An apprenticeship (Ausbildung) is an alternative to studying at a university. In this case you learn a profession or trade. A high school diploma (Abitur) is not required. An apprenticeship (Ausbildung) takes two or three years. During this time, you work in a company and learn important information for the job in a vocational school as well. Sometimes you can continiue to work in the company where you completed your apprenticeship. You usually earn between € 500 to € 1000 per month. In 2020, a minimum wage for apprentices was introduced. If you have started your apprenticeship from 01.01.2024, this amounts to € 649 and increases with each additional year of training. However, there are exceptions to this obligation, for example if the company has a collective agreement.

You can do an apprenticeship (Ausbildung) if you have a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis). If you have a temporary suspension of deportation (Duldung) or permission to remain while your asylum decision is pending (Aufenhaltsgestattung), you will need a permit from the Ausländerbehörde (foreign nationals authority) (Hammer Str. 30-34, please make an appointment: +49 40 428992288 (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8 am – 1 pm)). You may request a permit when you have lived in Germany for three months or longer.

If your asylum application is denied while you are doing an apprenticeship (Ausbildung), you may request a temporary suspension of deportation due to an apprenticeship (Ausbildungsduldung) so you can complete your apprenticeship (Ausbildung). After successfully completing your apprenticeship (Ausbildung) your temporary suspension of deportation (Duldung) can be extended for another 6 months.

If you end your training prematurely, you may request to extend your temporary suspension of deportation (Duldung) for another six months in order to find a new training place. You may do this only once.

A temporary suspension of deportation due to an apprenticeship (Ausbildungsduldung) can be denied if your deportation has already been ordered or if you are subject to measures terminating your stay.

Instead of a temporary suspension of deportation due to an apprenticeship (Ausbildungsduldung), you can also apply for a temporary residence permit for vocational training for people who are obliged to leave the country. To do so, you must be able to support yourself and fulfil the passport requirement. Unlike the temporary suspension of deportation due to an apprenticeship, this permits the holder to travel abroad, for example, and facilitates the cancellation of the residence requirement. In addition, the time spent in the apprenticeship is counted towards the pre-stay period for the settlement permit. If a temporary suspension of deportation due to an apprenticeship already exists, an application for the change to a residence permit for vocational training for people obliged to leave the country is necessary.

In any case, seek comprehensive legal advice before applying for a temporary suspension of deportation due to an apprenticeship or for a residence permit for vocational training for people who are obliged to leave the country.

In most cases, you will only be admitted to a vocational training programme from language level B2. You can find information on German courses here: https://we-inform.de/portal/en/learning-german/. Some apprenticeship training providers also offer language courses themselves.

After you have successfully concluded your apprenticeship (Ausbildung), it is usually possible to apply for a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) that allows you to stay for two years. Seek advice from the Flüchtlingszentrum or the Hamburg Welcome Center.

You can find information and application forms for a temporary suspension of deportation due to an apprenticeship (Ausbildungsduldung) or residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) here https://www.unternehmen-integrieren-fluechtlinge.de/die-ausbildungsduldung/.

Before you start an apprenticeship, these programmes may be of interest to you:

• As a newly arrived young person between the ages of 16 and 18 who is required to attend school, you can take part in a vocational training preparation programme for migrants (AvM-Dual).
• You can take part in a vocational orientation programme for migrants (BOF).
• There are information events on the subject of apprenticeship in the skilled trades.

You can find more information on this in the section: https://we-inform.de/portal/de/bildung/, How can I prepare for a profession other than by studying?

More information on apprenticeships (Ausbildungen) is available here: www.hamburg.de/yourchance

NEW STEP! Opportunity for migrants in Hamburg! The project helps migrants from Ukraine to find their way around in Germany and successfully master their first steps in everyday life. The course shows what the world of work in Germany looks like. The course always starts on Mondays. (Monday to Friday 9 am – 12:15 pm and 1 pm- 4:15 pm). Further information in German and Ukrainian can be found here: https://www.sbb-hamburg.de/kurse/new-step/

Additional information for Ukrainian refugees:
You can find a free application guide for Ukrainian refugees here: https://www.bewerbungstraining.de/kostenloser-bewerbungsratgeber-ukrainische-gefluechtete/ .

Special offers for Ukrainian refugees: 

A well-structured overview of all questions on the topic of finding a job in Northern Germany can be found on the page of Nordherz in Ukrainian, Russian and German: https://nordherz.info/info/poisk-raboty/.

Specifically for Hamburg, there is also a Facebook group of the working group of the North German Ukrainian Support Staff, where FAQs on the topic of work in Hamburg, as well as job offers and requests from and for Ukrainian refugees are posted. https://www.facebook.com/groups/803735027683409 

Digital job fairs  

More and more websites are connecting Ukrainian refugees seeking work with employers who offer jobs specifically to refugees from Ukraine. However, the jobs often require knowledge of German. Find out more about these opportunities and arrange a German course at the same time (https://we-inform.de/portal/de/deutsch-lernen/).  

 General job fairs: 

• UA Talents, https://www.uatalents.com (in English) 
• Adecco: https://www.adeccojobsforukraine.com (in Ukrainian) 
• Employ Ukraine: https://app.employukraine.org/register (in Ukrainian) 
• Help2Work not only offers a recruitment service, but also provides information on labour law and recognition procedures. Registration in Ukrainian: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeNEtiMl7FKzzrXMUANqXIgfkAzWI5DaNXA3GBcMoglZUDG1Q/viewform

 Jobs for the creative sector: 

• Mriya wants to enable musicians from Ukraine to continue their profession. https://mriya.de/ukr/ (Ukrainian/German). 
• Designmadeingermany (job offers and workspace): https://www.designmadeingermany.de/jobs/supportukr/ (Ukrainian/German/English)
• The Goethe Institute and the Forum Artists at Risk offer support for Ukrainian cultural workers: https://www.goethe.de/en/kul/foe/eau.html#:~:text=Ukraine%20Support%20Program%20%E2%80%93%20Matching%20portal,creative%20artists%20fleeing%20from%20Ukraine
• Funding for artists that fled Ukraine can be found here: https://www.kulturstiftung-hh.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Was_wir_foerdern/ArtConnects/22-03-30AusschreibungHilfsfondsfu__rSchutzsuchendeKulturschaffende.pdf 

Jobs in architecture and engineering: https://architekturmeldungen.de/jobs-for-architects-from-ukraine-in-germany/ (Ukrainian/German). 

Information website of the city of Hamburg for Ukrainian-speaking teachers: https://www.hamburg.de/bsb/ukraine/16075060/anforderungsprofil-fuer-ukrainischsprachige-herkunftssprechenlehrer/.  

Offers for co-working spaces in Hamburg: 

It is possible to pursue one’s work in larger or smaller premises alongside other people in various places in Hamburg. Below you will find a list of offers in Hamburg: 

• Welcome to Barmbek: Refugees can use the PC workstations free of charge. Registration via susanne.feess@haus-am-schlicksweg. Address: Welcome to Barmbek e.V., Schlicksweg 39, https://www.welcome-to-barmbek.de
• Kohero Magazine: Providing office space for Ukrainian journalists, translators and people who want to tell their story. There will be drinks, snacks and conversation partners. Address: Kohero Magazin, Bernstorffstraße 118 (Tuesdays from 12 pm (noon) – 4 pm and Thursdays from 10 am – 6 pm), https://www.kohero-magazin.de
• Book halls (Bücherhallen) Hamburg: Free workstations and free WLAN are available at the 35 locations in the city (https://we-inform.de/portal/de/freizeit/). You can find the locations here: https://www.buecherhallen.de/standorte.html
• On the following websites, as a Ukrainian refugee you can also search (nationwide) for current co-working space offers.
  • FreeDesks4Ukraine: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=oIU0kCBpMkm3NTEJkCogajjyBB8A4cdCnAqXgzP2yYVUODhUNzNFR1BCMkZCTTc5RTRZRlk3RTRUOCQlQCN0PWcu (Ukrainian/English)
  • Coworking for Ukraine: https://onecoworking.com/help-ukraine (English).

An application guide for Ukrainian refugees can be downloaded free of charge under the following link: https://www.bewerbungstraining.de/kostenloser-bewerbungsratgeber-ukrainische-gefluechtete/.

How do I apply for a job?

What documents do I need and what should I look out for?

The documents you need to apply for a job are different for every job. The employer will tell you what documents he or she needs. You can also ask the employer. Please always submit your documents in a neat, organised and tidy manner.

Frequently requested documents are

A CV (usually with a photo, if in doubt ask your employer)

A letter of motivation/cover letter

Certificates and attestations of acquired qualifications such as vocational training, educational qualifications or references from previous employers

What do I need to consider in my cover letter/letter of motivation?

Do not write a cover letter that is too formal. It should suit you and your language level and also be readable for yourself.

It is important that you introduce yourself as a person. For example, answer the following questions: What is important to me in my work? What are your goals in your working life? Why do you want to do this particular job with this employer? What skills do I have that qualify me as a person for this position? You can consider answering the following more personal questions, for example: How long have I lived in Germany? What motivated me to come to Germany? Do you have children?

What do I need to consider in my CV?

Please mention all your professional and academic stations and experiences, even if you have no proof of them. Every new experience leads to new skills and can therefore be of interest to the employer.

In Germany, it is often still customary to attach a photo to a CV. Please do not use leisure photos as application photos. You can have yourself photographed by a professional photographer or by a friend in front of a plain background (e.g. a white wall). Make sure you look friendly in the photo.

What do I need to bear in mind when looking for a job?

If you are allowed to work (for more information, see the section: Am I allowed to work?) and are looking for a job, register as a jobseeker at the Job Centre: Kurt-Schumacher-Allee 16, please make an appointment: Hamburg.Mitte-625-Vermittlung@arbeitsagentur.de, +49 800 4 5555 00 (Monday to Thursday 8 am – 4 pm, Friday 8 am to 1 pm).

The job centre will send you around 2 to 3 job offers every month, usually from the hotel, cleaning or care sector, which you can apply for.

As soon as you find a job, you must deregister with the job centre by means of an informal letter. The job centre will then check whether the salary you earn from this job is sufficient to live on. If it is very low, you will receive additional social benefits. You can find more information on this at: https://we-inform.de/portal/de/finanzielle-unterstuetzung/.

Are there certain sectors in which I have a particularly good chance of finding a job without previous professional experience?

• Care sector (hospitals, nursing homes, etc.) from language level B1/B2
• Hotel and catering industry/preferably in system catering, i.e. initially without customer contact (McDonalds, Starbucks, Vapiano etc.) (from language level A1/A2)
• Elevated railway, HVV, train driver, professional driver from language level B1 The HSL Akademie (Spaldingstraße 110) has an explicit training programme for refugees and non-German-speaking applicants (https://hsl-akademie.de/weiterbildungsangebote/lokfuehrer-hamburg/) You must be at least 20 years old, have a school-leaving qualification or completed vocational training, have language level B1 and be able to prove your health and medical suitability. For further information on what documents are required (e.g. translation and recognition of your qualification), please contact HSL on +49 40 414 333 929 (Monday to Thursday 9 am – 4:30 pm and Friday 9 am – 3 pm or by email at kontakt@hsl-akademie.de ).
• Childcare – Social pedagogical assistance from language level B2

Specialised training centres for the profession of social pedagogical assistant can be found here:

Staatliche Fachschule für Sozialpädagogik FSP2, Max-Brauer-Allee 134; +49 40 428 11 29 78 (Monday to Friday 7:30 am – 9:30 am, 10 am – 11:30 am, 12 pm (noon) – 1:30 pm); personal opening hours: Monday to Friday in room H 0.17, 8 am – 2 pm.

The training course is aimed at women and men with a history of migration who have not graduated from a regular German school and do not have a German vocational qualification, are at least 20 years old, have a secure residence status, have their first place of residence in Hamburg, can provide proof of a B2 German language certificate and pass the German entrance examination at the FSP2|BS21 and receive an education voucher from the job centre.

Before applying, please contact the administrator at your job centre or employment agency to clarify whether you are entitled to an education voucher. After a positive decision by the job centre / employment agency, please contact the responsible advisor at FSP2|BS21: Tuesday: 7 am – 9 am, +49 40 428 11-17 03 or by e-mail: ute.spangenberg@wibes.de.

Please apply in writing by letter by 31 March of each year for the next training start at the FSP2|BS21.

• Logistics industry

What do I do if I lose my job?

If you are dismissed, register as a jobseeker with the Job Centre (Jobcenter), the Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) or the Youth Employment Agency (Jugendberufsagentur). You may be entitled to social benefits. You can find more information here: https://we-inform.de/portal/de/finanzielle-unterstuetzung/. Kurt-Schumacher-Allee 16, make an appointment in advance: Hamburg.Mitte-625-Vermittlung@arbeitsagentur.de, +49 800 4 5555 00 (Monday to Thursday 8 am – 4 pm, Friday 8 am to 1 pm).

In addition, you may have options under labour protection law to take action against the dismissal. Seek advice from a lawyer or the Hamburg Welcome Centre:

• The Hamburg Welcome Centre’s ‘Fair Integration’ project can advise you on the subject of work (German, English, Arabic, Russian). Süderstraße 32b, 4th floor, make an appointment: info@welcome.hamburg.de, +49 40 428 39-5590 (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 08:30 am – 4 pm, Wednesday 12 pm (noon) – 4 pm), https://welcome.hamburg.com/fair-integration-18118

But you may also do an internship (Praktikum)

• if you have a temporary suspension of deportation (Duldung) and no ban on employment.

• if you have a permission to remain while your asylum decision is pending (Aufenthaltsgestattung).

In most cases, an internship (Praktikum) is possible after three months of living in Germany. With a temporary suspension of deportation (Duldung) or a permission to remain while your asylum decision is pending (Aufenthaltsgestattung) you require the permission of the Ausländerbehörde.

Internship for Career Orientation (Praktikum zur Berufsorientierung or „Schnupperpraktikum“): This internship (Praktikum) can last up to three months. You do not earn money. You need permission from the Ausländerbehörde.

Introductory Training (Einstiegsqualifizierung „EQ“): This internship (Praktikum) is supposed to prepare you for an apprenticeship (Ausbildung). It can last between six and twelve months. You can apply to the Arbeitsagentur for financial support. The internship (Praktikum) is meant for people aged 25 or lower but exceptions are possible. You need permission from the Ausländerbehörde.