A1 certificates & CoCs
Compliance assessments
Posted worker notifications
Data security
Travel health insurance
Visa
A1 certificates & CoCs
Obtain an A1 certificate effortlessly
With one click, your employees are protected from social security risk when traveling abroad
Solution
With WorkFlex, generating trip-specific social security certificates is seamless
STREAMLINED PROCESS
Initiate A1 certificate or CoC applications without HR admin involvement
With WorkFlex, applying for an A1 certificate or CoC requires no additional effort. Whether it's a business trip or a work-from-anywhere request, the necessary certificates are initiated automatically upon employee's trip request, saving you time and resources
GLOBAL COVERAGE
Protect your company and employees from social security risk worldwide
With the help of A1s and CoCs, WorkFlex ensures social security compliance in 25+ countries, including Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the US. WorkFlex Social Security Certificate extends coverage globally, safeguarding employees wherever they travel
ALL-IN-ONE COMPLIANCE SOFTWARE
Eliminating social security risk is just one piece of the compliance puzzle
With WorkFlex, get support through automated compliance risk assessments, PWD notifications, travel health insurance, visa processing and more
Streamline business trip compliance
Generate trip-specific documents instantly and always stay up-to-date with your employees' travel locations
Manage employee work from anywhere trips
without compliance headaches
You'll be surprised how effortless the process of managing work-from-anywhere compliance can be with our software
Handle assignment compliance for your expats in minutes, not weeks
From assignment pre-assessment to ongoing monitoring, streamline expat assignment management with end-to-end compliance automation
Resources
Learn about compliance risks & mitigation measures
Ensuring legal compliance in remote work abroad: your ultimate guide
All risks and risk mitigation measures around remote work abroad, simply explained
FAQs
Wondering if your employees need A1 certificates when traveling?
Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions
What is an A1 Certificate?
An A1 certificate is a document that confirms the legal situation regarding social security when an employee or a self-employed person temporarily works in another country of the EU, EEA or Switzerland. The certificate proves that the employee remains subject to social security in their home country and pays contributions there, rather than needing to pay into the host country's system.
The A1 certificate covers all branches of social insurance, including pensions, unemployment insurance, work accident insurance, and healthcare. While work accident and healthcare coverage are often the most immediately relevant during business trips (since accidents or medical needs can occur at any time), pension insurance contributions are also recorded and may be relevant, particularly during longer assignments. The A1 is really about proving that comprehensive social security coverage exists without gaps across all these insurance branches.
➡️ Learn more about A1 certificates here.
Who needs an A1 certificate?
Anyone working temporarily in another EFTA country needs an A1 certificate. This includes employees, civil servants, and self-employed individuals who work temporarily across borders within the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland.
The key requirement: Both business trips and workations require A1 certificates from the first day of work abroad as soon as the border is crossed and work activity begins.
The key distinction really is the work activity. When someone goes on vacation, they don't need an A1 certificate. But the moment work enters the picture, the A1 requirement applies.
➡️ Learn more about A1 certificates here.
Why is an A1 Certificate necessary?
It “stops” every country from wanting contributions for just a few weeks of work in their territory. With an A1, you can prove that you continued to pay contributions into your home country system during your work trip.
This matters for benefits too. If you were in Italy but continued paying contributions into Germany's system, you want to receive your benefits from Germany, the system you actually paid into.
A1 certificates exist for both employees and self-employed individuals. Even self-employed managing directors who are exempt from social security contributions in Germany need A1 certificates, because this social security exemption is a German characteristic that might not apply at all in the destination country. The A1 ensures that Germany's classification applies during the trip.
➡️ Learn more about A1 certificates here.
Get started
Make your A1 and CoC management a breeze with WorkFlex
Join hundreds of employers managing their global travel compliance easily
FAQ
Wondering if your employees need A1 certificates when traveling?
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What is an A1 Certificate?
An A1 certificate is a document that confirms the legal situation regarding social security when an employee or a self-employed person temporarily works in another country of the EU, EEA or Switzerland. The certificate proves that the employee remains subject to social security in their home country and pays contributions there, rather than needing to pay into the host country's system.
The A1 certificate covers all branches of social insurance, including pensions, unemployment insurance, work accident insurance, and healthcare. While work accident and healthcare coverage are often the most immediately relevant during business trips (since accidents or medical needs can occur at any time), pension insurance contributions are also recorded and may be relevant, particularly during longer assignments. The A1 is really about proving that comprehensive social security coverage exists without gaps across all these insurance branches.
➡️ Learn more about A1 certificates here.
Why is an A1 Certificate necessary?
It “stops” every country from wanting contributions for just a few weeks of work in their territory. With an A1, you can prove that you continued to pay contributions into your home country system during your work trip.
This matters for benefits too. If you were in Italy but continued paying contributions into Germany's system, you want to receive your benefits from Germany, the system you actually paid into.
A1 certificates exist for both employees and self-employed individuals. Even self-employed managing directors who are exempt from social security contributions in Germany need A1 certificates, because this social security exemption is a German characteristic that might not apply at all in the destination country. The A1 ensures that Germany's classification applies during the trip.
➡️ Learn more about A1 certificates here.
Who needs an A1 certificate?
Anyone working temporarily in another EFTA country needs an A1 certificate. This includes employees, civil servants, and self-employed individuals who work temporarily across borders within the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland.
The key requirement: Both business trips and workations require A1 certificates from the first day of work abroad as soon as the border is crossed and work activity begins.
The key distinction really is the work activity. When someone goes on vacation, they don't need an A1 certificate. But the moment work enters the picture, the A1 requirement applies.
➡️ Learn more about A1 certificates here.