Many workers send part of their pay home every month – to Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Poland or the Baltic states. Choose the wrong method and a few per cent easily disappear along the way. Here is an overview of your options and what to look out for.
As of October 2026. General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Fees and exchange rates change constantly – check the conditions before every transfer.
In short: within the EU, euro transfers via SEPA are usually the cheapest option – they may not cost more than a domestic transfer. If the money has to be converted into another currency (lei, złoty, Moldovan lei, hryvnia), always compare fee plus exchange-rate markup. Cash sent by courier or minibus is risky, and you must never let anyone else use your account.
The main options at a glance
| Option | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| SEPA transfer in euros | Euro accounts in the EU/EEA, and in Moldova since October 2025 | Exchange rate if the account is not in euros |
| Online money transfer service | Conversion into lei, złoty, MDL, hryvnia; payout to account or card | Fee, rate markup, limits |
| Cash transfer service | Recipients without an account, pickup at an agent | Often more expensive, ID needed |
| International bank transfer (SWIFT) | Countries without SEPA | Several banks may charge fees |
| Cash by courier or minibus | – | No protection, often illegal |
SEPA transfers within the EU
All EU countries belong to the SEPA area for euro payments. Under EU law, a cross-border euro transfer may not cost more than an equivalent domestic one. From your German bank account you send money to Vilnius just as you would to Hamburg.
- Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Bulgaria use the euro. The money arrives without conversion.
- Romania and Poland have their own currencies. If the recipient has a euro account, the amount arrives without conversion. With an account in lei or złoty, the recipient’s bank converts it – at its own rate.
- Instant transfers: in the euro area, banks have had to offer instant transfers since October 2025 at no higher price than standard transfers. The bank also checks whether the recipient’s name matches the IBAN.
Tip: if the account is in lei or złoty, ask which rate the bank uses. Sometimes it is cheaper to send euros to a euro account and convert later – or to use a transfer service straight away.
Sending money to Moldova
The Republic of Moldova has been part of SEPA since 6 October 2025. According to the National Bank of Moldova, eight banks took part at launch, and more providers may follow. Important:
- It only works if the recipient’s bank participates in SEPA – ask there.
- The simplest option is a euro account in Moldova. Conversion into lei is done at the bank’s rate.
- The National Bank recommends asking your own bank directly about fees and whether SEPA Instant is available.
Many Moldovans work in Germany with a Romanian passport – if you have a Romanian account, the section above applies. How to get started in Germany is covered in Working in Germany as a Moldovan.
Sending money to Ukraine
Ukraine is preparing to join SEPA, but transfers from Germany are usually still processed as international payments. Common options:
- International bank transfer (SWIFT) to an account in euros or hryvnia: your bank, intermediary banks and the recipient’s bank may all charge fees.
- Online transfer services that pay out to Ukrainian accounts or bank cards. Compare the exchange rate especially carefully here.
- Cash transfer services with pickup if the recipient has no account.
Rules on the Ukrainian side can change – if in doubt, ask the recipient’s bank. More for Ukrainian workers: Warehouse jobs for Ukrainians.
Online money transfer services
Besides banks there are specialised providers, such as Wise, Revolut, Remitly, Western Union or MoneyGram. Naming them is not a recommendation – conditions vary by country, amount and payment method.
- Pros: often a good exchange rate, fast credit, sometimes payout to a card or in cash.
- Cons: costs are sometimes hidden in the exchange rate; paying by card can add fees.
- Check they are legitimate: the provider needs a licence as a payment or e-money institution in Germany or another EU country. You can check this in BaFin’s company database.
How to compare properly: fee plus exchange rate
When you send money into another currency, you pay twice:
- The visible fee – for example a fixed amount per transfer.
- The exchange-rate markup – the difference between the provider’s rate and the mid-market rate (the rate shown on financial websites or by the European Central Bank).
Example with made-up figures: you send €500. Provider A charges no fee but uses a rate 3% worse than the mid-market rate – that costs you around €15. Provider B charges a €4 fee and is only 0.5% below the mid-market rate – around €6.50 in total. “Fee-free” is not automatically cheaper.
How to go about it:
- Always compare the same amount and the same payout method.
- Look at how much the recipient receives – that is the number that counts.
- Fixed fees weigh more on small amounts. Fewer but larger transfers can be cheaper.
- When paying or withdrawing cash by card abroad, choose the local currency, not “charge in euros”. Conversion at the ATM or till is often expensive.
Limits and proof
Banks and transfer services set limits per transfer or period, especially for new customers. For larger amounts they often ask where the money comes from – this is a legal anti-money-laundering requirement.
- Keep your payslips and bank statements so you can prove where the money comes from.
- Check the recipient’s name and IBAN before every payment. Getting a wrong transfer back is difficult.
- If you support relatives regularly, transfer receipts can also be useful for your tax return.
Cash by courier or minibus: the risks
Sending money “with the driver” is common in some communities – but risky:
- No protection: if the envelope is lost, stolen or seized at a check, the money is usually gone.
- Often illegal: anyone who carries or forwards money for others commercially is running a money transfer business that requires a licence. Without one it is a criminal offence in Germany.
- Customs: anyone bringing €10,000 or more in cash into or out of the EU – for example to Moldova or Ukraine – must declare it to customs. Within the EU, larger amounts of cash must be declared if customs ask.
If you take cash home yourself, these rules apply to you too.
Money laundering warning: your account is yours alone
Police and banks regularly warn about money mules: someone transfers money to your account, you pass it on and keep a share. That is money laundering – a criminal offence even if you act carelessly, and the bank will close your account.
- Never give your account, card, PIN, TAN or app access to anyone else – not even colleagues or friends.
- Do not pass on money from strangers, not even “just once”.
- Do not send money to people you only know online, and do not pay “fees” for jobs, flats or visas.
More warning signs are in our article How to spot fake job offers.
Checklist: sending money home safely
- Check the recipient’s account: euros or local currency? SEPA or not?
- Compare two or three providers on the same day for the same amount.
- Compare the amount the recipient gets, not just the fee.
- Use only licensed banks and transfer services.
- Double-check name and IBAN.
- Keep receipts and payslips.
- No cash couriers, no forwarding other people’s money.
Pay with us
We pay from €15.33 per hour gross, and as a forklift driver (m/f/d) from €16.08 per hour gross – by bank transfer to your account. How much is left net is shown in Warehouse worker net salary; the basics are explained in Gross and net. Our recruiters speak German, English and Russian.
See all jobs or fill in the application form straight away.
