The Cross-Border Commuter

Susanne Müller-Koberstein, cross-border commuter and EURES advisor with the employment agency in Lindau

The Lake Constance region offers not only a high quality of life, but also some interesting perspectives with regard to the job market. The strong regional economy, the gradual reduction of bureaucratic hurdles and the common German language make the region as a whole increasingly attractive for employees as well as employers. It has never been so easy to have a cross-border job.
About 50,000 workers now take advantage of this opportunity and professionally operate as cross-border workers. Susanne Müller Koberstein of the employment agency in Lindau is one of them. Since she moved in the year 2010 for family-related reasons to the Lake Constance area, she commutes daily from her home in Romanshorn to her place of work in Lindau, where she works in the employer's service area. In addition, she passes on her practical experience as an EURES advisor to other cross-border workers.
EURES, which is the abbreviation for "European Employment Services", is a pan-European network which aims to promote occupational mobility. About ten years ago, such a regional network was founded also on Lake Constance. Its members include partner organisations in the field of employee and employer representation as well as the respective national employment agencies. Under the motto "Jobs without borders" the EURES advisors provide information about living and working in the Lake Constance region and offer cross-border services free of charge.

Since the beginning of 2012, Susanne Müller-Koberstein also works as a EURES advisor. She is able to benefit from the fact that she knows the issues and problems that can result from cross-border employment from her own practical experience. "There may often just be minor issues at the beginning - for example, questions about health insurance or on the subject of taxation. For the individual, however, these may pose a big problem at first. In most cases, we EURES advisors can provide help quickly and easily. Or we can mediate contacts to the relevant departments."
Susanne Müller-Koberstein is particularly involved in a project of the EURES Network, which has a set goal of providing cross-border seasonal employment in the hotel and gastronomy industry. Under the motto "Summer on the Lake, winter in the snow" potential employees from Germany are brought together in this context with employers from Austria. These job fairs are held annually in the autumn by the Employment Market Services Vorarlberg, the Employment Agency in Lindau, as well as the Job Centre in Constance-Ravensburg. The success of these activities speaks for itself: over the years, more than 900 exchanges have taken place so far.
The "labour market ship", which is organized on a regular basis under the auspices of the Employment Agency Constance-Ravensburg by the EURES network, has now almost become a certain tradition. Whereas so far general advice around the subject of “living and working in the Lake Constance region” has predominated, more mediation of activities is to be provided in the future. "Planning for the next "labour market ship" is already in full swing – so it will be interesting to see what comes out of it!"
Privately, the sociable EURES advisor who is open-minded towards all that is new, appreciates in particular the diversity of excursions in the Lake Constance region, as well as the high quality of regionally produced food products.

The Cross-Border Commuter
Susanne Müller-Koberstein

Profile

Name: Susanne Müller-Koberstein

Age: 44

Marital status: Married

Profession: EURES Advisor + Personnel Recruiter in the Employer Services

Has lived on Lake Constance since since 2010

Facts

  • Number of cross-border workers in the Lake Constance region: about 50,000
  • EURES-Lake Constance: Partnership of 26 organisations from 4 countries around Lake Constance
  • Goals of EURES-Lake Constance: promoting cross-border job mobility, strengthening the common job market and economic area.