taking place compliantly, it is necessary to apply for certain documents and carry them with you. In particular, concerning social security, you need to show that during your trip you will not be giving up your German residency and you will still file taxes and pay your social security contributions in Germany.
The document to apply for this purposes is the A1 certificate ("A1") or the Certificate of Coverage ("CoC").
The A1 has to be applied for for trips within the EU or Switzerland, while the CoC to third countries, where the country of origin (in your case Germany) and the destination country signed a cross-border social security agreement.
Further, this number might also be required in order to submit Posted Worker Directive ("PWD") notifications on your behalf. Every European country has a different procedure and requires different data. In several cases, it is also required to enter the social security number of the employee.
Please note that WorkFlex is processing this and all your data compliantly with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).