Germany > Legal entities > SOKA-BAU – Registration and reporting
SOKA-BAU:
Registration and reporting in Germany
Do you carry out construction work in Germany using your own employees? Then your company must register with SOKA-BAU and submit regular reports. We will handle the entire agenda for you — registration, monthly reports, and communication with the authorities.
- We have already processed thousands of registrations
What SOKA-BAU is and who it applies to
If your company carries out construction activities in Germany and uses its own employees for them, you as the employer are obliged to register with the so-called SOKA-BAU (Sozialkasse der Bauwirtschaft) and submit regular reports on your posted employees — in particular on the number of hours worked and holiday taken.
The purpose of the system is the employee’s holiday fund: even with frequent changes of employer, the employee’s holiday entitlement is recorded across all their previous employment in the construction industry.
Scaffolding work falls under the separate SOKA-GERÜSTBAU, which works on a very similar principle — here too there is an obligation to submit monthly reports and pay contributions to the holiday fund.
We'll make your entry into the German market easier
We will handle all your legal obligations for you. When you leave the registration and reporting to us, you get:
- Certainty that you meet your obligations: We know exactly what SOKA-BAU requires and by which deadlines. You will avoid back-payments, penalties, and the retroactive recovery of contributions.
- No extra administration: We handle the monthly reports, employee registration, and communication with SOKA-BAU for you. You can focus fully on your contracts.
- Cost optimization: We will check whether and to what extent your work is subject to the SOKA-BAU participation obligation — and whether you are entitled to an exemption.
- A partner who speaks your language: We will explain everything clearly and in English, and handle the communication with SOKA-BAU in German for you.
We'll make sure SOKA-BAU is not an obstacle to your contracts in Germany
1
Assessing the obligation:
First we verify whether your work falls under SOKA-BAU or SOKA-GERÜSTBAU at all — and whether you might be entitled to an exemption. We save you unnecessary registration and contributions.
2
Company registration:
We will register your company with SOKA-BAU correctly and completely, so that errors or follow-up requests don’t hold you up.
3
Regular monthly SOKA-BAU reports:
We prepare and submit reports on your employees’ hours worked and holiday taken within the prescribed deadlines.
4
Contributions to the holiday fund:
We calculate the amount of contributions and inform you of their payment deadlines, so that no arrears arise and you don’t face late-payment interest.
5
Communication with SOKA-BAU:
We respond to all requests and questions from SOKA-BAU in professional German for you. No more deciphering official letters with a translator.
Contact us today to arrange an initial consultation
We will check whether the registration obligation applies to you and propose the simplest way forward.
SOKA-BAU for companies — tailor-made solutions
Whether you are a subcontractor on a German construction site or a company with your own crew of workers, we have a solution for you:
When is a construction company required to register with SOKA-BAU?
A foreign construction company must participate in the SOKA-BAU scheme if it accepts a construction contract in Germany and posts its own construction workers to carry out the work. Once registered, the company must submit regular monthly reports for its employees. At ProfiDeCon, we assess your obligations and handle both the registration and the reporting.
Do SOKA obligations also apply to scaffolding work?
Scaffolding work is covered by the separate SOKA-GERÜSTBAU scheme. When employees are posted to carry out scaffolding work in Germany, monthly reports must be submitted and the applicable contributions paid. At ProfiDeCon, we handle the registration and regular reporting in accordance with the rules for scaffolding companies.
How can I determine whether my company is required to register with SOKA-BAU?
SOKA-BAU primarily assesses the activities performed by employees in Germany and whether construction work predominates. A binding assessment is carried out as part of the company registration process. At ProfiDeCon, we review the nature of your work and determine whether your company has obligations toward SOKA-BAU or SOKA-GERÜSTBAU.
What should a company do if it receives a letter or questionnaire from SOKA-BAU?
The first step is to determine what SOKA-BAU is requesting and whether the company was already required to register in the past. In the case of late registration, the company may be included in the scheme retroactively, required to submit missing reports, and face significant back payments. At ProfiDeCon, we take over the communication, assess your obligations, and help prepare the required information and reports.