Most places have an arm of the government to help folks out when they’re unemployed; governments like their citizens to have jobs and pay taxes. It tends to keep the governments – and the citizens – happy. There’s also the matter of not letting people starve in the street when they’re out of work. That’s usually frowned on and tends to make people very unhappy. It’s a thing that governments have noticed.
Whether it’s the dole or benefits, there are usually resources out there to keep people housed and fed while they look for a new source of income, and even help them in their search. So let’s talk about Germany’s version of this: “das Arbeitsamt” (Bundesagentur für Arbeit).
As usual, I’m going to draw on my own experiences with this institution. We might have some funny stories on the way. But, mainly, my goal here is to give you what you need to navigate these bureaucratic waters: where the shoals are, and where the good ports can be found. So climb on board and I’ll try to make this boring subject as entertaining as possible.
Arbeitslosengeld I., Bürgergeld, Grundsicherung
First of all, there are in fact two types of unemployment benefits: Arbeitslosengeld I, and Bürgergeld. What’s the difference, you ask? Well, if you’re here on any kind of visa, even an unlimited one, Bürgergeld is more or less verboten. The Arbeitsamt doesn’t, however, seem to understand this and, if you run out of Arbeitslosengeld I, they will try to get you to apply for Bürgergeld. It turns out that the nice people at the Amt don’t really know much about immigration law and think that Bürgergeld is for everyone. It’s not.
My immigration lawyer made this clear to me when I was awarded my unlimited visa in 2016. “Never apply for Bürgergeld (it was actually called Hartz IV at the time, but same thing at the end of the day), or you could end up putting your visa in jeopardy.” There’s means testing to get it – you’ve got to prove that you’re broke – and you can stay on it for a really long time. This is one of the things that gets conservatives very upset: all those sponges on Bürgergeld just sitting around and taking public money.
| Germany’s Bürgergeld system is currently being phased out and replaced with a new model called Grundsicherung, following reforms introduced by the CDU/SPD coalition government. While the new system will continue to provide financial support for unemployed and low-income residents, it is expected to come with stricter rules, faster job placement requirements, and tougher sanctions for people who refuse suitable work offers or fail to cooperate with Jobcenters. The reform reflects a broader political shift toward emphasizing employment and reducing long-term dependency on welfare benefits. |
If you’re in Germany on a visa, you’re expected to work or go back home. Refugees are an exception because they have no home to go to. You should know that this exists, and then forget about it unless you become a citizen. Some people have collected Bürgergeld on a visa without getting into hot water, and some haven’t. I guess it’s like riding the metro without a ticket – Schwarzfahren – you’ll probably get away with it… until you don’t.
Arbeitslosengeld I is what you and your employer pay into with each paycheck. Should you become unemployed, you can collect 60% of your previous wage for six months, if you’ve worked a year and a year if you’ve worked two. Something like that. My first job in Berlin in 2013 lasted a year and then most of us got laid off and I got Arbeitslosengeld I. Let’s just call it the dole from here on out… because Arbeitslosengeld I is a lot of typing.
So when you’re on the dole, your health insurance is paid for by the state, as long as you’re on the “gesetzliche Krankenkasse”. The state won’t cover any fancy private insurance like Allianz, but it’s still a pretty good deal; personally, I’m on DAK and I can’t really complain.
You need to tell the Arbeitsamt as quickly as you can
Here’s another ‘weird trick’ for you visa holders. Usually, your visa is tied to your job. Like, if you have a blue card and you get canned, no more blue card. BUT, if you have the dole coming to you, you get a “Fiktionsbescheinigung” or a fictional visa. You get to stay in the country for as long as the state owes you benefits; this does not give the right to work; but, if you find another job, you can apply for a new visa with the new job. So make sure to keep that in mind.
Very important, so try to pay attention. If you have a job, and you get your walking papers, your pink slip, get redeployed into the work force, you need to tell the Arbeitsamt as quickly as you can. You have 3 business days to do this. You can try over the phone or online, but the best option is to go in person, especially if your German isn’t great and you don’t have a German ID card, as is the case for most visa holders.
Most things online require this ID card that you can’t get until you’re a citizen; at least that has been my experience so far. Also very important: if your German is bad, try to find someone comfortable with the language to go with you. That applies to just about every Amt that you might have to deal with.
They might speak English with you if they’re feeling generous, but officially they can only communicate in German. They’re not certified English interpreters and that opens a legal loophole where you could argue that the state was at fault due to a misunderstanding with staff; to avoid this they have a German-only policy. Anyway, should you fail to tell them within those first 3 days, they will suspend your dole and you will receive no benefits.
Now, this is a sticky point. If you’ve made it through the 6-month probation period, then your employer can’t just fire you like in an American movie. They will give you notice, but you’re still going to be on the payroll for a period of time that depends on how long you’ve worked there. Your employer can always give you something called a “Freistellung” which means you’re absolved of work, but you still get a paycheck.
You might think, “oh, well, I’m not unemployed yet.” You’d be wrong. This 3-day rule starts from the moment they hand you notice. So just get to your nearest Arbeitsamt. Also, sidenote, you might need to find out which Arbeitsamt is responsible for you: either the one in your district (Bezirk) or the special one for academics. If you’re classified as an “Akademiker” there’s a special one that you have to go to. I can’t really tell you more than that. You’ll just have to figure it out.
Freelancers, Ausbildung
A quick word about Freelancers (i.e. consultants). You guys have to wander through a different circle of bureaucratic hell. You’re on the hook for unemployment, social security, taxes, and health insurance. If this is you, make sure that you’ve got an accountant and a lawyer, or you’re good at figuring these things out for yourself. If you become unemployed, the health insurance people turn the meter on and you keep racking up a bill. If you’re not careful, you might find your medical insurer laying a bill for €25,000 on your desk… and then sending you to creditors (Inkasso); and that is all very bad. A friend of mine found himself in this position. And you really don’t want that.
One last bad thing, and then we’ll get to the good stuff. If the Arbeitsamt sends you job offers, you have to look into them, or they can pull your benefits. And anything that the Arbeitsamt sends you is gonna suck very hard. You will likely be very overqualified and it will likely be very little pay in very bad working conditions. Have you ever worked in a call center? No? Well, trust me when I say that there are better things to do… like getting run over by a bus. Speaking from experience here. You will also have to go into the Arbeitsamt every now and again and show them that you’re applying for stuff. If you miss an appointment, they tend to get very unhappy. So don’t do that.
Now, let’s talk about something that’s actually pretty awesome: Ausbildung. If you’re interested in some job or field that you’re not currently qualified for, you may be eligible for a training program called an “Ausbildung” that will help get you qualified for your desired position.
I did an Ausbildung as… are you ready for some long German words? IT Fachinformatiker Anwendungsentwickler. I got the certificate from the IHK and everything! In US terms, this is like a 2-year trade credential that qualifies you to do skilled labor… skilled labor that usually pays well enough. And here’s where it gets good. The Arbeitsamt will provide you with a letter that pays for the whole program. I did mine at a place called BBQ in Charlottenburg and it cost €25,000 or so. The Arbeitsamt paid for the whole thing.
IHK, integration course
BUT THERE’S MORE! Because you’re in a training program financed by the state, you’re no longer considered unemployed. You keep receiving the same amount of benefits, but the category changes from Arbeitslosengeld I to Leistung, or stipend. The state will just pay for the program and keep giving you enough money to pay rent and buy food while you get through it. This is actually clever, long-term thinking on the part of the German state; if they can get you back on your feet and contributing to the economy in the form of buying stuff and paying taxes, well, that’s just a win for everyone. I wish the US understood this logic.
So when you’re talking to your case worker, make sure to ask about the possibility of an Ausbildung. You will be on the hook to find a training center, but if you manage to get an IHK diploma (Abschluss), you’ll have a credential that is recognized throughout the country. This is all in German, by the way, but the program is usually 2 years long.
The Arbeitsamt might also get you into a free integration course which means language classes, but really, there are better ways to learn the language and find your place here. More on that in another article. You could easily get squared away on the language over the course of those two years; tons of refugees are doing just that with great success. Just something to keep in mind.
I hope you’ve found something useful in here. The Arbeitsamt can have all the rough patches of bureaucracy, but it also has some pretty kicking aspects that can really help you out. Good luck out there, we’re all in this together.
