All Informations for refugees about working in Germany

• Can i work while my residence in germany

Your residence permit allows you to work. If you have a provisional residence document (Fiktionsbescheinigung), you are allowed to work if the document contains the words “Erwerbstätigkeit erlaubt” (paid employment permitted). Please note that some occupations have entry restrictions.

On this official german website you can find all informations about how to get work, how to apply and start a new life in germany especially for ukraine immigrants:

• Do my professional qualifications have to be recognised?

You will only need to have your professional qualifications recognised if you want to work in a regulated profession, such as doctor or teacher, where certain conditions apply. Recognition of your professional qualifications will naturally be helpful in other occupations too, if you are looking for a job that matches your qualifications. Detailed Informations about german labout law you can find here: Find out more

• Where can I find help in looking for a job?

Your local job centre or employment office (Agentur für Arbeit) will help you and provide personal advising if you are looking for a job or need qualifications.  
The Federal Employment Agency telephone helpline is also available in Ukrainian and Russian: +49 911-178 7915
Monday to Thursday: 8:00 to 16:00
Friday: 8:00 to 13:00

Information for refugees (in Ukrainian, English, Russian and German)

• Where can I get help if I need more skills before seeking a job?

Yes, you can get a job if you don’t speak German. But language skills are important and helpful for many occupations. Being able to speak German will help you communicate with your employer and co-workers. In some regulated professions, German language skills are essential.

https://www.germany4ukraine.de/hilfeportal-en/language-support-and-integration-courses

• Can I get a job if I don’t speak German?

Yes, you can get a job if you don’t speak German. But language skills are important and helpful for many occupations. Being able to speak German will help you communicate with your employer and co-workers. In some regulated professions, German language skills are essential.

Find out more

• Is there a minimum wage?

Yes, by law the gross minimum wage in Germany is 12 euros per hour. The minimum wage applies to all workers. There are exceptions for those under 18 years of age who have not completed vocational training and for the long-term unemployed in the first six months of their employment. And the minimum wage may differ in some sectors, for example in the care sector or industrial cleaning services.

• How many hours am I allowed to work each day?

You are allowed to work Mondays through Saturdays and no more than eight hours a day. But you may work up to 10 hours, if you work no more than eight hours a day on average within a six-month period. And exceptions are allowed in some sectors.

• What do I need to know about mini-jobs?

A job that regularly pays less than 520 euros per month or comes with a short-term contract is considered a mini-job. If you have a mini-job, you are insured against accidents at work and occupational diseases in the statutory accident insurance scheme. However, you are not covered by the statutory health insurance system, long-term care insurance system or the unemployment insurance system. You must pay into the pension insurance fund. You may apply for an exemption from having to pay into the pension insurance fund; you must give the application to your employer. You must inform your job centre if you are employed in a mini-job.

Which occupational health and safety rules i can apply, and where can I get help?

The law is intended to ensure that you can work safely and that your work won’t make you ill. If you have questions about occupational health and safety, you can find a lot of more information in this blog.

• your employer, who is obligated by law to ensure occupational health and safety in the workplace;
• representatives of employees’ interests, such as your works council or trade union;
• your workplace physician.

Find out more (in German and English)

Official Website: Federal Ministery for Migration and Refugees Germany

https://www.germany4ukraine.de/hilfeportal-en