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 there, thanks for sharing and help lots of people with this amazing content. Thanks so much.
I got a question regarding ALG 1. I’ve been receiving 60% of my salary since I lot my job (6 months ago). It’s good to mention that I got rights to receive unemployment benefit for a year. I recently got a letter scheduling a phone appointment. Someone from Bundesagentur fur arbeit will phone me to talk about my current professional situation. And I was wondering why do they need to phone me? I’m a bit worried now. and that’s why I’m reaching out to you. Maybe it’s a normal internal procedure. I don’t know… Are you aware of any other similar case? If so, why the idea behind this phone call apart from “talk about my current professional situation”?
Thanks so much.
Hey Dave. I don’t see any reason to be worried. You could take this as simple pulse check from your Berater-in. This sort of thing is normal and I’m surprised it hasn’t happened before. Maybe it’s due to Corona. Besides, if you have been active during your job search in one way or another, you will just have to report this, and probably your plan for the next few months.
Thanks for getting back to me. Once again, your blog is fantastic, and has well written articles, useful information and very active comment section. Appreciate it for sharing.
Due to Covid , i lost my job too .
My visa will expire MAr-2021 .
1-so for applying ALG1 , I have to contact the VISA officer first ?
2-and any idea maximum how many months they will give the visa extension .
3-and suppose i am getting ALG1 in mean time can do my Germany language course and job Search side by side ?
Hey Nayak. 1- You need to notify the Foreigner’s office you have lost your job, yes. 2- It’s on a case by case basis. 3- This is to be discussed with your Berater-in directly, but it should probably not be an issue.
Thanks for a wonderful blog. I am currently a student in germany with student visa. I lost my part time job and currently getting arbeitlosengeld I from agentur fur arbeit. I am currently giving interviews and hopefully will find a job soon by next month. My question is, can getting the arbeitlosengeld I on this student visa effect my chances of getting blue card later once I do finihed my masters and will have a full time job? As I heard that for getting blue card in future one should avoid getting tax returns. So one should also avoid arbeitlosengeld I at student visa for applying for blue card in future?
Hey Sufi. I am not specialist in immigration questions. Looking at this leaflet about the blue card, it seems that being on ALG1 does not impact chances to get a new residence permit, but it might restrict the time you get to find a new job. That’s only an opinion though. If i were you, i’d call this official hotline and ask.
Hi,
Thanks for sharing this information.
I have a work visa valid until April 2021 but it is attached to my employer (stated along with my position). I’ve been working in Germany for 4 years but I need to leave my current job (resign). And I have a couple of questions:
1.- Is my visa still valid after leaving my current job?
2.- Am I entitled to receive unemployment benefits?
3.- Should I try to get my employer’s name removed from my visa? If so, what kind of appointment should I make?
I would really appreciate if you could help me with this,
Thanks a lot!
Hey Joe. 1- No, your visa will expire after your resign as it’s attached to a specific job. It’s not like you will be thrown out of the country the next day however, and they might leave you some time to find a new job. In any case, the immigration office needs to be notified. 2-Dude. Read this. 3- I’m not a visa specialist.
Hello,
Thanks for the great information! I’m quitting my current job, been working for about a year, but now am planning to move to Dortmund to join my family . My employer will write the reason for contract termination is “moving, relocation”. I work part time, my wife and daughter receive help from Jobcenter. Will I be able to receive ALG? Do I apply for it after I move or before? Thank you
Hey Eviden. If you are quitting, then this applies but you are still eligible yes. Timing of application is irrelevant because you can switch while being on ALG1. I don’t have experience on this precisely, my common sense tells me it might be easier to do step 2 in your current city still, and do next steps in Dortmund.
Hi Bastien,
Thank you for your Informations.
I recently was eligible to receive ALG1.
I studied 1 Master in Germany and I am going to start the second Master for better opportunity in future career.
Shall I receive ALG1 if I change my status to Master Student or they stop my beneficial payment?
Hey Sam. If you are starting your studies again, whether or not you are eligible to ALG1 is up to your adviser’s assessment of your situation: are you available for a job? The basic assumption is that it takes a lot of time to study properly, and that it might not leave you time to search for work.
Hey,
So I’ve worked for 3 years and will be asking my job to end my contract at the end, which is next month.
The only trouble I have is that I am registered at my friends and she is worried that if i register for Arbeitslosengeld 1 that she will get less, would this actually affect her?
I don’t see how it would but I just want to make sure so we can figure something out.
Thanks for your help!
Hey Eve. She will get less what?
Firstly, thank you for that amazing post! It’s very helpful.
I have a simple question regarding my situation and it goes as follows;
– I quit my job
– I meet all the requirements to get ALG 1 money
– I have savings to get me through the 3 months penalty
– I won’t be in Germany during those 3 months
I have already registered as a jobseeker but have not filed any forms yet to claim ALG 1 money. It seems logical to me to wait until I am back in Germany before I engage in the ALG 1 procedures. Is this a reasonable assessment or should I actually file the form and apply for ALG 1 as soon as possible even if I won’t be in the country during the 3 months penalty?
Thank you!
Hey Aleks. That you will get 3 months penalty doesn’t mean you can leave the country during that time. You still need to be actively looking for a job and available for interviews during that time too. In normal times, this would exclude doing it from abroad, but since it’s COVID times, there is maybe a case for that? So up to you, but waiting to be back would be the right move, if everything was normal.
Thanks for the fast reply Bastien! You are right, waiting to be back is definitely the right move and I will do just that
Hi, thanks for the info! do you know what should a person with less then 2 years of a blue card that loses his job currently (covid 19) do, regarding his permit? I read that he can stay another 3 months after being laid off, but who should he inform?
Hey Limor. Have you read this?
Hi Bastien,
Useful information, thanks for posting!
If I had one month not working (between the jobs) in the last 12 months, would the average ALG1 be calculated including or excluding this month?
Hey Sara. This month would not impact the calculation.
Hi,
I’m a foreigner working in Berlin for less than a year. I was laid off last April due to Covid19. Started in my new job in June. Then I just received a mail recently that I need to pay my health insurance (public) during the period that I didn’t work (April-May). Is this so even if it was because of an unforseen circumstance?
Hey Mark. Yes, this sounds right. If you were not eligible for ALG1 or AlG2, then you ought to pay your own Krankenkasse fees.
Hey Bastien, thanks for a great blog 🙂 I have a question that I have been asking my krankenkasse, but they told me to google and I couldn’t find anything. I was recently fired from my job, applied for ALG I (that I actually am not sure if will be accepted), but due to a lot of delayed paperwork i won’t know for some time – the application is already almost 2 months under way. I am not eligable for ALG II, and if my application for ALG I is denied I have doubts of how I can insure myself against unemployment – my krankenkasse says it is not through them, but I can’t seem to find any private insurances. Thanks in advance 🙂
Hey Monika. I am not sure in understand. What is your question?
Hey, basically if it is possible to pay voluntary unemployment contributions in Germany when you are working as a freelancer
Hey Monika. Great question. I will add this to the post. The answer is yes, provided you have contributed at least 12 months in the last 24 months as an employee and if you decide to communicate your decision to the Arbeitsagentur in the first months of your freelancing.
Hey Bastien. Thanks a lot 🙂 So there really is not any way to insure yourself without the 12 months of contribution beforehand? Because that is the situation I am in now.
Hey Monika. If you don’t qualify for ALG1, you can still go for ALG2.
hi,
thanks for an amazing post. one last step is missing, what do you do when you get a job? Do you call and let your advisor know or is there an online way? I got these benefits during the last month and everything was done online so i had minimal contact with an actual advisor (luckily coz my German is still very bad). now that i have a job, i want to tell them and i couldnt find a way to do it. Do I have to call someone and let them know or can i do it somewhere else as well?
thanks!
ahh scratch that. Found it. access this[https://apollo.arbeitsagentur.de/ver-online/#/arbeitsaufnahme/vorschaltseite] link while logged in to your account on the website and there is a step by step wizard to notify them of work.
Hello, I have a question I would love some advice on. I have worked in Germany 8 years and also have permanent residence now. I just got laid off and I am in the process of taking an online certification to start a business online. My last paycheck is September 1 but I need to build up this online coaching business slowly and I have some savings but I will need help until it finishes in December. The issue is I need to start slowly growing the business and freelancing and building up clientele in the last phases and I can’t wait until December to charge people money for it. My question is, do I wait to apply for the arbeitslosengeld or should I better apply now, get it for a few months, and then stop it once I start getting paying clients as this will allow me to not deplete all my savings, which I will need at a later time. I think I should apply now and then stop it in November or so once I have started building a clientele. Do you think this would be the best approach? I could do any extra freelance work in November and December as well. Thanks so much!
Hey Drea. Have you ever considered applying for a Gründerzuschuss? This would probably solve your situation
Hi Bastien,
I haven’t found my answer in the comments hence asking, my unemployment benefits will run out in Dec 2020, however I am working on an idea and am committed to building it to a startup. My question is if I register my company tomorrow (lets say) but do not earn until next 6-9 months, would I still be entitled to my unemployment benefits until the given time (Dec) or does it automatically removes me from thus claim because I registered for a business. I have permanent residency, if that’s important.
Hey Priyanka. Income level is not relevant at all in this matter. By registering your business, you will likely not be considered as available on the job market, thus not qualifying for ALG1 anymore. You could apply for a Gründerzuschuss though.
Hi,
I am currently in a student visa till the end of september. I got a job through a consultancy with enough salary to apply for a blue card.
If the company terminates the contract at the end of september with me in a blue card or work visa, how long will i get a job seeker visa in either case?
Thanks in advance,
Pradeep
Hey Pradeep. Then, this would apply to you.
Hi, great post!
I have been working for 3 years in Germany with a Blue Card, my contract is ending and I will not have an extension.
My Blue card is issue to the date of my contract ending + 3 moths.
My question is, am I entitle to the ALG1 only for 3 months?
Hey Nora. In theory yes, but conditions apply, as mentioned here.
Hi Thank you got the helpful info! I have an odd question.
Currently my blue card allows me to freelance. I have lost my current job but have been offered a contract with my freelance, however the contract is part time and does not meet the blue card requirements.
Additionally, I am NOT yet eligible for paid benefits from the govt. my question is, am I allowed to take a part time role while continuing to look for full time work? Does it require a visa change?
Any help or referrals to someone who could help would be greatly appreciated!
Hey Candace. I can’t really answer anything else than this: call this hotline or email these people and try to understand from them if you can do that or not. I’d say you could probably do it after asking for a visa extension to find a job.
I have done Master degree from one of the public unviersity of Germany. Then started blue card enabled job. It has been already 26th months, I have not got B1 certificate therefore I could not apply for PR after 21 months So waited untill 24 months to fullfill and applied for permanent visa. Because of corona the visa office works slows and have not yet processed the remaining finger print stuff to complete the application. In the mean time on 27th July sadly I received termination notice from my current employer for next 6 months till 31st of January 21. My question is: Because of this termination will my permanent resindece application be stopped? second question is: Am I
allowed to get any types of full time job to that they dont stop processing my permanent residence application? Or The new job should still be restricted type of job (Subject related) ?
Hey Alvee. This is a bit advanced for me. I’d try to give this hotline a call if i were you. I believe that Corona has changed a lot of things when it comes to residency.
Hi Bastien,
Thank you for useful information.
I am holding permanent residence permit.
I am working full time since more than 5yrs.
I have decided to resign my job. I have plan to learn German language B2 & C1 and also get certification in SAP to find better job.
I have some questions regarding unemployment benefits.
1) I will resign on 31.07.2020 and will register at arbeitsamt on 01.08.2020. My notice period is 2 months. My last day of working will be 30.09.2020. In this situation, can you please tell my 3 months arbeitslosengeld blocking period will start from 01.08.2020 or from 01.10.2020? Can I get arbeitslosengeld from 01.11.2020?
2) during the unemployment benefits I want to learn German language (B2 & C1) and SAP software. Can I get full funding from arbeitsagentur for these corses?
Thank you.
Regards,
Sam
Hey Sam. 1) This would 3 months from the first day of unemployment, from 01.10. 2) Language courses are usually paid for yes, SAP software certifications i don’t know, but i doubt it, as they are rather costly. Those costs can however be deducted from your taxes, as training costs. See here. Make sure to discuss it with your Berater-in.
Hello, thank you for the helpful post.
Question: I’m quitting from my current company, and my last working day is officially July 31st. I have a new contract with another employee, which starts 8 days after (8th of August).
Do I need to apply for unemployment benefits (to get part of my previous salary for 1 week), or in this situation my application will get rejected most probably?
Hey Nicole. You may want to check with the Arbeitsagentur but since you aren’t looking for a new job technically during that one week, you might not qualify for benefits. You don’t need to apply for them necessarily anyway.
Hello Bastian, I have a question, I was on ALG I but have recently found a job, do I call to notify them or do I have to physically go there and show them my work contract.
Hey Mohammed. Just let your Berater/in know, no need to show a contract.
Hi,
Thank you for your useful information in this website.
Please would like to know what happened to next, i was under Abeitlosgel 1 since 3.11.2020 to 3.7.2020. I got a letter yesterday that my unemployment benefits has stopped and I haven’t found work yet. What should i do next?
Thanks!
Hey Emma. You can apply for ALG2/Harz4 if you don’t have any other ressources.
Hi, thanks for the article!
I’ve registered as ‘Job seeker’ and I’m in the process of applying for ‘unemployment benefits’. I haven’t submitted my application yet. But I’ve found another job and I’m waiting for a contract. In this case should I still submit my application or should I not submit. I have one week left to submit the application. What would be the procedure to de-register ?
Thanks!
Hey Paul. There is no procedure to unregister apart from letting your Berater/in know that you found a job. Whether or not you should submit an application depends on your chances to get your contract i suppose.
Hey Cristina and thank you so much for your highly informative post. I have a special situation and I have a question. I was a Ph.D. student in Hamburg with a 450 mini job at the university and an 1150 euro scholarship. Soon in less than four months, I will lose my both scholarship and mini job and I need to leave my job at the university due to a failure in my interim exam. At the end of my current contract, I have been working for two years at the university. During this period I have paid for my retirement from my mini job (about 17 euro per month). My question is will I be eligible for unemployment benefits?
Hi, do I qualify for ALG 1 if my contract expires and I don’t want to extend it?
I’m from EU and have been working through an agency for 2 years at some company.
My company had to let me go because if Coronavirus. The agency doesn’t have a new job that suits me, but also they don’t want to let me go.
Please help!
Hey SM. If i understood correctly how you want to proceed, it would be this situation then.
How do you delete or edit the online Arbeitslosengeld 1 form (uncompleted). I’ve made some mistakes and I need to go back into the form and make changes or detele and start again. Is the form available online to print?
Hey Anita, i don’t get the question. Are you filling it in from an account somewhere? If it’s all online, how can you not edit it?
Hello, thanks for the information. Do you know if I can pause the unemployment benefits for a certain amount of time once I’ve started receiving them?
I would also love to know the answer to this! I am arbeitslos but have been given the opportunity for 3 months freelance work. I dont want to accept it unless i know I can leave unemployment benefits and come back on again if necessary. I have 6 months left.
I am in the same position. I have savings at the moment but have found some freelance work and want to set myself up as a freelancer long term with an online business but it won’t be done until December. I only get my last paycheck (got laid off) on September 1. My issue with applying for arbeitslosengeld is that it supports me but I can’t earn really any money on the side then no? Last time I couldn’t earn over 150 euros a month extra and I really was living off nothing since rent in Munich is so expensive 🙁 Should I wait to apply for it until my savings runs out?
Hi,
I am doing masters and parallely working from last 3 years 20 hr per week and during vacations 40 hr.
I will lose the job soon due to financial crisis in company. I am paying 18.6 % social security from last 3 years. Am I eligible for the unemployment allowance.
Hey Raghav. yes.
Hello,
I want to know that receiving Arbeitsgeld1, has any effect in our residency or future work?
Hey Sareh. Have you seen this?
Hello i got a question. I have been working in germany since 2016 paying everything and got permanent residency, if i quit job and apply for ALG 1 and everything was accepted is it possible that i leave germany and stay in my home country unril i get a new job in germany? Thank you
Hey Mima. Probably not, as the Arbeitsagentur wants you to be able to go to interviews, be available etc. That would be hard to justify being outside the country.
Hello,
I have been receiving unemployment benefits since October 2020. I am a freelance musician. Recently, I received an advance on performance royalties from the Gesellschaft zur Verwertung von Leistungsschutzrechten (GVL). They normally don’t do this, but with so many musicians out of work due to the pandemic, they were offering it to their members. So this is not work or a job per se, but is an advance on future income. Clearly this whole thing is unprecedented, so I’m no sure how to proceed. Do I declare this to ALG, and if so, how? I have only ever declared freelance work that actually had a set time range, invoice, etc. Thank you for your help!
Hey PB. I also can’t say for sure but i think you should declare any and all income, just to be sure. Or in doubt, call your Berater/in.
Hey, thanks a lot fro your article. Maybe you know. I am still waiting from the benefits from the Job Center. It is almost 3 month. Now, they asked from me the last documents to cthe conferm. But next week I am leaving the country, I am moving to Italy. Shoul I continuar with the job center?
I mean, will thay pay me, or I can just stop to send them information which they asked me. Because I cancel here my registration an insurance.
Hey Maya. You can make a request to transfer your rights to the italian system, as mentioned in the post.
Did you receive it already? I know they will take money from what they give you if you make over 150EUROS extra a month. YOu might want to wait t cash this until you aren’t getting arbeitslosengeld anymore..
Hello Bastien!
Thank you very much for all your information on this website. Very useful and informative!
I have a question on ALG1..Iam working here in Germany since last 2,years .with blue card .but without paying social security..due to my company agreement with my home country..my question is if I resigned here and apply for ALG1..am I eligible for it..
Hey Afham. I have never encountered a case like this so i really can’t tell. You might as well try and see what happens, you have nothing to lose.
Thank you for this article! It is very informative. I have a more specific question – I have been receiving ALG II from 01.11.2019-30.04.2020, 750 eur/month. In April I had a freelance job where I earned 1500 eur. In the previous months I also had some small freelance jobs (2 x approx. 300 eur). I am not wondering how Jobcenter calculates the amount of money I will need to return. Will they add up all the money I earned during the 6 months period (- 163 eur per month that I can earn without returning) and divide by these 6 months or do they have another system? I am just wondering mainly if with the 1500 eur I earned in April I will have to pay backwards or will I be able to keep some of it for the future. In general, I am trying to calculate how much money I need to put aside to pay back so that there are no surprises for me in the coming months. Any tips will be appreciated!
Hey Emily. The best is to ask the Job center directly. I am not so knowledgeable about ALG2.
Hi, your articles are always great!
I have a specific question but I think you may know the answer as as far as I understood from other articles you are both full time job employee and part-time freelancer.
So what happens in case your full time job employer fires you but you also work a side freelancer?
Do you get full unemployment benefits or what would you get?
Thank you 🙂
Hey Nicole. It depends on your level of income basically. The rule stated here doesn’t change. If you earn too much, it will be “deducted” from your ALG1 money.
Please I would like to know if students can apply for AGL1? I’ve worked for 24 months and currently in my 5 Semester. Infact, I was working full time in pararell with my studies.
Thanks in advance
Hey Cobby. I can’t give a definitive yes because you would have to prove that you are indeed available to find a new job, as per one of the criteria states. But being a student does not prevent you from applying.
Hi! This was super helpful. Me and my husband both found jobs in the 2nd month of receiving benefits from jobcenter (we arrived to Berlin in January, and the benefit was granted from January to June). We informed this to the Jobcenter, sent our contracts, everything, and they still give us money for some reason (?), maybe it’s easier for them to just pay the 6 months rather than end the benefit earlier. The thing is that, since we’re in a good spot right now, we changed to a new apartment, etc. and the jobcenter keeps asking us stuffs, and to send them our rent contract and everything and we don’t know what to do hahah like, we want to tell them that we’re done and that thank you but we don’t need jobcenter no more, but i’m afraid that if we do that they’re gonna ask for the money back or something? which they shouldn’t because we told them everything as soon as it happened, but still…how do you break up with the jobcenter and not get bad consequences from it hahah can you help meee?
Hey Fran. Have you informed your Berater about it? They should help you with that. Better keep the money for now, to return it if/when asked.
Hi Bastien. I have worked for my current employers for over 2 years and I have a permanent contract. I am about to get fired and I am going through the application process to get my permanent residence. (I have a german master degree and I have worked full-time for 24 months) In case i get fired next week, and my permanent residence get rejected because of my unemployment status, do I have 3 months or 6 months for job searching? Thanks a lot.
Hey Macy. From my information, 6 months.
Hi There,
Thank you for your post – extremely helpful.
Just a quick query, my position has been terminated but will restart in 9 months and I will be abroad during that time. My employer has asked me to register as unemployed, however, given I do not wish to claim any benefits due to being overseas is it possible to simply register as unemployed without claiming benefits? Or will this lead to some issues given I am registering and then leaving immediately?
Thanks in advance!
Hey Charlie. Yes, as stated in the post. You can register as being unemployed without applying for ALG1.
Hi Bastien
Thanks for sharing such a detailed post on a really important topic, especially these days. I have a few questions after by below background:
Background:
I am a non-EU citizen & have worked in Portugal (EU) for 14 months before shifting to Berlin in Dec’18 and have been working here on a permanent contract since then (17 months) & paying all the necessary taxes. I have a Blue Card that’s tied to my current employment. I don’t speak German (enough to be comfortable).
My questions are below:
1. Hopefully, I wouldn’t need to, but will I be eligible for ALG1? and until when?
2. Would you recommend to get a legal protection insurance (rechtsschutzversicherung) to know/avail my rights under the contract, if need be? (probably a separate post/topic)
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for putting together such a great resource!
As a non-EU national, I’ve been working in Berlin with Blue Card for 21 months. For the first 15 months I worked in one company then I changed jobs without any break. This new company is not going to extend my probation period so I will be unemployed at the end of the month. Will I qualify for ALG 1? IF yes, for how long can I continue getting ALG 1 support without losing my residency?
Hey Ashish. Have you read this?
Hi there. thanks for the article!
I’ve been working in Germany for three months, now due to coronavirus there’s a good chance I will lose my job.
Before that, I spent 5 months travelling. Before the travelling, I was working full-time in London for 2 years.
As an EU citizen, I know that the minimum of 12 months working also includes work done in EU.
My question is: how will the average salary be calculated?
Will they take the last 3 months average wage?
Or will they average the last 12 months (which include the 5 months without any income) ? which would decrease my unemployment benefit considerably.
Hey Tom. Provided you have done the necessary steps (as explained there), there will use that whole history to calculate your average salary. The 5 months shouldn’t impact the calculation.
Hey Bastien,
This must be an odd question, but is there any downside in getting ALG1? I was wondering if I’d have to “pay it back” in some form – less amount back in tax return or no able to get ALG1 again until I work 12 month again, etc… I will be on 165€/month contract during this corona mess, but I am okay financially without the support. So should I push it through without ALG1?
Thank you so much for your wisdom.
Hey Cristina. I don’t think i can answer your questions properly without knowing your situation better. It seems that it’s a budget decision you need to make on your own. I suggest your contact the Arbeitsagentur directly, if you have any doubt. You do need to declare ALG1 in your next Steuererklärung yes. If you don’t use all the benefits in one go and then continue to work afterwards, you don’t lose the remaining benefits, if that is the question.
Hello Bastien!
Thank you very much for all your information on this website. Very useful and informative!
Unfortunately, I am fired and got a notice period of 1 month as written on my contract. I am not from EU. I am with Blue Card as a software engineer. And I will be working in Berlin for a total duration of 8.5 months since my first day till my last day of employment.
I would like to stay and continue working in Berlin because my little family is already staying with me here. Am I eligible to stay in Berlin looking for job under unemployment status?
I have read some information about Blue Card on Internet. Stating that the Blue Card is bound onto my current employer. However, I can’t find any information related to my employer from my Blue Card or VISA. Has the policy been updated? Blue Card not associated with employer anymore?
Thanks in advance!
Wish you stay safe and stay healthy during the corona crisis.
Antony
Hey Antony, you are not eligible for ALG1 but you are probably eligible to ALG2 as they have relaxed rules for non-eu citizens. As for the rest, i think you will need to obtain approval from the Foreigner’s office to be able to change jobs, but i think you can still keep your current residence permit (source). good luck!
Hey there, i have couple of small queries.
I had been working in Berlin since Feb 2019 and have a blue card until 2023. I resigned from the company because i wanted to move back to my home country (India) permanently. My last working day was 31st March 2020 and i had my flight back to India on the same day. But due to corona situation all flights are canceled, and there is a travel ban in India.
1. Do i have to do anything for my blue card (haven’t done ablemdung yet because of the uncertainity) ?
2. Am i eligible for unemployment benefits ?
3. I talked to my health insurance people (TK) and they are fine if i get unemployment benefits so i don’t have to worry about it, else need to pay approx 200 Euros.
4. Is there anything else to be consider ?
Hey Rahul. 1. No, the Foreigners’office has confirmed that all residence permits have automatically been extended due to the current situation. 2. This is not answered easily. Probably best to try and apply and see with the Arbeitsagentur directly.
Hello,
Thanks for the great information! I have quite a different situation…I’ve been fired and applied for the unemployment money. But then, I got a job and I need to cancel the benefit. How do I do this?
Hey Bruna. Simply get in touch with your Berater and explain them the situation.
Hi Bastien,
Thank you so much for the detailed explanation.
I got informed 2 months before about my last working date which is 30/04/2020.
I registered as job seeker at Arbeitsgentur and have sent them application online including all the documents except
Arbeitsbescheinigung from the current company.
When I asked my company to provide me the arbeitsbescheinigung, they told me that I would get it after my last working date.
As I have to visit Arbeitsgentur on 1st May 2020 (my first day of being unemployed), can I tell them that I’m waiting for the arbeitsbescheinigung from my current company?
I wonder would this would cause delay in payment of my unemployment benefits!
Hey Matt. Tell the Beamter your situation and it won’t be an issue most likely.
Hi, I am working in Berlin for 2.3 years. Just today my boss called me and said as for another 2 months we can pay and you can look for another job. That measn, whether am I eligible to get ALG1 or not? If I have to eligible, please let me know what statement should be there from my employer in dismissal letter? And now due to Corona, can I apply for unemploement benifits in online without going to governemnt office?
Hey Sreedhara. Eligiblity criteria are clearly listed in the post. Please refer to it. During the corona crisis, you can indeed do everything online or via phone.
Hallo morgen…
How‘s going?
I explain you shortly my situation.
I worked kn Berlin for 6 months and made the request for ALG2 that was actually succesful but then refused for no answer. Anyway i went to London, after i made the abmeldung, where i worked for other 3 months and now i came back in Berlin. The period beetwen the the abmeldung and my return to Berlin is more than 6 months. May I have the right to claim again for the ALG2 if I bring all the paper from England and in the case which paper they should require and I should present to the JobsCenter? I actually here not having the anmeldung at the Moment…
Hey Pietro. I don’t know the rules for ALG2 sadly, this post is about ALG1. Maybe i will write a post about this in the future. Good luck.
Hi,
Useful post.
Thanks for writing.
I migrated to Germany in Feb 2020.
I joined as a consultant in Frankfurt location. Due to this corona issue, my company lost its future projects and they started to save their old employees, unfortunately, as I’m in probation period, they terminated my job contract with 6weeks notice. 🙁
1. So, as I have paid my three months social security payments (feb,mar,apr), am I eligible to apply for unemployment benefit ?
2. I came here with my initial work visa of 6months, I already booked an appointment for my blue card process which is at the end of April, do I still eligible for blue card processing ?
Meanwhile, I have started my job searching again.
Hey Vivek. 1. No. 2.I can’t answer on so little details
Hi BASTIEN,
Thank you for the great article,
I’m a full-time employee in Berlin and want to start doing some freelance work besides my regular job which means I need to apply for the freelance tax number in the tex office.
If I understand correctly, to apply for the freelance tax number I need:
– Anmldung
– House contract
– Permanent residency
– fill in the form
Also regarding the form, I wonder if I need
– to fill in all the pages or only until lines 25 and 26
– check line 3 in the form (Line 3: Check this if you’re registering your freelance work or your small business (with a trade license application) – which is what we’re assuming for this blog post) as I wont to keep my full-time job and not switching to a full freelance work
Hey Ahmad. Is it this related to ALG1 at all? Have you seen the post about becoming a freelancer?
Hello! Thank you for such an informative post! A question from my side: Would I be eligible to ALG1 after working in a company in Germany for 4,5 years and signing a mutual termination agreement (options were to sign or be fired)? If so, when should I inform the unemployment agency about it? Is 3 months before the official last date of employment enough? Or would Sperrzeit still apply in this case? Thank you in advance!
Hey MO. If it’s a mutual termination agreement motivated by economic reasons, there is usually not a Sperrzeit no. Registration & application stays otherwise the same, timing and all.
Really useful article, thank you. I’ve been living in Germany for 2 years but working for an American company and earning US dollars. I’ve transferred USD to EUR and paid into the German tax system for the last 2 years. (Yearly rather than having it withheld from my paycheck)
Thanks to Coronavirus, there’s a strong chance I’ll get laid off in the next week or so. Do you know if I can collect German Unemployment despite the fact that my income has been in USD from an American company?
Thank you!
Hey Erin. Hard to say when i don’t know the setup you have with this company. Do you have a DATEV type German payslip? Do you pay into the system here? If no, then you probably can’t apply for ALG1.
Hi, I haven been made redundant on the last day of my probation period (6months) due to Corona virus… Can I still claim benefits?
Hey Diana. There is nothing set in stone for now. It is possible you can get support for these reasons, we don’t know in which form for now…
Hello! I’m freelance tour guide in Berlin, recently due to coronavirus found myself without job…can I apply for some support at least for a couple of months?
Hi, let’s say I’ve already found a job before the final day of termination but I would like to start, or the contract starts one month later, meaning I’d be one month without a job. Would this be fine with the Agentur für Arbeit and would I still be eligible for Arbeitslosengeld?
Hey Hesrampaj. Yes, even if only for a month.
Hello, i have worked the last 12 months straight in a company and now im not willing to renew the contract so I can persue another better oppurtunitie as a freelancer,
first want to now if i choose to not renew my contract will make my chances harder?
that if that and Being a EU citzen I wonder
do i need a Passport or the my National Identity is enough?
and since its about 3 weeks to end the contract is it to late to make the registration in Arbeitsagentur
dankee
Hey Igor. Your ID card with a Meldebescheinigung should be enough. As for the other questions, the answers are in the post.
Hi, working in Germany since July, I would like to quite my current position in June in order to have worked in Germany for 12 months. My question will be, does one have to be fired/contract ending to have unemployment rights or if I give them my demission am I still entitled to some cash?
Thank you for your help and sorry if the questions have already been asked.
Looking forward.
Pierre
Hey Pierre. This is quite literally written in the post. Please read it again.
HI , I would simply know that is it applied to part time jobs or not ? I mean unemployment money 2 (sozialgeld2)
Hey Bahman. Do you mean ALG2/hartz4 now?
Hello! I am from Italy and I work in Germany for a couple of months now and my husband will come and join me here in Germany. Is there any program for him? (e.x. to learn German, help him find job, etc) He has a university degree and he is a Software engineer. Thank you!
Hey Mana. As a software engineer, i’m sure he will have no trouble find a job here, even without German skills. Otherwise, i’m not sure what you mean with “program”?
Hi there ! I am considering not renewing my contract but I have a question regarding the calculation of the employment benefits. I work in sales so I have a fixed base salary, and provisions each month, that of course differ depending on performance. Is the Arbeitslosgeld calculated on your average FIXED salary in the last 12 months or does it also take into account any bonuses ? Thanks a LOT in advance 🙂
Cheers,
Margaux
Hey Margaux. Calculations are based on the salary. You can use this calculator when in doubt.
Hey,
I worked in Germany 3 years with a PhD contract. Then, to be able to extend my visa, I applied for a student visa. Because I am not allowed to stay in Germany without a student visa, it was told me in foreign office, when I applied for visa extension. On the other hand, although I am unemployment now, my ALG 1 application was rejected, because of having a Student visa. In this case, is it possible to apply for ALG II? Is there anyone experienced similar situation?
Hello,
I have worked in Germany for last 30 months. Last month, my company terminated my contract. I have registered with Arbeitsagentur and they said my Arbeitslosengeld will be given.
My first question is – they have not provided any information as to how much will it come or when it will come into my account. Do I need to call the hotline number for this?
My second question is – I am a non EU-citizen and is having a blue card till January 2021. My Blue card dependency on employer ended in the month of June 2019. Do i still need to notify the immigration authorities about my unemployment?
It would be very helpful, if can give me your thoughts on my situation.
Thanking you in advance.
Hey Tanmay. How much and when you will get it: i have given some indidcations in the post but you may call them if you have any doubt. Yes i believe you need to notify the immigration authorities.
Hi,
I work in Berlin since 3 years and my salary increased progressively over time.
Is the 60% benefit calculated on the last salary or on the average of the salaries since the beginning of the year or yet on the average of salaries of the last 12 months?
Thanks
Hey Nick. It is calculated on your average of the last 12 months probably, if it has changed a lot. You can use a ALG1 Rechner if you want to find out.
Hello,
I am on maternity leave and getting my Elterngeld. My Elterngelg period will get over in June 2020 and I got to know from my HR that my department is getting shut down from June 2020. Therefore, in the worst case that I cannot be fit into other departments of my company, I will be relieved. In this case, I will apply for ALG1. My question is- Because Elterngeld is lower than my actual net salary that I was receiving before the Elterngeld started. Will they calculation my amount as 67% of Elterngeld amount of 67% of my actual net salary amount which I was receiving before?
Thanks in Advance for your answer.
Hey Priyanka. ALG1 are calculated on your net salary and not on the amount of the Elterngeld. In doubt, you can use this calculator from the Arbeitsagentur: https://www.pub.arbeitsagentur.de/start.html
Hi, after 9 months working in Germany I lost my job and I’m applying for Unemployment benefits 2.
The problem is that in 2 Months I will be out from germany for a month, is this a problem for the job center?
I mean, I need to be in Germany yes or yes all the time?
Thanks
Hey Edward, i don’t have any experience with ALG2, sorry. You need to discuss this with your Berater/in directly probably.
hi,
how does it work if i have a one year contract that ends on a fixed date and i do not wish to prolong it? do i still get the arbeitslosengeld, do i have to prove somehow my employer does not want to keep me? thank you 🙂
Hey Kolja. It’s a good question. If you have fulfilled the other conditions, the type of contract you have at the moment plays no role in whether or not you get ALG1. However i’m not sure if there would “Sperrzeit” in your case. Getting a letter from the employer saying that the position is not prolonged would certainly help to not have it!
Hi Bastien,
After registering as unemployed with the Arbeitsamt, I will receive job recommendations by post from them. However, what if the jobs they recommended does not seem suitable to my skills and experience and maybe the industry is not of my interest or aligned with my career goals? Can I opt for the option “I do not wish to apply because of XYZ?” Or will this option strip away my benefits with the Arbeitsamt? Alternatively, I can also send my counselor the jobs I’ve been applying for independently, to prove that I am actively applying for jobs, as I don’t want to give them the impression that I am not applying. What do you think? Thanks so much in advance!
Hey there. A quick research tells me that you can refuse to apply, up to a certain point. The letter will come with a notice to let you know of the consequences, if any. Source. Showing that you are proactive certainly helps to avoid any Sperrzeit.
Hey , my employer just hand me termination letter because of this Corona virus situation. I worked for 12 months and I have working visa for 4 years. My question is will I get unemployment benefits ? And will my visa be change to 6 months ( means will I get only 6months to find the job ) ?
Please reply if you can help on this. I am really worrying about my visa. In 6 months it’s very hard to find another job. ( Corona Virus situation made all work position shuts) :/
Thanks in advance
Hey Preet. I’m working on a dedicated post about this whole business. Please bear with me while i prepare it.
Hey Preet. you may want to check this page.
Good Morning ,
Is it possible to have a 400Euro job and receive ALG 1…a little of my background..I have worked in the British Military for 45 years
(as a civilian in Germany for 20 years) My contract with the military ended on 31 Dec 19, I have registered with the Arbeitsamt and received all
the documents with all the details of the amount I will receive in the next two years…However is it possible to go and work part time in a 400 Euro
job and still receive ALG1 ? as I really do not want to work full time again,..Thank you in advance..fond regards..Alan
Hey Alan, these are the conditions of ALG1 + Minijob on the side.
Hi, i was working more than 2 years in my previous company then i quit as i got a high risk well paid freelance opportunity for 6 months. Now i got full time employment in switzerland with the same company. If the company goes bankrupt, lets say in 3 months. Am i still eligible for ALG1 of i come back to germany and will i have to wait three months or would it come immediately.
Hey Lauri. This advice would probably apply to you then.
Hi,
I lost my job and as soon as I had the termination document I went to job center to register myself as jobless. I need some documents from another EU country due my employment there in past. Will there be any problem, I am waiting for few documents to submit the application.
Thanks
Hey Apurva. What is important is that you started the process in time.
Hi Bastien,
Huge thanks for the detailed guidelines. I have one question if you may know – I quitted my job and have 1 month in Germany before going back to my hometown permanently (without registered as unemployed). So within this month, is my health insurance paid as normal coverage or do I have to register myself as voluntary member and pay for it?
Many thanks for your help.
Hey Grey. You may want to call your Krankenkasse directly to ask but i think there is 1 month or so where they can be flexible, when switching between 2 situations.
I am a US citizen and have worked in Germany for 10 years and have a permanent residency. I have been let go from my job and would actually like to take a break for a while back in the States( up to 6 months with two trips back to Germany). Does anybody have any information about leaving the country (outside EU) and what that means in terms of my unemployment rights? Is it possible to leave Germany and defer my unemployment benefits to a later date when I return? if anyone has any tips or experience with this sort of thing that would be so helpful.
Hey Michael, Have you read this part?
Hi, I have been working in Germany for the past 6 months and unfortunately, they are not renewing my contract. they gave me a month notice so my last day of work would be feb 4.
I adition to this. I had holidays all payed and scheduled for March. Can I apply for any benefit beinf employed for 6 months¡?
If so, what should I do about the holidays?
Hey Paula. As mentioned in the post, you don’t qualify for ALG1 because of this.
Hi Bastien,
A little about my situation: My working Visa expires on 31.01.2020 and I am getting a 3 months extended Visa (106 euros) with the immigration office.
I had quit my job on 31.12.2019. I have just realized I could apply for unemployment, however I just read that the latest to register for unemployment is on the first day WITHOUT a job. It’s been 7 days, which means I am late for the application. Should I still try regardless? What do you think?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Hey LT. In my opinion you can still try. As mentioned here, you will probably lose some money.
Hi
Thank you for this superb information almost tailor made for me. Question: I have worked for the same Company, pretty well paid which is closing down and after reading your information I realize I do not have a Sozialversicherungsausweis card. I do have the social Security number on some documents. Could it be because I am a foreigner that I don’t have this card? I have a 5-year Residence Permit and have got the Ausweis card.
…Sorry I forgot to mention I have lived here for nearly 9 years working for the same Company.
Hey Mehran. You have this information somewhere, you should have received in the early days, after registering in Germany. If you have lost it, i’m sure you can ask for a new copy. Luckily if you have your reference number too, it should prove easy.
Hi there!
A huge thanks for all this valuable information 🙂
Could you please tell me how I book my appointment? There doesn’t seem to be an option for me to do so online. Will I receive a phone call?
Thanks so much!
Hello,
Thank you for great information I am international student on PhD work contract I wish to know do I need to go to Visa office and convert my Visa into job-search visa before applying for Arbeitsloss geld ? or vice versa ?
Thanks alot
Good Morning S.I.B,
I have a question that has confused me slightly as i have been given different answers from different sources. I have been fired from my current job and will try to claim arbeitslosengeld 1. I have made my online profile on arbeitsagentur and have received my personal pin number. I have all my documents and paper work ready along with a plan to get back into a working position as quickly as possible. I have been told by one source that i should go to the arbeitsamt, but here i read i should go to the arbeitsagentur! I am told by one source if i go directly to the arbeitsagentur then i have to pay some money each month for something. Can you help me with this situation? I am trying super hard to follow all steps and get working ASAP. Thank you for the article.
Hey Thomas. Arbeitsamt is another term people use for the Arbeitsagentur. I don’t know what this other source is talking about. It’s a bit vague.
Great work Bastien, really thank you very much for this post.
Do you know if I still need a termination letter for the first visit to the Arbeitsagentur if I have quit my job myself? I a working in a permanent contract, I quit last month, and I haven’t got anything from my employer yet that confirms that I have terminated my contract.
Hey Dimitris. You can get a Arbeitsbescheinigung from your former employer.
Hello,
Thank you for the information, they were really helpful. I have a question though. I resigned from my job (i was working there for 1 year and 3 months). I applied for ALG1, but as i resigned logically i am going to receive my money after three months. At the moment i have an offer for a minijob. Could i receive a normal minijob payment during these three months or will i gain 160 euro, which is the salary of a minijob when one receives ALG1?
Thank you!
Hey Sm. You can ask the Arbeitsagentur directly about this one. I’m not sure what the reply is here.
Hi,
Could you kindly please clarify this part mentioned above
“ which resources you have at the moment “
In the text part
(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.)
Does it mean resources or income or savings ?
Many thanks in advance
Hey Leo. It means income sources yes.
Hi,
Thank you for this great useful forum and comments.
I would appreciate it, if you could advise whether leaving the company on mutual agreement would be considered as being fired and entitles me for immediate ALG1 on unemployment?
Thank your for your kind answer
Hey Leo. That is only possible if that was due to poor economic performance of the company, in German: “Betriebsbedingt”.
Hi,
Really great article 🙂
My situation is :
I am a non-EU student and have worked fulltime for about 2 months. Well, I do not need unemployment benefits. But the company where I worked has sent me Arbeitsbescheinigung. I want to know that is it mandatory to submit the Arbeitsvescheinigung at the Agentur für Arbeit or not submitting would create a problem?
Another Situation :
While I was working in that company I wanted to leave the company before the contract duration because my semester started. So, as stated on the contract, I gave the resignation letter 2 weeks before I was leaving. After I left the company, I got a letter from the company that I should come back to work and I have not informed in advance. Then, I received another letter saying that my contract is terminated by the company because I stopped going to work without notice. But I gave the resignation letter in advance. So, when I called them about this issue, they said that maybe the letter is lost. So what should I do next?
Will this create a problem in my future employment?
Thank you in advance!
Hey Nikhil. No, you don’t need to submit the Bescheinigung. I cannot give you on the second situation, which has to do with with labor law. Sorry.
Hi, I have a similar question to Rohan. I would like to resign from the job in agreement with my boss. I already found new job which will start after 3 months. I have worked for the same company for 2 years, and I’m a non-EU citizen. Do I have to notify the Arbeitsamt and Ausländerbehörde as well? My current residence permit (which is provided according to the current work contract) is still valid for 1 year, but I’m worried it would be canceled as soon as I terminate my contract with the current employer.
Thank you very much for your help.
Hey Danila. Hard to answer accurately on so little details. I guess you have to check if your permit is tied that employer/contract or not. You might have to renew your visa based on the new contract you will get.
Hi thanks for the explanation, I want to quit my job and do the the integration course but my wife is not working and she is not receiving any benefit from job center bcos of my pay is high. If I quit will jobcentre pay her and me?
Hey Yammy. I don’t know, depends on several parameters.
Hey Bastien,
Firstly, congrats for creating this website. Since I moved here 2 years ago it has served me as an excellent source of information and advice.
So, from the bottom of my heart thank you since it has saved my ass a number of times 🙂
Secondly, I recently became unemployed and you can apply for the ALG I or II by the Agentur website. Their online services are really good and with some effort you can do most of the relevant applications online. You can even receive electronic copies of the documents issued by the authorities in their online platform.
First you have to register in person, do an appointment with an employee and then you are free to use the poral and optimise it according to your nees and preferences (e.g. communications by post email, emails or both)
Maybe its worth complementing the guide with this information? – or have a seperate page for it?
Regards
Spyros
Hey Spyros. Thanks for the additional details. I will amend the post.
Hello!
In my case, I’m working for a German University as a researcher, and have to do some of my research abroad for 1 and a half year. I remain Steuerpfichtig during that time abroad. Does my time of contribution while living outside Germany also counts if I apply for the benefit, after my contract expires?
Hey Jose. I would refer you to this. In doubt, you can also ask the Arbeitsagentur directly.
Hello, thank you again for the helpful tips.
So I’ve registered and they have called me in for an official appointment. They told me I should bring a translator or an interpreter with me. Do you know if the interpreter has to be licensed or if I could just bring a German speaking friend?
Regards, Elisabet
Hey Elisabet. you can bring a friend with you.
Hi there,
In my situation I will quit my job in order to look for other opportunities. I live in Germany already more than 5 years.
– How can I make sure I will get ALG 1 despite the Sperrzeit?
– Can I make the Sperrzeit less than 3 months and how?
– I had a lot of stress in my job and in the past I did get sick because of that. I am not sick now though. Can I use that in my favour? And if I ask my doctor to write a note for me, will my current employer find out? (–> that can lead to a bad recommendation letter)
– When I apply for other jobs while getting ALG 1, am I allowed to apply for positions outside Germany?
– Last but not least, should I apply for ALG 1 more than 3 months before my last day of employment?
A million thanks,
Elsa
Hey Elsa. You will get ALG1, that’s your right, with some delay, that’s the condition. You can reduce the Sperrzeit unless i suppose you can prove you were abused in your job and HAD to quit, or if you had to quit because the business was shutting down (“betriebsbedingt”). You can apply to any position you want, regardless of location.
Hi, Thank you very much for this information. In spite of this, I would like to ask a question just to be sure. Now, I am working in Germany. I am working as research associate in Goethe University since December 2017 and my contract is until october 2020. I am now planning to stay here just few years more. After ending my contract I will obviously search for the new job but I don’t think I will get the job easily because I cannot speak good German. So, In this case Can I apply for arbeitlosengeld 1?
Hey Parbati. Your language skills do not constitute a criteria to receive ALG1.
I am about to quit my job to go travelling for 6 months after 15 years work. Do I need to let the Arbeitsamt know, I will not be looking for work in this time and would not expect any benefits.
Upon my return I will be looking for work and therefore unemployed. Can you advise in this type if scenario?
HEy Luke. No, you don’t need to let them know anything but you could let them know that you are unemployed if you wanted to, (but not looking for a job). That might speed up the process later.
Hi Bastien,
Thank you for taking the time to maintain this informative blog, if only more people were doing the same back here in the uk.
I will keep my question to the basic; What is the average waiting time to receive benefits from first applying?
Assuming all information is completed correctly.
It’s five weeks at the moment here and I am comparing approximate policy in different countries.
Kind Regards
Ian
Hey Ian. If the person qualify to receive ALG1 right away, you receive the money on the first business following the end of the month. So for October, you’d get the money on the first business day of November. So if your application is processed middle of the month, the waiting would be 2 weeks only.
Dear Bastien, I have a similar question than Luke. How can I let them know that I am unemployed but do not look for a job yet? I already signed up on line for ALG1 but I did not present myself in person in their office yet. I hope it is not too late then.
Thanks for your great and so useful blog!
Hey Angélique. Just complete step 2, as mentioned in this guide.
Hi, great post. I am putting a seminar together for my Uni course to protest against the minimum 5 week waiting period to receive benefits. Could you make a guess as to how long from applying to receiving benefits in Germany. Thanks in advance.
Hey Ian. Is the question complete here?
Hi, I have resigned from the job and got 1 month notice period. I have already found new job which will start after 3 months. So for 2 months, I will be without work. Can I get Arbeitslosengeld for those 2 months?
Hey Rohan.Probaby no because you resigned. so there would be this waiting time anyway, after which you would already have found a job, thus not fulfilling requirements anymore.
Hello, I am receiving ALG I and have a 3 day freelance offer that is more than 15 hours long and more than 450 Euros. It was suggested to me to leave deregister and reregister from the ALG I for those days. This sounds really strange to me, is it really possible? I was working part time before, so I won’t be getting much money and could really use the extra income without having it deducted.
Hey Marie. That’s a very specific case on which i have no answers on, sorry.
hey!
thank you very much for the info, very useful
i have a question , i hope you could answer me here.
i have been working more then 2 years as a ballet dancer at the oprea house in nurnberg,
i want to break my contract,
can i still get the unemployment money?
as well – im from tel- aviv,
then i want to understad if i got it right,
if i leave the EU union, (to israel ), i wint be able to get this money ?
Hey Tal. You’d be resigning from your current position. If you were employed there then yes, you would get ALG1 after the 3 months period, because you resigned.
Hi, very informative post! Great job. My question is this.
I have been a working student in Berlin since 2017 and my new work contract expires October 2019 only because I have exhausted my work hours for the year as an international student
in Berlin according to
the German law. My employer pay taxes and health insurance from my salary from my knowledge and My
employer however
intends to extend my
contract starting January 2020 but haven’t done so at the moment. I have been told about this but I haven’t signed any new contract yet. So technically I will be unemployed from October 2019 to January 2020 but only if I get an extension.
Am I entitled for the unemployment
benefit? Do I talk to my
employer about it since I am not fired as they said they will extend my contract
starting January 2020 and I don’t have any termination letter to go to Job center with or work contract be okay too for now?
Can I claim unemployment benefits for 3 months till I start work again? Since technically I won’t be seeking any jobs if I get my contract extended.
Please help with the best steps I should take. Thanks.
Hi! Great post!
I have an Italian and Australian passport and have been working in Germany for 4 years.
When my contract ends, do you know if the counsellor will allow me to be paid unemployment benefits if I am still living in Germany but only searching for a new job in Australia, so I can leave the country once I find work?
Thanks 🙂
Hello everyone !
I have a question, I worked for a company for a year and then they fired me with a 2 weeks notice, and they gave me a papper with which I went to Arbeitsamt and asked for unemployment money.. the lady there completed something in her computer and sent me home. After 2 weeks i receive a letter with a mandatory meeting, which happened today… I didn’t understand much since my german is pretty bad and the lady refused to speak english, but she was speaking a lot of german classes,so she gave me some pappers and sent me home. While i tried to translate the pappers home, they say that I have to go to classes 4-5-6 hours daily from Monday to Friday ,otherwise I don t get unemployed money…. is this normal? I would like to search for a new job in that time and not waste it in classes since I don’t plan to stay here longer than 2 more years…. any information about this mandatory german classes would be great ! Thank you in advance !
Hey Elena. This is interesting. I can’t really tell what happened there with so little details, sorry.
HI,
My situation is:
I worked for a company about 25 months.Since the salary was not fair enough I searched for a new job informing my boss.He terminated my jobs contract saying some false statements.And i have a notice period of 3 months and he agreed to pay for these 3 months without working for the company.Can I apply for a new job now or do i need to wait for notice period to complete?.Am I still considered the employee of the company till notice period ends?.I have registered in agentur for arbeit, since i will get salary for 3 months they said i need to apply for arbietlosengeld from November onwards. Since I got terminated, will that impact my job search? I have received a good arbeitzeugnis as well.