If life in Germany is mostly filled with exciting experiences, applying to unemployment benefits is probably not one of those.
In this case, you are faced with different options. Either you saw it coming and you have already secured your next job, or it came out of the blue and you best option will be to claim unemployment benefits in Germany.
Although I do have job again now, I did go through all the steps in order to gain those. I thought I would lay it out clearly for you how it happened. It can be quite challenging, especially if you don’t speak German. However, I have found that it’s relatively simple if you know the way.
Who qualifies for unemployment benefits in Germany?
Before taking an attempt at claiming your Arbeitslosengeld (Unemployment money), you should probably find out if you have any. Here are the conditions to meet:
- Current registered residence in Germany.
- Worked at least 12 months in the past 30 months in a job (or several jobs) that pays into social welfare (versicherungspflichtig). This excludes mini jobs paid under 520€/month.
- You are registered at the Arbeitsagentur.
- You are available and proactively looking for new employment.
Self-employed people don’t have this kind of protection and can only claim an allowance (more on that later). Employees who have resigned on their own initiative can also claim those benefits but must first wait 3 months after registration.
How much can I claim?
In terms of support length: the rule is pretty simple here. In terms of support amount, you will receive 60% of your net salary, 67% if you have children. In terms of support duration, you contribute twice as long as you can receive. For example as an employee (aged below 55), you need to work 24 months to be able to claim a full-year worth of benefits (ALG 1). You cannot claim more than one year if you are aged under 45.
Also remember that your health insurance will be covered too during that time.
The calculation can be broken down in 4 steps:
- Assessment of the daily gross salary, otherwise know as “Bemessungsentgelts“. This is dividing your yearly gross salary by the 365 calendar days (and not working days).
- Assessment of your daily net salary, otherwise known as “täglicher Leistungssatz“. This taking your gross salary and taking away taxes & contributions.
- A child bonus is applied onto the net salary, if applicable. This is adding another 7 points as mentioned above (67% instead of 60%).
- Your daily net amount will be multiplied by 30 to obtain the monthly sum.
Daily gross salary= Yearly gross salary/365
Daily net salary= Daily gross salary - (taxes & contributions)
Daily net benefits with kids= Daily net salary * 0,67
Daily net benefits without kids= Daily net salary * 0,60
Monthly benefits= Daily net benefits x 30Tips to increase your benefits
It is possible to increase the amount of benefits you receive by making use of the right tax class combination. This is available to single parents & people in a civil partnership/marriage.
Since your benefits are calculated based on your net salary; increasing your net salary with another tax class will mechanically increase the amount of benefits you get too! More info on the guide about tax classes in Germany here.
This is arguably hard to pull-off, especially if your new situation comes suddenly.
The difference between ALG1 & ALG2
If you have made a bit of research or talked to your HR department, you might have seen ALG 1 or ALG 2 already and wondered what it meant. They are different types of unemployment benefits in Germany. Just to be sure:
What is Arbeitslosengeld 1:
Arbeitslosengeld 1 are unemployment benefits you can claim after having worked as an employee in Germany for at least 12 months. It equals to at least 60% of your net salary. You refer to the Arbeitsagentur. This is what we help you to get in this guide.
What is Arbeitslosengeld 2:
Arbeitslosengeld 2 is an allowance (also called Hartz 4) you can claim after your ALG 1 rights have ran out and you still haven’t found a job or alternatively, if you never worked in Germany before. This benefit equals to a much lower amount of money than ALG 2 and comes with further restrictions. You refer to the Job Center. We will not talk about this on this page, please refer to this detailed guide about ALG 2 benefits in Germany instead.
How to apply for unemployment benefits in Germany (ALG 1):
1- Learning the news
This is happening between your employer and you but it’s still an important part of the process. It’s something that defines what’s next or to be more accurate: it defines the timing with which you will register at the Arbeitsagentur. This founding administrative step is really important and when you do it changes depending on your situation.
Situation 1: Your contract ends with a notice period of at least 3 months.
You boss announced the news personally or over email: you’ve been let go and the notice period written in your contract applies (usually 3 months). In this case, since you have now knowledge you will be jobless in the near future, the Arbeitsagentur will ask of you to plan ahead as well and already register yourself. Same if your contract is simply not renewed or you resign. You must register as soon as possible, up to 3 months prior the last day of employment.
Situation 2: Your contract ends with a notice period of less than 3 months.
In some cases, it’s not possible to know that the end of the contract is so near. Maybe the contract has a shorter notice period or maybe you have agreed to a voluntary resignation type of deal. In any case, if your employment ends in less than 3 months, you need to register at the latest 3 days after you have received knowledge of that new situation.
In both cases, make sure to obtain a termination letter that indicates the reasons of the decision, when you became aware of it and when your last day was (Arbeitsbescheinigung). If you are just quitting your job, please note that you won’t be able to receive unemployment benefits in Germany for a period of 3 months after your registration at the Arbeitsagentur.
What happens if you fail to register in time
The Arbeitsagentur is incentivizing a pro-active approach to doing everything in time by threatening an exclusion of those benefits for a few weeks. In short, if you fail to register in time, be prepared to lose money.
Failure to register in time will result in losing money.
2 – Registering (online or not) as looking for a job
It is recommended to use the online platform to register yourself as soon-to-be out of a job. You can do this very easily by following this link. You will need to first create an account on the platform (scroll down to “Noch nicht registriert“, tick the disclaimer boxes and click “Registrieren als Bewerber“). Once you have confirmed your account, you will be able to complete the rest of the process. If you are unsure about what to do, you can always call the hotline and get help in English if you have any questions about unemployment benefits in Germany. Registering online is only about saving time however, it is still required to book an appointment at your local office to finish this step.
3 – Registering in person as being unemployed
Once you have completed the first step, you will need to free up a few hours of your time to also go on site and register yourself as “properly” unemployed. This is to be done at the very latest on the first day without a job. You will go to your local Arbeitsagentur for that. If unsure where it is; use this form. Make sure to bring all the following documents with you:
- Passport
- Meldebescheinigung (Registration certificate)
- Visa (If applicable)
- Your Krankenkasse card
- Termination letter from your employer (and contract)
You will obtain a number to wait in line and a person working there will process your case and give you more instructions. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, especially if the person talks fast.
So far so good. Well done. But it doesn’t end there.
4 – Filling in the application document
This is what you came for and it’s the last step to take in your quest. Once you are registered as having no job, you will have now have to ask for support from the state during these hard times. To do that, you will fill in the “Antrag auf Arbeitslosengeld” (Application for unemployment money in Germany). This is can be done on a good ol’ fashioned paper form that you can obtain at the Arbeitsagentur directly, or it can be done online on this page. Simply use the account you created on step 2.
If you are a bit lost while doing this, you can refer to this guide, which explains in simple German what is expected of you.
This form is mainly asking of you more details about your personal situation (kids too, if applicable), why you are applying, which resources you have at the moment, where your insurance is and more. All those details are needed to measure whether you really qualify for unemployment benefits in Germany.
5- Receive confirmation at home
Once your application is sent, it will processed by the Arbeitsagentur relatively fast; usually within 2 weeks. You will receive an official confirmation by post which puts together your unemployment benefits in Germany. Among other things; how much you will get (per day, that’s the way it’s done), when it starts and finishes, where the money goes, etc.
6- Fulfill your duties and prepare the transition
Now that you don’t need to think about how you will pay your rent, you can start to plan again. Soon after having registered at the Arbeitsagentur, you will receive a convocation to meet your counselor there. It is compulsory to attend in order to communicate what your plan is. Make sure to come prepared with an updated CV and already some applications for jobs in the pipe. If you are planning to become a freelancer, show that you have done your research too (which can start here btw 🙂 ) and that you need time to prepare it. It’s important you establish a good relationship with your counselor.
You can find on this page here all the steps we just covered on the Arbeitsagentur’s website. It’s well laid-out and explains again the different steps to get unemployment benefits in Germany. I strongly advise you to have a look to get familiar with all the terms. Part of the platform is also available in English.
When you complete the process, you will have access to the portal with your own account as well, where you will be able to most of the document filling online, receive electronic copies of the documents issued by the authorities and adjust communication preferences.
Typical edge situations
Unemployment benefits on a blue card or visa
You can benefits but it lies in the hands of the foreigners’ office. When you lose your job, you have to notify the immigration authorities (section 82 subs. 6 of the German Residence Act) and they make a call on whether or not you qualify.
The foreigners’ office can decide to extend your residence permit by 6 months to give you a chance to find a job again, while getting ALG1 too.
What helps in that case:
- That you have been in Germany under a work visa or blue card long enough (about 2 years).
- That your visa is non employer-dependent.
Please bare in mind that i am no immigration specialist. Interesting thread on this matter here.
Unemployment benefits & renewing a visa in Germany
In the case you don’t have permanent residence yet, this might be a question. Trusting this source, it seems that being on ALG1 does satisfy the prerequisites to prove you have enough means to support yourself during your time in Germany. Being on ALG2 does not. However, this means that your new visa’s validity might be limited in time, to the point your benefits run out. Or simply, you might only obtain a Fiktionsbescheinigung for now.
A strong indicator there might be negative consequences is the following sentence on your current residence permit:
Nebenbestimmungen: […] erlischt beim Bezug von Leistungen nach dem SGB II / XII
Unemployment benefits with a mini-job of freelance gig
It is possible to accumulate both ALG1 and paid opportunities, but it is not a very attractive option. Here are the limitations:
- You are not allowed to work more than 15h a week (since you need time to find a real job again)
- You can’t earn more than 165€ per month (eg: if you earned 300€ that month, 135€ will be deducted on your ALG1 amount for that month)
- You must let the Arbeitsagentur know before it starts.
Unemployment benefits as a freelancer
Surprisingly enough, it is possible to get unemployment benefits in Germany as a freelancer. Those are the restrictions: only if:
- You have been employed at least 2 years before starting as a freelancer, or if you were already receiving ALG1 before starting out as a freelancer.
- You agreed with your local Arbeitsagentur to pay voluntary contributions within the first 3 months of your freelancing.
Rules for how much you pay and how much you get aren’t the same as with employees, but you can still get ALG1 and work, provided you work less than 15 hours a week. Detailed info about this on Impulse.de in German.
FAQ – unemployment benefits Germany
Yes. If you have been working long enough in another E.U country, you have the legal right to have your unemployment be transferred to Germany when registering. This involves asking for an authorization before leaving your country and submitting this authorization when you register in Germany. More info on how to transfer unemployment benefits to Germany this way.
In the case you were eligible before leaving Germany, you can still get ALG1 if you do the timing right. You are eligible if you contributed at least 12 months in the past 30 months. Thus, you can still receive benefits if you apply less than 18 months after your departure.
Example: you stay in Bacerlona 15 months after your time in Germany. You come back to Germany, this time frame rule won’t let you have ALG1 (15 months in the UK + 9 months in Germany before that = 24 months)
Yes. You can get a rough idea with this small calculator provided by the Arbeitsagentur here. The calculation is based on your daily gross salary, applies taxes & a child bonus if applicable.
If you are with a public Krankenkasse, there is a month after you quit that is part of normal coverage (=no need to pay yourself), then the Arbeitsamt covers those costs for the rest of the time and also after, while receiving ALG1.
If you are a private Krankenkasse, there is a also a month “free” included after you quit, but then you ought to pay yourself, until you receive ALG1. More info here.
Shortly put, it doesn’t. Your time spent on Kurzarbeit will be considered normal working time, thus benefits will be calculated as if you were working all hours. That is true for duration of benefits as well. There is no drawback going from Kurzarbeit into unemployment. Welfare state powa!
Please note that this post is aiming at providing an overview of the process and that i made it to the best of my ability based on my experience. I believe it to be accurate but cannot be held accountable for any wrong-doings or wrong decisions you might do on this information. Feel free to correct me or give more details about to best get unemployment benefits in Germany in the comments.
Hi Bastien!
I have been unemployed for awhile now and did a German course before which I had to stop for family reasons. However I did not mention it to the Arbeitsamt that I was doing a course, because I was told by others that in that case I would not receive the benefits I am otherwise entitled to after having to worked for 2 years previously in Berlin already.
I have been looking for jobs again in the past months but no success yet. On my last appointment with the office I was told I have to learn German of course and do an Integration course? Now I really just want to concentrate on studying the language first rather then looking for a job.
However since I’m an EU citizen, I do not need any type of Visa to be here and I find it unnecessary to the Integration course. I also have doubt on other peoples opinion on: if I enter a language course which would be 12h/week, I would not receive benefits anymore….
So my question is, do you know if I can enter to a course myself which would be 12h/week, tell the Arbeitsamt I’m doing a language course and still get the benefit?
Hey Gigi. In my opinion, this course can be seen as an attempt to improve your chances on the job market, so i don’t see why it would make you not eligible anymore. You need support while your improve your profile.
Hi,
I have a simple question. I am PhD student and had a 50% contract for 4 years and 6 months 25%. Now I would like to apply for ALG I. I am writing my thesis and i will submit my thesis in 2 months. So, i am available for the job market. but during the ALG form filling, They ask if i am a student or not? And at least i have to fill the working hours per week should be 2-digit (for example at least 10 h/week). what can i do with this option? because theoretically i am not working in university and just writing my thesis. even i am thinking do not introduce me as a student!
Thank you for your help.
Hey Adrian. Well you are enrolled as a student, and you happen to work on the side too. I’d say that you qualify for the definition yes.
Hello Bastien,
I also require some advice on my case. I had been working with an IT firm in MUNICH for over 14 months with an unlimited contract. Everything was well in place and i had booked my tickets for vacation to visit my family in home country – leaving this Sunday (30th September). Today the CEO informed me over phone that my contract will be terminated with a notice period of 1 month because of financial reasons. The month of October is the notice period and i will be unemployed from November. This came out of no where. No one was expecting it and i had no clue about it. I was happily looking forward to my vacations and then coming back and getting re-started with my work. It is a shock to me. It is clear i have to appear at the Arbeitsagentur within 3 days now after receiving the terminal letter for unemployment benefits. So i have postponed my trip till next week to get myself registered. What i want to ask is about my VISA. I have a BLUE CARD which was of course tied to the firm i am/was working at. What now? i can only stay till January 2019 (3 months – unemployment starting from November)??? If i cant find a job within 3 months, i will be kicked out of Germany? This timeline is so strict right now considering that companies usually take 1 month to process an application and then there are Christmas holidays in between as well. I just dont know what to do. Is it a hard rule that of 3 months? There is no flexibility?
Hope to get a healthy response
Regards,
Haris
Hey Haris. If you need more time to sort things out than just 3 months, you could apply for a job seeker visa, which you could give you 6 additional months, more info here. However, you work in IT, which is in high-demand all over the country, i wouldn’t worry too much. Good luck!
Hello Bastien!
This page is very useful thank you very much!!
I have come to Germany with dependent blue card. I am a University Graduate having PhD degree. I have been trying for jobs for last 6 months but, so far, nothing worked out. I have never worked here in Germany. Can I seek unemployment benefit? My partner (original blue card holder) has decent income so livelihood is not an issue.
Thanks Much.
Hey Sam. You don’t qualify for ALG1 but have a look at ALG 2 (Hartz 4)
Hi Everyone.
I worked part-time for a company for about 3 years. Then I worked full-time for 10 months,during which period I paid into unemployment. I’ve been let go due to reasons out of my control and have already applied for unemployment, and received a decision for unemployment money for 6 months. However, the notice also came with a letter expressing this is subject to change after an investigation into the amount of time I’ve been working with the company.
Obviously I don’t qualify in that I only paid 10 months of contributions. Why then did they award me 6 months in the first place, if they’re investigating it? And why was my employer not taking out unemployment contributions while I was part time?
Thanks,
/C
Hey Clayton. I’m afraid i don’t have the answers to you questions. Better ask the Arbeitsagentur and your former company directly. Good luck !
Hi Bastien,
I am married to a German Expat and we are returning to Germany. I have never worked in the EU. Do you know if I am entitled to collect any benefits while I look for a job in Germany?
Hey George. Requirements for ALG1 are laid out in this article. You might want to look into Hartz 4 (ALG 2) in your case.
hi, I am not a European, I worked in Germany since 2015 I paid all my tax and everything correctly . recently I resigned from my job. I got a new job in Munich with a better salary but my job contract starting from November, that means I don’t have the job September and October. recently I got a small job in Berlin for two months. I don’t wanna take that job, instead of that I really wanna improve my German skill in this free time. is it possible? will auslanderberhorde allow? (i was employed until July 31)
Hey Shinas. You have to check if you current permit allows it. This is almost case by case sometimes so i don’t want to give you any wrong information there. Sorry..
Dear Bastien,
Yhank you for the article!
I have made first steps to register as unemployed. However when i went to Agentur fur Arbeit I have not received any form to fill for Arbeotslosengeld. As i understood my next steps is to wait for a letter confirming a date with my personal consultant, and this meeting is going to be in first weeks when ill finish my work. Could i fill in the form for Arbeitslosengeld during this meeting? Will i receive the money from the day ill stop working even though the form will be fill in later? I would bd extremely thankful for reply.
Hey Beatrice. You are just half of the way, you will still need to fill-up the Antrag. I suppose your consultant could help you fill the form up, but that will delay the time with which you will receive money.
Dear Bastien, thank you for reply! i filled all forms and presented them, today i received a letter stating that in my application kundigung letter is still missing, im confused, i showed it on the first meeting i was registering unemployed, in later meetings when i was bringing filled forms nobody asked for it. Should i leave this documenf to Agentur, as i understood they are asking to send it by post? Another question would be if i could receive money later on aldo for the first days im going to be unemployement even though i have delyed to presend focuments?
Hey Beatrice. Well, if they need a copy by post, then it’s probably a good idea to send it to them. I’m not sure i get your second question but i think the application date counts when it comes to receiving benefits.
Dear Bastien,
Thank you so much for putting such a useful information and I am very sure people are so happy and felt supported by also you answering on each question here.
It has been a restructure at my company and I have been negotiating the agreement (Abwicklungsvertrag) and finally signed. The termination letter states my last day is within a month at the end of September. However, on the agreement, we settled that the last day will be at the end of December. I have already registered online as instructed on this page and put the last day as 31 December.
Someone told me that if I signed the agreement (Abwicklungsvertrag) Arbeitsaim sees this as a benefit and they won’t give unemployment benefit. The fact is that I am just earning time but not necessarily being able to save up for coming months next year without any income or unemployment benefit. On top of that, I’ve been staying here with Blue Card which only allows me to stay 3 months after becoming unemployed.
I have a good relationship with the company and they could perhaps iterate some of the documents. If you have any tip how I can make sure I will be supported by unemployment benefit under the circumstance, it would be tremendously helpful.
Hey S. Whatever you decide with your employer, the document needs to state that it was for economic reasons that you were fired (Betriebsbedingt is the right key word). This should avoid that you get the 3 months-lock period for the benefits.
Hi Bastien,
Thanks again for your help… I have another 2(ish) questions. If I was to take ALG I only for 1 month out of the 1 year that I was granted… Could I receive the rest 11 months in the future if I already have found work and would leave ALG I? Or does one have to use the granted amount all in one run?
Also, If I was to be given freelance work while receiving ALG 1, but it was for only 5 but continuous days in a month and amounted to 50 hours/month at about 10 h/day… even though it is under the 15 hours/week rule (60 hours/month), would they not allow it because it it’s more than 15 hours/week?
Is there a maximum Euro amount one can earn per month?
Thanks for your help…
Hey Hinna. No, you don’t have to “consume” all your benefits in one go. Concerning the second point, i cannot tell you what to do, you seem to know what the limits are. Just ask yourself; how do they keep track of your working hours?
Hi,
Thanks for your article! I have a question, my boyfriend has to register to the Job Center and as we live together apparently I am supposed to register to the Job Center too, which I find weird because I do have a job. And also we are not married. Do have any informations about it ? Do you know if I really have to register ? Thanks
Hi Ali. I’m not familiar with that case but i have read somewhere that it might be related to being a freelance or something like that. Sorry i can’t help further.
Hi Bastien,
Thanks for your great article full of information. I have a situation here where I don’t know if should I apply for unemployed or elterngeld. My contract will expire the end of October, my maternity leave starts 26 of October. My due date is in December. I don’t know what to do, I will have no salary after October. Do you know any case like mine and could give me any advice? Thanks in advance. ..
Hey Eliara. I would advise to do your own research but here is what i can quickly tell you. One condition to receive ALG 1 is to be available to take on a new job on the market, so in that prospect, you can ask yourself that question again. More info in German here.
Hi Bastien,
Thanks for the article. I am a PhD student in Munich from a non EU country and receiving DAAD scholarship from the last 4 years. My PhD contract is going to end by the end of next month. I have been constantly applying for jobs after the time left from the PhD completion, but in vain, though I still have some interviews coming up. I have two questions,
1. I had the knowledge of the contract getting over from about an year, but I didn’t register at Arbeitsagentur because of the lack of knowledge and also because I had the confidence to end up in some job. Although, I have registered on the website of Arbeitsagentur to search for jobs in June. Now that I have sent an email for the registration, is it considered a late registration?
2. Some friends have advised me to empty my account balance before the registration, and also to keep a maximum of 300 Euros in the account. I have savings in my account equivalent to about 2 months of my present salary, which I did as I was afraid I won’t be able to find a job. Should I consider their advise?
Hi Ankit. 1. I would tend to say yes, but the Arbeitsagentur might think otherwise. 2. Don’t know why they would advise you such a thing? Why?. The Arbeitsagentur doesn’t have access to your financial info and it won’t impact your application for ALG 1.
hi
i have moved to Berlin 8 months ago and did an ausbildung here really finding difficulty in finding job what can i do to get some help. i have an eu passport.
Hi!
Your posts are amazing 🙂
I was wondering if I could get some advice.
So i moved to Germany in July and I came already employed, I registered, I got BKK, a bank account etc and by August I had decided I could not take it anymore ( depression related) so I quit and set my self in the career chance path, I will start studying a short private course in october.
My question is:
• Since I only worked one month, I am aware that I do not receive unemployment but I wonder if I should register as unemployed? I don’t really need help finding a job now because I will focus on studying.
•What about health insurance? I told my employer to cancel BKK thinking I could get a private insurance…
• Lastly, do i need to do something regarding my taxes? I only worked one month but I dont want them come to me asking for a whole year tax!
I’m Spanish by the way.
Thank you!
Hi Nacho. Glad you found the post helpful. To the best of my knowledge: No, you are not obligated to register as unemployed. Regarding health insurance; up to you but be aware that you might to have to pay it on your own now. Taxes; income tax was already taken automatically from the payslip by your employer, no worries there.
What if someone gets fired within 6 months of their first job?
Hi Ali. If you don’t gather all conditions to qualify for ALG1, then you don’t qualify.
Hello,
I am non EU Citizen living in Germany ( wiesbaden) from the last 7 years , i am an housewife from all the years and i used to work whsen i am in India for around 4 years. As i am taking care of my kids from all these years i did not look for a job though i am qualified and having previous work experience.
Now, as i am free again to work , i applied recently in Arbeitsamt. Can i now apply for any unemployment benefits?
Please advice.
Thanks
Sowmya
Hi Sowmya. Probably not. If you need support while you find a job, you may apply for ALG 2 (Harz IV).
Hello,
My name is Georgia and I am from Greece.
I will move to Germany in one month and I would like to know if I am entitled to get the unemployment benefit from the German state.
In Greece I have been working for 20 months in the last 2 years. Do I qualify as a European citizen the unemployment benefit from Germany, that is, the 60% salary I received in Greece? Thanks in advance for your time.
Hey Georgia, you can read the post again. It says how to transfer your benefits from back home to Germany.
Hi there. My husband had been working in Austria before for a number of years , and when we moved to Germany he became unemployed. Is it possible to get some allowance or at least insurance coverage in this case ? I read the FAQ but it talks only about the transfer of benefits when the person was already unemployed before coming to Germany, which is not our case. Thanks a lot in advance.
Hi Olga. I think the process requires that you are unemployed and receiving before you come to Germany but maybe check what the Austrian services say about this.
Hi Bastien,
I have a 1 year contract that ends soon and it might get renewed, however I would like to leave my job in order to learn German and apply for Uni.
Do you know if it’s possible to get benefits when you did not receive a termination letter? as in there is a possibility for a contract renewal?
Also, does the amt support in this period the self development approach, like allowing a language course instead of looking for another employment? As in , would I be forced to find a new job asap or will I be able to finish language first.
Thank you very much 🙂
Hey Diana. They would support that approach, however the 3 months-rule would apply still probably.
Hi Batien,
I have a query. My husband and myself both work in Germany. I currently have a one year contract. My question is on whether I will be eligible for unemployment benefits if my contract is not extended. Thanks
Hey Iswarrya. Conditions for eligibility are listed in the post. you can refer to them.
Hi Bastian,
I was employed in Germany from February 2017 through July 2018. Previously I was in the USA and came to Germany as an expat. My Visa specified the employer and position I came for. I applied for Unemployment monies in May when I found out that my contract was being canceled. The Arbeit now says that I can not receive money because I am only authorized to work for my old employer in my old position. The Alien office indicates that I can not change this visa status, unless I find a new employer to transfer my visa to. This makes sense, but why would I be ineligible for unemployment benefits? I have read elsewhere that since I paid into the unemployment insurance system for greater than 18 months (I did), then I should be eligible for 6-months of benefits? Do you think I should get an attorney to help?
Hi Bastian,
I used the word visa in my comment but I meant my work permit.
Hi Paul. This is a strange situation indeed. It’b better to ask an expert directly yes, i’m afraid.
Just a quick follow-up. I did engage an attorney, and one letter later I am receiving my benefits. My take-away is to not be afraid to push back on the German authorities. It feels like they try with expats to take the easy route first in hope they will go away and they will thus save the money.
Hi Paul,
I actually have the same situation now, I’ve been working for an employer for more than 24month and am eligible to get the benefit, however, the arbeitamt said that I can’t get my money because my contract is over now. then can only pay me when my visa is changed to some permit that you can work here.
My question was then If I change the permit to self-employment can I still get the benefit?
let’s share the mutual experience to help each other. please email me Paul about your process.
Hi there my husband and I are both eu citizens- moved to Germany from the Uk- I am working full fine but my husband is unable to find work due to not speaking german- he has always worked back in the UK is he able to get some help towards the bills here?
Hey Karru. Look at the FAQ on how to transfer rights from back home to Germany.
Hello Bastien,
Thanks for the article!
I worked in Germany for two years then got unemployment benefits for 8 months and worked again for 14 months. For how many months can I get the benefits now? is it only based on my last job or does it also add the 4 months that remained from my previous job?
thanks & best,
Claire
Good question Claire. If you want to find out how much you will get, you can use this small calculator, provided by the Arbeitsamt here. But otherwise, it is calculated on what you earn the year you make the Antrag.
Hello Bastien, I was working for couple of years in Belgium but my origin is from Greece and I moved in Germany last June. I am afraid that my company will end my probationary period. Doni have also the same right as I worked in Germany ? If yes how should i prove my working life in Belgium?
Thanks for the great job of this article
HI Nikos. If you want to transfer your rights from Belgium to Germany, you will need to research a little bit how it’s done from the Belgian side. More info here. Good luck !
Hi,
I have been working in Germany for the past two years as non-EU citizen.
I am planning to leave my job soon because of bullying at workplace.
I want to take a three month break after leaving my job and travel to my homeland and then register for the unemployment benefits (ALG1) after coming back to Germany till I find a new job. Is this possible?
Thanks in advance
Hi Vahid. Yes, it could be possible.
Hi, I am non EU with visa that is not restricted to the company. It is just said that I can work as BD Manager/Freelance and expiry date in March 2019. I received mixed information saying that I cant’t have ALG 1 because I am not on permanent resident visa. And that I have to change to job seeking visa for 6 months period. Changing to job seeking visa is difficult because 1. I can’t work straight away once I found BD Manager position 2. It takes 1-2months for appointment at ABH.
My questions are:
1. Is that true that I have to have permanent resident to get ALG 1? Some ABH Beamte said that it is not related to residence permit.
2. Can I stay in Germany with the current visa that I have?
Hey Octa. Sorry i can’t help: Visa-related issues are almost on a one-per-one basis, so i don’t want to give you false info. Good luck with your search,
Hi Bastien,
thank you for the information. I have a couple of questions regarding my situation. At the end of my current working contract, I’ll have been employed for 14 months in the last 2 years: 4 months employed + 10 months ALG 1 + 10 months employed. Although I comply the 12-months rule, I’m wondering whether there will be a problem if I received ALG 1 in between. And in the case I am entitled to ALG 1 again, would I receive it only by half of the time of my last employment or half of the time of the total 14 months? And last, would I receive 60% of the average of my salary of the last employment only, or the average of the total earnings in 14 months of employment?
Thank you in advance!
Javier
Hi Javier. You get 60% of your last salary and you are entitled to ALG 1 yes.
Hi Bastien, thanks for all the info… When it says one has to have worked at least 12 months in the last 2 years…. Do those 12 months have to have been in a row AND do they have to have been with the same employer?
H Hinna. No, and no. 🙂
Hey Bastian thanks for your article, was super useful! I have a doubt though… what happens if you are employed for more that 12 months but also registered as a freelancer (only working 1-2 shifts per year and earned not more than 500eur) and loose your job? Would you have to unregister as a freelancer before you loose your job to be able to access to the benefit?
Thank you
Hi Magda. No, you can still have a side gig but you can’t work more than 15 hours per week.
Hey BASTIEN, always so thankful for your articles.
I was let go with a 2 weeks notice on Friday, and I registered online on arbeitsagentur the day after. When you say register at the latest 3 days after you had knowledge of the decision, you mean online, or on site?
Another question, are you allowed to go out of Germany for some weeks (visiting family back home etc.)?
Thanks a million.
Hi Karina. Either online or at the agency directly. Online is easier though. You are allowed some off-time when you are on ALG1 but it’s quite limited to only a few days and you need to justify why everytime to your contact person. You are supposed to find a job after all. Good luck.
Hi, my contract is up for extension in a few weeks. Would I need to register now in case they don’t extend or only as soon as I know that they won’t. I’m a bit confused about the 3 month deal.
Hey Ed. As soon as you know.
Hi Bastien, I didn’t see my comment. Just try it again and see if I didn’t anything wrong. Sorry about the inconvenience.
Hi Bastien,
I‘m a non EU citizen and have been working in Germany for more than two years (one year under a stipend). Since my contract finishes this year, I‘m planning to register for the unemployment.
My question is whether there is way to register the unemployment in a different location from the address registeration place. I’m currently registered my address in Berlin. But I’ll move to my boyfriend‘s hometown Essen once my job is finished in Berlin. Since unemployment needs to register three months earlier, I’m wondering if in October I can register unemployment in Essen while my address is still registered in Berlin.
Thank you so much.
Good question Joan. It seems you need to first register in Berlin and let them know you will soon move to Essen. They will be able to “assign” you to your new Arbeitsagentur over there, which might occur additional administrative steps for you unfortunately. Source.
Hi, thanks for your informative article!
I just registered for unemployment and will receive the benefit after they process my application. I would like to know if I’m allowed to do part-time job during the time that I’m looking for the next full-time job (while being registered as unemployed)?
Thanks in advance!
Kind regards,
Nahsel
Hi Nehsel. You are allowed to work maximum 15h per week while receiving ALG 1. More info this way
Hi, thanks you so much for your
Time. I’m Canadian citizen with working permit expires August next year. But my contract terminated 3 weeks ago. I live in a small town and speak a little German. I get different answers from the office itself. My question how long I’m allowed to stay I. Germany if I don’t want to file unemployment?
Hi Mitzie. I don’t want to give you incorrect information and it might all be a case-per-case basis decision from the Amt so i won’t give you an answer on this one. Good luck in your search.
Hi! I have a quick question, on Wednesday i received the termination letter. With notice of 3 months. I understand that i have still to register in less than 3 days, is that correct? If so, I tried to do it today online. First I registered, but they have to send a PIN by post (1) (yeah). I assume that will take a few days, is that a problem? I can do some things in the website, but none of them is “Registrieren als Bewerber”.
(1) Sie müssen Ihr Benutzerkonto durch Eingabe der PIN in Ihren persönlichen Daten freischalten. Solange Sie Ihr Benutzerkonto nicht freigeschaltet haben, können Sie Ihre Bewerberprofile nicht veröffentlichen und keine Bewerbungen über die JOBBÖRSE an Arbeitgeber versenden.
Note that in principle I dont want the money. I just want them to cover the insurance in case i dont find a job before the termination.
Hey Alberto. This PIN thing is related to your user account on their platform. What they say is that you can’t use it to send applications to employers on this platform as long as you haven’t confirmed the account with the PIN.
Hello,
I am an EU citizen and was working in Germany on a fixed term contract for 14 months. I started collecting unemployment insurance, AGL1, following my employment ending but was told that I would only be entitled initially for 6 months unless I were to produce a U1 form documenting previous earnings/contributions in the member state I was previously residing in (This would entitle me to an additional 6 months of AGL1).
Aside from the above mentioned sounding accurate my question is that I were to relocate out of Germany back to my home country both for financial motives and/or increased probability of employment opportunities (as I do not speak German) would I lose rights to continue receiving AGL1?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Marco. Yes, what they tell you is correct. You would not lose your rights to unemployment benefits if you were to move back home. You can ask to be transferred to your home system. Pretty much the other way around than the way suggested by the Amt actually. 🙂 . Good luck
Hi Marco,
Thanks very much for your feedback and this is very interesting (it might have sometime to do with the fact that communication between myself and my case worker is very limited because of the language)
Might I bother you with another follow-up question? Should I decide to return to my home country I would imagine the registration process with them would need to be done by me and that the AMT doesn’t take care of this? Also would this mean that my home country would maintain the payments that I currently receive under the German system (monthly amount and duration) I ask because unemployment benefits by country vary so would I still be entitled to the same money and for the same amount of time? If you don’t know might you suggest someone that I can speak to on the matter?
Many thanks for your guidance.
M
Hey there. Yeah, i don’t think i can help you further. You can check what the bilateral agreement currently is between Germany and your country and it might give you a clue.
Thanks for the article. Question _ Is there a MEANS TEST to pass before recieving unwmployment money in Germany. Ie i own a house but pay a mortgage on it. I was told I need to sell the house before qualifying for unemploymwnt benefit. Do I have to do this and then rent a house. Seems crazy. Can you confirm if this is correct?
Many thanks,
Tom
Hi Tom. This is, in my opinion, unheard of. The only condition you need to qualify for is: have you worked in Germany and contributed to the welfare system at least 12 months in the past 2 years. It’s not related to income or your current assets.
Hello –
I am the mother of 3 minor children (16, 15, 9 years) single parent (divorced), all of us have German citizenship but do not live in the EU at the moment.
In the country where we live not – I am self employed.
We want to move to Germany or another European country. Are we entitled to acclimatization help? Are the children entitled to financial assistance to integrate into the school system? The older children want to continue higher education at university someday?
And my intention is to work as soon as I can
Hi Maya. I don’t know what you mean by acclimatization but your kids have every right to go to school and university and you will receive Elterngeld to help you financially.
Hello,
Many of you are asking about how long the period in which you can receive ALG is.
My question is kind of opposite.
I want to know what is the shortest period you need to work in order to be able to receive ALG?
I will soon complete my first 3 months on the job. It is full time job and I am still on probation period.
But unfortunatelly I belive I could get fired because of some reasons.
So the question is, do I have any ALG rights after 3 months period??
Thank you very much for answering my question.
Hi Shone. You need to work at least 1 year in the past 2 years to be entitled to ALG 1.
Hello ,
I dont have EUcitizenship. I completed probation time. My position is under the risk due to no task in the company. I have blue card and over 55000€ salary. I would like to know whether i can get unemployment payment in case firing up , if I complete 12 months. Should I have been stayed in germany since 5 years?
Hi Daido. Being an EU citizen or not does not constitute a requirement for getting ALG 1. If you work long enough for that company, you are good.
Hi, thank you for sharing a very useful information
I am a PhD student and at the same time I am an employment at the university, so I can register for Arbeitslosengeld. However, I went to Arbeitsamt and they said that my visa type is not accepted because it’s specific for only one job without any condition for looking for a new job. So, I need a new type of visa. Then, I asked the Ausländerbehörde and they said that if my work contract at the university will not be extended, I can only get a student visa. The question is ‘Can I get Arbeitslosengeld with the student visa?’.
Hi Maith. I am no specialist on visa situations. sorry. The only thing i can tell you is that you need to have worked and contributed at least 12 months in the past 2 years to qualify.
Hi Bastien, many thanks for the info!
Would you mind letting us know for those who quit their job by themselves? How would be the procedure?
Besides, during the time you are receiving the ALG 1, will they force you to on jobs that do not match your profile etc?
Thanks!
Hi there. I haven’t heard of this myself, i’d find it unlikely but i can’t say for sure. The procedure is otherwise the same if you quit your job.
Hi,
Thanks for the great article and replying to most comments in here! I have been working parttime (32 Hours) a week for the past 2 years in the same company. Would I be eligible for ALG1 after being laid off? I have heard some people mention its only for people working 40 hours a week, and doing so for a year long.
thanks in advance!
Hi there. I am not sure what they are referring to. Your ALG 1 will be 60% or 67% of your income for that time period. The number of hours are not relevant at all.
Hi,
Thanks for a good guide. I am non-European, but have been employed in Germany for 4 years. Thus, now I get the unemployment money.
Once two months, I got 2 times job coaching meeting for 4 months. But I hear that German, who get the money, also have to attend some courses for a few weeks in addition to the job coaching. I like it, but why I did not have to do that? But maybe for non-European speaking only English, there are less mandatory missions?
Second question is that do officers suddenly summon people getting the money by letters or phone calls? They told me the next meeting will be in a few months, but I am afraid that they ask me to show up suddenly.
Thanks in advance.
**2 times short job coaching meetings during 4 months
Hi Ken. Sorry, i don’t have all the answers. You can both letters and phone calls from the responsible people at the Arbeitsamt.
Hi Bastien,
I am also a German citizen, but grew up in Australia. I am finishing up a 2 year contract in August and then moving home to Australia in November. Do you think I would qualify for ALG for this short 3 months? Thanks for the advice.
Hi Emma. Yes, even if you soon leave the country, you can have ALG 1. But in theory, this is to find a job again in Germany, so be cautious with your approach.
Hi, I used to work in Berlin for 3 years now the same job.
Im now returning back to my country Czech republic
and I will be jobless there for some time. Am I entitled to get
some Jobcenter money? Thanks
Hi Jan. You should check if/how you can transfer your rights from Germany to Czech Republic.
Hi Bastien,
Is it possible to get the ALG1 when enrolled as student?
Thank you
Best
Matteo
Hi Matteo. Yes, it possible under certain conditions, like having worked enough time as an employee in the past & actively searching for a job (min 15 hours). More info here.
Hi Bastien,
Thank you for the useful article.
I have a question: my contract will end in the August after 3 years, then I’ll apply for the ALG1. My question is: there is a small amount you can earn and still be supported by the ALG1? For example, if I’ll get a student job for 16 hours per week, I can still get the ALG1 or they will assume that I am employed, so they will stop the ALG1?
Thank you.
Best,
Matteo
Hi Matteo, as mentioned here, the maximum amount of working time per week while on ALG 1 is 14h59min.
Hello,
I am an EU citizen and have worked in Germany for three years. The first two years of emloyment I was paid significantly more than this last 12 months.
I am becoming unemployed and am wondering if the 60% value is purely based on the last 12 months?
For me this would only be like 600euro…..
Please help
Thanks
Hi TUTU,
Did you find out about it? I also have the same question. How does the 60% based on if you have more than one jobs that pays differently.
Hi TUTU,
Did you find out? I have the same question.
Hello Bastien!
This page is very useful thank you very much!!
I am employed in a Staatstheater as a dancer and from June on I will be unemployed .I m planning to freelance between Holland and Germany ( mostly Holland ) and I wanted to know how long can I be away from Germany ( still keeping my address in Germany) ? I would like to train in Holland and also spend most of the time there… is it gonna be very difficoult? Or it depends on my counselor? I ll be active trying to find jobs and stuff but I would like to be in Holland to do that.
Thank you very much
Ada
Hi Ada. If you are freelancing; you won’t be getting ALG1 will you?
Hi Bastien
Thank you for the article. I was in German jobcenter last and all the information they provided matched exactly what you described above. Thought I still couple question you know the answer.
I am British citizen and I was working in uk full time for the last 5 years. I am planing to move to Germany with me German wife. They told me in order to get ALG 1 (67%) I need first to work in Germany unless one day in order to be legible for ALG1.
My question, is there any specific job I need to look for before I raisin? Or I need to be in any specific contract ? Or any job will be fine.
Do you know how do they calculate the 67% ? Example : if I was earning £2000 a month in uk and when I arrive to Germany I look for job for a week just to meet the requirement and is this job let’s say they pay me £800 a month
They will calculate ALG1 (67%) base on my earning I’m uk or on that week I worked in Germany?
And if the employers in Germany employe me just for week do you if they will face any specific charges if they terminate the contract earlier?
The only reason I wanted to apply for ALG1 is to spend time in learning German language.
Many thanks
Hi Aomar. You should research how the transfer of rights form the UK to Germany work. I think any job would do.
Hi Bastien,
Thanks a lot for the very informative article.
I am an EU citizen and I am currently working in Germany for almost 8 months (having a contract for 2 years in total). I would like to ask the following:
a) You mentioned that in order to be eligible to receive the ALG1 you have to be working for at least 12 months and that the period that you can qualify for the benefit is half of your working period. Does that mean the minimum period of ALG1 support is six months?
b) Does the eligibility of ALG1 depends on factors that play a role for ALG2 such as savings,living with others etc. For example, could I stay with my girlfriend in a different city in Germany (in a different state as well), while I am receiving the ALG1 benefit in order to avoid rent costs?
Thanks in advance for the clarification!
Hi Chris. a) There is no minimum support period. It can only be a few weeks if necessary. b) No.
Hey Bastien,
I am not European- I do not have European passport.
I worked in Germany for more than 3 years
My visa expire in December 2019
I would like to know if i can leave to work in a different european city and come back after a year – and ask for my unemployment money?
meaning asking for it while i do not have visa to stay in germany
Hi there. Good question, i do not know how the validity of your visa impacts onto your ALG 1 benefits i’m afraid. I suppose you need to have the right to be in Germany to enjoy that.
Hi, Bastien, and thanks for the post.
I have been working in Berlin since 2015. After 1.5 years I was fired and 3 months after that I found another job, where I currently work at. I´ve been working here for 8 months and would like to know what happens if I resign.
I know about the 3 month period rule for getting benefits if I resign, but would it still be possible to receive benefits since I had this break of 3 months between jobs, as I only work here for 8 months at this job? Or should I work 12 months in a row, without a break between them?
In any case, what sort of system would I qualify for? Is it still ALG1, or is it ALG2? Please keep in mind I did receive ALG1 benefits during this 3 month period between jobs.
Thanks a lot for your attention.
Best regards, Ana.
Hi Ana. You don’t lose your rights after changing jobs. You don’t start the ALG-1-meter from 0 every time you start a new job. The amount of rights was just reduced because you had this 3 month support.
Hi Bastien, I don’t know if you are able to answer my question but here it comes:
When in step 6 you say that “…you will receive a convocation to meet your counselor there. It is compulsory to attend in order to communicate what your plan is”, in case I quit and I only start to receive the money after the 3 months, during the first 3 months am I also asked to go to the Job centre? Or only from the moment I am covered?
Best,
Hi Anna. Yes, you will need to meet your counselor even before receiving the benefits.
Hi Bastien, thank you for the article! I have a question. Do you know what is better Aufhebungsvertrag or Abwicklungsvereinbarung? My employer wants me to leave and offers these two options. Do you know what is preferable in terms of searching for new job and applying for Arbeitlossgeld? As I understood in case of Abwicklungsvereinbarung it shouldn’t be a Sperrzeit for Arbeitlossgeld, but are there any downsides? E.g. harder to find another job? Thanks!
Hi Anna. I am not a legal expert of that matter unfortunately. All the tip i can give you is that you contract should be stopped because of economical reasons (“Betriebsbedingt” is the keyword you want to have somewhere).
Hi
I recently married german girl in Denmark. I have some queries.
1. My wife is living in Munich and me in Berlin, currently i am living in studio apartment 22q. Will the standesamt and burgeremt register me from single to married?.(actually we donot have flat or 2 room wohnung yet to live together).
2. I finish my master in Germany, and want to start work, but german skills are not enough to get job effectively, so my question will the Jobcentre pay for the language course?
3.We are both fresh graduates, so for the initial time, the job centre pay allowance for the living flat?
Best regards
Hi John. You need to have your marriage recognized in Germany first. It’s not automatic. If you can prove you need German skills to start working on the German market, then yes, they can subsidize a class for you. As for the ALG 1; you do whatever you want with the support you get.
Hi John
I was in jobcenter in Germany last week and I asked this question if they can fun the German language course. The answer was yes but you must have already completed A1 and A2. Basically you have to prove them that you completed A2. The only funding B1 course.
Hi;
I have a question. Does Non-EU citizens also eligible to apply for unemployment benefits? I am non-Eu citizen(india) and I paid taxes for 25 months.
thanks in advance
Yes.
Hi!
Thank you so much for thh article.
I was on AlG1 for 11 months. I have a job now and my probation Zeit is coming to an end. I am considering resigning within my probation time as if I dont – I will have a three month long resignation period and I am not satisfied with my job. I have enough money saved for the 3 month block but do you know how my situation would look? I would land a job within those three months (I assume). The questions are the following:
What if I dont land a job within those three months and also – will me resigning but being able to support myself for that time prove to be problematic for the Arbitsamt?
Thank you so much!!
Hi Anna. If you took the job then it means you were not considered unemployed anymore. so i guess you werent receiving benefits anymore. What you do from that point on is not their business if i am not missing anything.
Good evening, i was in unemployment office today, i jusy want ask what i will do as my contract us ending on 30april my boss refer me to this unployement but just in the counter they told me i need to be back with the translator, as i cannot speak any german. Can anybody recommend me for a translator i will just pay is that really the policy the nobody cam speak English? Please help
Hi, thanks for all the helpful information. Have a specific question around the 12 month required to be working in Germany. I started working at the beginning of May last year, so have now been working in Germany for 9.5 months. If I hand my notice in now (3 month notice period) will I qualify for ALG1? By the time I complete my last day of work I would have been working for over 12 months. However if I have to tell the Arbeitsagentur within a few days of resigning will they still consider me as having worked in Germany for 12 months (e.g. if I could show them an agreed resignation date which takes me over 12 months)? Or do I have to wait till I’ve worked for 12 months before resigning (and then work a 3 month notice period)?
Hi Abercromby. As far as i can tell, you contract will have last 12 months by then = 12 months you have contributed to the system. I don’t see any conflict there in my opinion. Only an opinion though.
Hi Bastien,
Thank you for the comprehensive guide that you posted!
I am currently thinking about leaving my current job due to some chronic health problems as well as using the time to improve my German so that I would actual work using German, so I don’t want to look for a new job immediately. Would you say that this is a situation that a counselor would understand or would they only want to see someone who wants to look for a new job right away? Or is this something that would depend more on the individual counselor? Would being honest about my intentions result in me not getting the benefits?
Many thanks in advance!
Hi Yu-An. Their job is to put you back on the job market as fast as possible. If you can prove you couldn’t do your current job because of health issues and that you want to improve your German to improve your chances on the job market, it’s possible that the counselor will consider that as good effort from your side. Can’t guarantee it though.
Hello Bastien,
My wife is currently working in Finland from last two and half years before that she was working in germany for almost 4 years. I am curretly living in germany and she is planning to shift here and find new job. My question is is she able to get unemployment benefits after coming here in germany? Also as she required time to move here and register which we consider will take around one month how much time we have to apply for unemployment benefits. And is she required any special documents from finland as she paid taxes in finland also?
Hi KNR. I am not able to reply to Finland-specific questions but you should check if Germany and Finland have an agreement to transfer such rights. It’s possible in many cases.
Hi Bastien,
Thanks for writing all this very useful information, it is great.
I have a question for you and would be very happy if you could help me out:
I have been working in Germany for more than 9 years without any break and also with a normal working contract. However, I am planning now to move to an EU country for a new job and so I will cancel my contract here. My question is, if things will not work out in the EU country I am planning to move, is it possible to come back to Germany and ask for unemployment money?
Thank you,
George
Hi George, i would double check but i believe yes, as long as you don’t come back after the regulatory 4 years, which is the normal expiration date if i’m correct.
Hi Bastien, thank you a lot for your answer…!
Hi Bastien,
Thank you for the guide.
I am employed at Venlo in Holland but live at Nettetal, Germany. I am a Dutch national and working with current employer more than 2 years. Due to reorganisation I am going to loose job in a few months.
Where can I apply for unemployment allowance ? Germany or Holland ?
Is there any other rules applicable since I work in Holland and live in Germany ?
Appreciate your help.
Greetings,
Fred
Hi Fred. You need to check if you can transfer your rights from Holland to Germany. I believe it is very well possible. A search in your native Dutch language should help you find the right answers.
Hi BAstien,
I have a question about taxation and ALG1. Do you have to pay tax on unemployment benefits? In my case I was unemployed for 3 months (on ALG1) and employed full time for 9 months, paying my taxes monthly at source. So if I earned €XXXX while employed and got €YYYY from ALG1 is my total tax owed based on €XXXX only or is it based on €XXXX + €YYYY?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Eoghan. It is not taxed (no income tax)but you have to report it at the end of the year.
Hi Bastien.
I have a quite tricky question. I have been working in Germany from 10.2011 till 12.2013 (a bit more than two years) precisely in Hamburg. With my former employer we reach an agreement to seperate. I then went to study to the UK for a year and afterwards moved o Spain to do a paid PhD from 02.2014-02.2017. Srtraight after the PhD, since I didn’t get a job I was paid unemployement allowance, whose last payment ended this month. I am planning to either move to France or back to Germany. Can I claim any unemployment allowance for the time I have been working in Germany ?
Thanks for your prompt reply
Hi Raul. You could double check this but i think your rights to claim the benefits have now expired.
Hi Bastien,
I have a couple of questions regarding the Arbeitslosengeld I in in case I decide to terminate my contract. I have worked in Germany for more than 2 years and seriously consider leaving my workplace – I know that I would have to wait for 3 months (but after registering as an unemployed or after the last day of my work?) for the benefits.
When do I need to let the AfA know that I plan to resign – on the day of resignation (1 month notice period applies in my case) or on the last day of work? Also, what if in the meanwhile (during the 3-month unpaid period or when I finally start receiving the benefits) I manage to find a job outside the country and decide to leave for a couple of months (or years), and after this contract expires I will come back to Germany – would I still be entitled to claim my (sort of frozen) unemployment benefits? If so, what are the time restrictions – I read online that one needs to work for 12 months in the last 2 (other sources claim it’s 5) years to be able to receive the benefits. Is this true?
Many thanks in advance!
Hi Tina. You have to wait 3 months after the last day of work i believe. Do let them know as soon as possible about it. You have to work at least for 12 months in the last 2 years yes.
Hi Bastien. I’m wondering if you know anything about changing a job status from Freelance to Unemployed? I’m not looking to receive any kind of unemployment benefits (other than possible help with a Bildungsgutschein in the future). Quick background: I’m here from the U.S. on a freelance artist visa, but just recently married an EU citizen. As money hasn’t been great this past year (practically non-existent), once I change my visa to have full working rights I’d like to register as a job seeker (maybe this isn’t necessary if I’m not in need of benefits?). I know there are other benefits to registering as unemployed, including being added to my partner’s insurance (told by Krankenkasse yesterday that this applies if unemployed, but not freelance), which tells me that it would probably be in my best interest to do so. The problem I’m having is that I can’t find any relevant information on the switch. Any ideas? Thanks very much in advance.
Hi Ryan. Good question, you can apply as unemployed but since you have been freelancing, you won’t be able to receive ALG1. You can however apply for ALG 2 if you wish to do so.
Hi Bastien,
thank you so much for outlining and condensing all this very useful Information. I have been working for a big tech corporation in Munich for over 2 years but I have been planning for a career shift for a while now and dedicate time to creative writing. After some time i would like to move to a free lance set up and work on my own narrative projects. When meeting your councelor once registered for unemployment , is your plan supposed to be completely shared ? Thanks for your reply. I see you might have gone through a similar path …
Hi Claudia. It’s up to you to share your plan with the councelor depending on what you want to achieve. All they want to know is that while you are being supported, you do your best to find a job again.
Oops sorry I forgot to add that I will be given affiliation as Guest Researcher by the Max Planck on the basis of which I “should be able” to get a visa (acc to the secretary. Is that possible?
No idea.
Hi Anita,
I will soon find myself in the same situation, my visa is attached to my work contract. Hvae you sorted out the visa issues and unemployment benefits? Thanks.
Goodluck to us.
Hi,
Thanks so much for clarifying this maze of arbeitslosengeld for all of us!
I am a post-doc scientist working at Max Planck Institute since September 2015. The director has said that I will not be given any more extension of contract after May 2018, when I would have completed 33 months in Germany. My steurberator told me that I am eligible for unemployment benefits since I received a regular salary all these months and made contributions to Social Security. So this part looks ok. But I am an Indian national (Indian passport holder), so what happens to my Visa? I am a little confused about the legal aspect of stay when unemployed. Could I get a temporary visa to stay on in Germany after the termination of my contract in May (and live on arbeitslosengeld till I find a new position/job)? Please help if you have some information.
Hi Anita. I’m sorry i can’t answer your question. My knowledge is limited on visa related issues, so i don’t want to put you in a bad situation. I’ve read somewhere that you can benefit from ALG 1 until your visa expires but it won’t be renewed if you don’t find a new job, but do your own research.
Hello! Thank you for the information. If I am unemployed and wish to wait a few months before registering as unemployed (in case I am able to secure work relatively quickly as an employee or freelancer), is this ok? Ie still possible to do. Not expecting state assistance necessarily for the months I waited to register, but for future months. I haven’t been employed in Germany for 12 months yet, am a EU national (UK). Thank you!
Hi RL. Yes, it is not an obligation to register yourself as unemployed, only necessary if you wish assistance.
Hi Bastien,
Thanks for the article! I actually have a question reverse-way.
I would get my first ALG payment at the beginning of November. Yet, I could find a job as a freelancer and did not need ALG anymore. So, on October 25, 2017, I have informed Arbeitsagentur that I started working as a freelancer (40h a week) since one month and that they should not send me any money. They processed this information very slowly that I got paid mistakenly. Regardless, I sent them the money back properly and the situation is solved.
However, recently I received a post from them asking me why I did not inform them as soon as I started to work as a freelancer. They want me to fill out a form with the reasoning so that they will come up with a “verdict”.
I simply thought that it would be okay to inform them before I received the payment. How should I respond to this? What can be the consequences of the worst case?
Thank you very much in advance.
Hi Dennis. I’m afraid it’S down to some internal rule how they consider your case. In my opinion, you can prove you warned them before they made the first transfer (insert a copy of that note with the form), so it should be fine. You can also argue that the job required a very short notice start and you were extremely busy.
Hi,
A quick question. If I lose my job (have worked for 15 months), and will start receiving AG 1, could I travel or stay abroad and for how long? Is this only a matter of discretion of the case counselor or does some legislation apply? Could I continue to receive AG 1, if, say after a month, I would move to another EU country and register there at the job centre? I know some other EU countries allow this within specified time limits.
Hi Nina. Same rules apply here. The Arbeitsagentur only allows a few days off while you receive benefits.
Hi Bastien
Great article thanks for the help. My part-time contract ends at the end of March 2018. I am also doing a Masters at FU. Am I still entitled to Arbeitslosengeld I, or should I not tell arbeit agent? I worked full 2 years and I am an EU citizen.
Hi Baz. You should be entitled to ALG 1 yes.
Great thanks again!
My daughter is doing PhD with employment since last five years. It is expected that PhD will be completed by the end of Jan 2018. Kindly advice me un employment benefits are payable to my daughter. If yes, how she has to proceed further.
Hi Naresh. If she is employed, then this article also applies to her.
Hi Bastien!
Thank you for this very helpful blog. I am working as researcher in Berlin since about 3 years and my contract ends in February 28, 2018. I am eligible for the unemployment benefits and hence already registered at the Job Center. As you mentioned, after being registered as “properly” jobless, we have to fill the “Antrag auf Arbeitslogengeld”. My first question concerns the details that we have to provide, especially the resources we have at this moment. If we have some savings (whatever the amount), is it a risk for not being qualified for these benefits? Another question would concerns the travels. Do you think this is possible to move for a whole month abroad, for job seeking (conference and interviews) and a bit of holidays, while being supported by the Job Center?
Thank you for your help.
Hi Jeremy. ALG 1 is the government supporting while you search for a job and not taking holidays; They only allows a few days off and you need to let them know in advance. Your savings aren’t relevant for the Arbeitsagentur. They are more thinking about rental investment, stocks, etc…
Thank you for the great tips and advice. Would be great if you could shed some light on my situation.
I am a UK national working and living in Germany for nearly 3 years. I am on a labor leasing contract where i pay German income tax but pay UK social security(N.I). Unfortunately my contract will be terminated at end of this year.
I have so far applied for a NIC (national insurance certificate) which i believe is the U1 form. What will i be entitled to receive AVG1 or AVG2 in this case?
Thank you!
Hi Kyle, you need to check if you can transfer your UK rights to German rights.
Hi,
I have a question. I am working as a researcher at TU Berlin past 24 months. My contract is going to end March 2018 my also my visa. So I have total 27 months of working contract.
My wife is working in a pharmaceutical company past 12 months and she has an unlimited contract. Till now she has a dependent visa (though she has dependent visa she is allowed to work ) and She is planning to change the visa status.
My Question is If my visa status changed to dependent visa am I eligible to apply for unemployment benefits?
does the type of visa (dependent or Job seeker visa) has anything to do with unemployment benefits
Thank you
Hi Kumar. I’m afraid i can’t help you on visa related issues.
Thank you so much for your clarifications in English on this matter.
I have a question please and will be grateful if you could assist.
i need to apply for unemployment benefit in Hamburg.
I am on guard leave until March 18 and we might relocate to England in July next year.
For the moment i am entitled to register for unemployment here but my question is as i will be going back to England i don’t want to look for a new job. Am I still entitled to unemployment benefit or do i must look for a job so i still receive my entitlement?
My second question is: Can i transfer my benefit to England until i find a job there?
Hi Alex. I don’t know about individual agreements between countries but i strongly suspect there is a way to transfer rights between countries. Unemployment benefit is supporting while you look for a new job, so yes, you must prove you are looking for a job.
Hey Bastien,
Thanks for this guide. I’m still having some doubts regarding my situation and I’d like to ask for further advice. I’ve been informed just yesterday that I’ll receive a letter of notice on Monday Dec. 18, 4 weeks before January 15th, exactly one week before completing one year of work at my company because of insolvency. I’m wondering why my bosses decided to do so. Would they have to pay taxes for my unemployment and, most importantly, am I still eligible for unemployment benefits?
Thanks in advance!
Best,
Francesco
Hi Francesco. Yes you are eligible for unemployment benefits. I don’t know why they decided to declare bankruptcy; they already paid taxes on your wage.
Hi, Thank you so much for this detailed blog. So my last job I got paid for 6months, but my contract terminated at 5.5 months, the current one if I work until the end of the 6months and get paid for those 6months. Does it count as in total 12months paying tax in the last 2 years and qualified for ALG1? Or the contract valid period has to be add up in total 12months?
When I sign the notice of termination does it mean I have to go to register now or can I do it in between now and the end of the last working day of the valid contract(End of jan. next year)?
If I register it in Cologne, would I still get the benefit if I move to other cities in Germany later?
Thank you so much for your help.
Hi Emily. You need to have payed in for a total of 2 years, regardless over how many contracts. You should go register as soon as possible, as mentioned in the post. Yes, you can use your benefits when moving to a new city, you just need to let your Arbeitsagentur know.
Hi Bastien,
I see you mentioned in the article you need to have paid tax and insurance for 12 months in the last two years, however here in your response you say you need to have paid in for 2 years. I’m just a little confused – could you please clarify?
Hi Jess. I don’t know which comment you are talking about; i was maybe talking about how long you might need for a full year of ALG 1.
Hi,
I’m freelancer since October 2016, EU citizen, public insured, no unemployement insurance. My contract will be over in January 2018.
What can I except! Arbeitlosengeld I / II? Or maybe something else? I’m stressing a bit now.
Thanks!
Hi Sabine, in your situation, you won’t be able to get ALG 1 as you need to willingly pay unemployment insurance on top of everything to get that. ALG 2 is what you can expect.
Hi,
thank you for the detailed article. I am still not clear in my case what I should get: I was employed in Switzerland for 9 years and I am now moving to Germany with the family and I have quit my job (effective Jan 2 2018). My HR contact told me i have to apply to the U1 form in Switzerland and then go to the German unemployment office. Would I then be entitled for ALG1? Or would they give me ALG2?
thank you!
Hi Kira. Since you will transfer you well earned-rights from Switzerland, you will be getting ALG 1.
Hi Bastien,
is there a penalty period of 3 months?
Hi Kira. In that case, I don’t know.
Hi,
I worked alreadiy 23 monrh in Berlin. My contract gonna expire on the 2nd February. I ragestered on time in the Arbeitsabentur.
I would like to ask what happenes if I don’t sign/renew my contract (my company would renew it but I don’t want) just wait till it expires. Can I get Arbeitlosengeld?
Thanks,in advance
Hi Viktoria, if you don’t want to renew your contract, it means you are willingly entering an unemployment siutation. So my opinion is that you will probably have to wait hthe 3 months period until you get ALG 1.
Hi,
thanks for providing all this information! As I understand, after resigning on my own I would most likely have my Arbeitslosengeld 1 payments blocked for three months. Do you know whether the blockage time countdown will continue even if I leave Germany for some time for personal reasons in my first days of unemployment (I would register out of the system for that time as it wouldn’t be possible for me to attend meetings with the Agency)? After I come back and register back in, would the transfer blockage start from the scratch with three months or would it be reduced by the time that would have passed already?
Thanks a lot in advance!
Hi Paul. I doubt this would work because if you receive benefits, it is because you need help while you search for a new job in theory. Going away during that time, even in the first months might not look good to the person in charge of your case. It could be considered holidays. Holidays are permitted while you receive benefits but not only for a few days and you need to let the agency know first. So best option might be to wait until you are back and apply for benefits then. Just an opinion though.
“You must register three months up to final day of actually working or last day of notice period, last day I got paid??my employment ends on 30 nov but three months notice takes me to end of gen! Can I register on 15 feb?
Hi Dani, 3 months from 30 Nov takes you to February 30th.
Dears,
I worked for over 24months in Germany. I quit me job and applied for unemployment benefits. I waited 3months then received 9days of ALG 1. I moved back to my Home EU country then. Less than two years later I have returned to Germany and applied for my alg 1. I was told I cannot get my alg 1 because I was Arbeitlos in my hole country. But I did not receive alg1 there – I only received social help. I am still trying to get my alg1 as I was told I have a restanspruch of over 200days. This ended due to my ‚Umzug‘ but now I am back and want to continue my alg1. I have heard that many Germans for example go on a long holiday for over 2 years and can use the restanspruch within 4years. Why are they withholding my restanspruch?
Hey Ramie, Hard to tell without knowing more details.
Hi, my contract ended on 26/10, I had one month notice but was promised a new job which fell through. My bad for not registering just in case. Can I still register now? I know I will lose money, is that the only issue, or am I just not qualified for it anymore? I have worked two years in Germany, thanks
Hi Martin, you still qualify but you might lose some money, unless you can convince them that the job was promised but didn’t work out. Anything proving that in writing is helpful.
Hello, I am a British Citizen who was employed in Berlin for a large German Company for 12 months, I was then posted overseas with the same company but have kept paying my unemployment insurance since then. I have a “dormant” German contract I am now going to be made redundant the end of 2017 but my family home in is in the UK. I believe I qualify for the Unemployment benefit but do I need to be living in Germany to receive it? Any help gratefully received.
Many thanks
K
Hi Keith. I’d ask your company directly what they can do for you. They must be used to this situation. I wouldn’t know how to help you.
Hi
I am german citizen. I worked in germany for more than 10 years and then resigned to work outside EU. after 4 years of working in non EU country i want to return to germany and would like to apply for arbeitlisgeld. What is the process. I have family with 2 kids.
Hi Kalra, you have to first make sure you still have the rights to ALG 1 after all this time, if not you will need to apply for ALG 2 instead.
Hi, and thanks for this short but complete info! I read somewhere that it is paid 6 days a week. What does it mean? I should take my previous net salary, divide by 20 to get day salary, and then I will get it times 6 days a week…? Also, no mention of maximum sum to be paid. Is there any? Thanks! Bart.
Hello. i have just arrived in Berlin from the UK to try and find work and start a fresh. I have been working full time in the uk for the last 7 years. i have been out of work now for 7 weeks. I am currently living with a family member here. I was wondering what sort of benefits i would be able to claim now as i had no choice but to resign from my last job. thanks for our help regarding the matter.
Hi Phil. You currently have no rights to ALG 1 in Germany but as mentioned in the post, you might have the possibility to transfer your rights from the UK. You can still apply for ALG 2.
Hi and thank you for information .
I have a question here. I have received a letter from Arbeitsagnetur that I will receive 67% of my last salary. But I still have a problem that my apartment rent is expensive and I went to have Wohngeld from Rathaus but have calculated that my earning will be less than Standard, and asked me to go to apply from Jobcenter where they can pay only when it is above the standard they have. The Job center told me once they would apply for me they will inform the Ausländerbehörde and will withdrew the Blue Card, and this would create some problems for me to find a new job and may be my residence.
What is the real situation ? and What should I do in this case ?
Thank you .
Interesting case here Moe. I’m not expert in visa issues but i think you should trust the Job center’s advice on this. As a visa holder, i guess one of the requisite is that you can sustain yourself for a while. Just an opinion though.
hi, what happens in case you have worked for three months in Germany and you cannot find another job?
thanks
In that case, you can still apply for ALG 2.
Hi, thank you for this clarification,
I have a further question about the end of the ALG1.
How is Is it possible to quit it without a new work contract?
Would i than pay the Krankenkasse directly?
Thank you,
O
Hi Orsola. Good question, i suppose it might be possible but in this case yes, you’d need to pay your Krankenkasse yourself.
Hi. I have an issue right now. I got my notice on Friday 29th September now but I haven’t signed it yet. Also I got an offer to don’t bring my company to court cause of them firing me without a valid reason. Can I still go to the Arbeitsagentur and apply without haven’t signed my papers?
Also I have been very sick for a whole week, I couldn’t leave h0me. Am I gonna have trouble if I make this a week later.
The other thing is I got to know by a lawyer that if I accept the offer from my company, the Arbeitsagentur wont pay me for 3 months after being unemployed just because of accepting any deal with my company out of the regular basis.
What should I do?
Hi M, if you have been sick all week, then it should not be a problem, especially if you bring a note from the doctor. As for the rest, i don’t have enough details to give you a firm answer, best is to follow your lawyer’s advice i guess. If you were fired without a reason, then it seems weird that the company is not ready to take care of the consequences.
Hello,
many thanks for setting up this guide. It is very useful!
Would you happen to know whether it’s possible to freeze the unemployment benefit and receive it at a later stage? My contract ends in April 2019 (by then I will have been in employment for 28 straight months) and I plan to go back to my home country for 9 months to do military service from May 2018 to February 2019. I would then return to Germany in March 2019 and start looking for a new job and I would like my unemployment benefits to run from that time onward as I will not have the chance to do job hunting during conscription. I discovered online that there are some ways to do that but I haven’t discovered cases similar to mine (i.e. military conscription). It is probably important to add that while on conscription there’s no payable salary.
Many thanks in advance!
Best,
Hi Sokratis. This is something you need to discuss with the Arbeitsagentur when you do the first step. I think it is a legitimate reason to delay your benefits since you are forced to go back to your country for your service. Remember that you can also be unemployed and not apply for the unemployment benefits as well. Ask them how long you can wait with that. Good luck.
Hi,
I have a question. If I have been given no notice, does that mean i have 3 days to register in person or 3 days to register online?
My termination letter says I have to do it in person, but the online process seems to indicate I must go in person only on the first day of unemployment and register online within 3 days.
Thanks a lot
Hi Rishi. In this case, i suppose you will do both steps in person at the Arbeitsagentur directly. You need to go there in person on the first day of unemployment in your case. good luck!