You can work in Germany if you meet all the requirements. This page will help you orient yourself. Before you start looking for a job, you should still seek individual advice. On this page you will find advice options. Whether you are allowed to work in Germany usually depends on your residence permit.

Do I have the right to work?

Whether you are allowed to work depends on your residence title (Aufenthaltstitel). If you are not sure which type of residence title (Aufenthaltstitel) you have, our webpage on “Asyl” may be helpful: /portal/en/asylum/.

Residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis): If your residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) or your temporary residence permit (Fiktionsbescheinigung) says“Employment permitted” (“Beschäftigung erlaubt”), you may start working or begin an apprenticeship (Ausbildung). If your residence permit states “Gainful activity permitted” (“Erwerbstätigkeit gestattet”), you may also work independently, such as starting your own business.

Temporary suspension of deportation (Duldung), proof of arrival (Ankunftsnachweis), permission to remain while your asylum decision is pending (Aufenthaltsgestattung): After three months in Germany, you may apply for a work permit at the Immigration Office.

If you have been issued a temporary suspension of deportation (Duldung) and are required to live in an initial reception centre (Erstaufnameeinrichtung), you may apply for a work permit after living in Germany for six months.

If you come from a country that the German government labelled a “safe country of origin” (sicherer Herkunftsstaat) and have applied for asylum after 31 August 2015, it is unlikely that you will get a work permit. The countries of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ghana, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Senegal and Serbia are considered safe countries (sichere Herkunftsstaaten) of origin under German asylum law.

You can get advice about work permits from the following organizations:

The Flüchtlingszentrum (refugee center) provides comprehensive advice on the subject of work: Adenauerallee 10, please make an appointment: info@fz-hh.de, +49 40 2840790 (Monday and Friday: 10 am – 1 pm and 2 pm – 5 pm, Wednesday: 2 pm – 5 pm), www.fz-hh.de.

The ÖRA (“Öffentliche Rechtsauskunft” (public legal information)) gives legal advice. Dammtorstraße 14, please make an appointment: +49 40 428433072 (Monday to Friday 7 am – 7 pm), www.hamburg.de/oera.

Welcome Center Hamburg, Süderstraße 32 b, please make an appointment: info@welcome.hamburg.de, +49 40 428395555 (Monday to Wednesday 9 am – 3 pm, Thursday 10 am – 8 pm, Friday 9 am – 12 pm (noon)), https://welcome.hamburg.de/newcomer/. The Welcome Center has also set up a Ukrainian/German information page with information on advice for Ukrainian refugees: https://welcome.hamburg.de/ukraine/. Advice can be given in German, English or Russian.

A consultation in person is currently only possible if you wear a mask covering your mouth and nose and have no symptoms of COVID-19.

Additional information for Ukrainian refugees:
General information on the subject of work, work authorization and social benefits in Germany can be found in Ukrainian on the following information website: https://handbookgermany.de/uk/ukraine-info?temu=robota
There is also a free hotline from the Federal Employment Agency (Federal Employment Agency) in Ukrainian or Russian. Questions about work, training (training) and further education are answered here:
+49 911 178 7915 (Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.).
Further information can be found here: https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/ukraine/ukraine-ua .

What do I need to find work?

In order to find work, you usually need to be qualified for that work and have the necessary language skills.

Qualifications:

For the recognition, further education in Germany might be necessary. You can find more information about this here: /portal/en/education/.

You can find information on which certificates and qualifications you need in order to do a certain job in Germany here: https://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/html/de/. You can also learn who is able to recognise your certificates and how the process works.

Training and education:

Many jobs require a completed apprenticeship (Ausbildung) or a university degree. You can do both regardless of gender or age.

You have the right to take part in training or to study regardless of your gender or age.

You can find more information about studying in Germany here: /portal/en/education/.

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. You usually earn between € 500 to € 1000 per month. In 2020, a minimum wage for apprentices was introduced.

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.

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/.

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

How do I find work?

If you are at least 25 years old and are looking for work, you can get advice from Team Flucht und Asyl (Team Refuge and Asylum) at the Agentur für Arbeit (Employment Agency). Further information: https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/vor-ort/hamburg/startseite.

Team Flucht und Asyl can provide you with advice on work and training in Germany in multiple languages and inform you of other ways to get help. You should bring your credentials and information on your previous training and work experience to a discussion with the Team Flucht und Asyl.

If you are younger than 25 years of age, go to the Jugend-Berufsagentur.

https://www.bewerbungstraining.de/kostenloser-bewerbungsratgeber-ukrainische-gefluechtete/ .

If you do not have the support of an official office for a job search, you can apply to jobs on your own.

You can find job offers on these websites, among others: https://workeer.de/registrieren, www.jobbörse.de

If you have professional experience in trade / handicraft (Handwerk) and are looking for an internship or a job in trade / handicraft (Handwerk), the IQ project “Jobstart begleiten” can support you. Do you have German language skills at level B2 and can be reached by phone and email? Then make an appointment: IQ Project “Jobstart begleiten” at Elbcampus, Zum Handwerkszentrum 1,  jobstart@hwk-hamburg.de, +49 40 35905 610 (Monday to Thursday 9am – 4:30pm, Friday 9am – 4pm). You can find more information here (only in German):  www.hwk-hamburg.de/jobstart.

If you would like to have a mentor to help you with your job search and applications, you can turn to a mentoring project: www.human.hamburg, www.welcome2work.de, or www.leethub.de. You can find more information on mentoring projects here: /portal/en/hamburger-kennenlernen-eng/.

In Germany, workers have rights, such as the right to paid leave and a minimum wage. These rights apply to you as well. If you feel that you are not being treated fairly, you may turn to the Deutschen Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB) for advice. Besenbinderhof 60, please make an appointment: +49 40 2351960.

The project “Faire Integration“ of the Hamburg Welcome Center can give advice on the topic of work. Süderstraße 32b, please make an appointment: info@welcome.hamburg.de, +49 40 428395555 (Monday to Wednesday 9 am -3 pm, Thursday 10 am – 6 pm, Friday 9 am -12 pm (noon)), https://welcome.hamburg.de/newcomer/.

You can find information regarding labour law, safety and health regulations at work during the corona pandemic here: https://www.bmas.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Arbeitsschutz/corona-faqs-en.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=2.

Setting up business (Existenzgründung) 

You can find organisations that support you and give you advice if you want to set up your own business (Existenzgründung) here. Setting up business (Existenzgründung) means that you are self-employed and do not work for another person.

  • MoveON is a group course lasting 4-6 months that prepares you for setting up your own business (Existenzgründung), https://www.leethub.de/existenz-gruendung/moveon.html. The course meets up once a week for a workshop and a mentor will support you.
  • The Projektwerkstatt is a group course lasting 3 months that gives you first hands-on experiences of starting a project. The course meets up once a week and a tandem partner will support you.
  • StartNoW is an individual coaching program and helps you implement your business idea with a flexible schedule.
  • Arbeitsgemeinschaft selbstständiger Migranten e.V. (ASM),
    Schauenburgerstraße 49: info@asm-hh.de, +40 40 38038170, www.asm-hh.de/.
  • Unternehmer ohne Grenzen e.V., Neuer Kamp 30:
    info@uog-ev.de, +49 40 43183063, www.uog-ev.de/ueber-uns/.

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: 

 Jobs for the creative sector: 

Jobs in the liberal professions (e.g. doctors, dentists, veterinarians, lawyers, notaries, patent attorneys, surveyors, engineers, architects): https://freieberufe-jobportal.de/uk/home (Ukrainian/Russian/German/English). 

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: 

What is an internship?

An internship (Praktikum) provides the opportunity to get to know the day-to-day work in a profession. There are many different types of internships (Praktika) in Germany. Some are paid, some are not. You can find advice on internships here:

Everyone is allowed to do an internship (Praktikum) without regard to gender, age or qualifications.Flüchtlingszentrum Hamburg: Adenauerallee 10, you need to make an appointment: info@fz-hh.de, +49 40 28 40 790 (Monday and Friday: 10 am – 1 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm, Wednesday: 2 pm – 5 pm), www.fz-hh.de.

CJD, https://www.cjd-hamburg.de/angebote/, +49 40 21111810, cjd.hamburg@cjd.de.

Who is allowed to do an intership?

Everyone is allowed to do an intership without regard to gender, age or qualifications.

If you have a Aufenthaltserlaubnis (residence permit), you can do an internship without permission. If you receive money from the Jobcenter, the Jobcenter generally has to agree to the internship.

If you have a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis), you can do an internship without permission. If you receive money from the Jobcenter (job centre), the Jobcenter generally has to agree to the internship (Praktikum).

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.

Which internships (Praktika) are there?

You can do these internships (Praktika) if you have a permission to remain while your asylum decision is pending (Aufenthaltsgestattung) or a temporary suspension of deportation (Duldung):

Work Shadowing (Hospitation): You visit a company as a guest and look at the work options. You cannot work yourself. You do not need permission from the Ausländerbehörde.

School Internship (Schulpraktikum): You can do this internship while you are attending school. You do not conclude a contract with the company yourself (only your school does). You do not earn money and you do not need permission from 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.

How to improve your German

If you would like to learn German or improve your German, have a look at our webpage “Learning German”: /portal/en/learning-german/.

Last Updated: 01.01.2023