FAQ – Questions and answers for refugees from Ukraine

1.1 Who can help me when I’m looking for a job?

The Federal Employment Agency helps people find work and provides advice on all matters relating to this topic.

If you have any questions, please contact the employment agency or the job centre in the town or city where you are currently staying.

Via the "Branch Finder" you can find the address.

Employment agencies can be found in many towns and cities and can be recognised by this logo:

You can contact the Federal Employment Agency’s helpline at +49 911 178 7915. There you can ask initial questions in Ukrainian or Russian about taking up employment, vocational training or a degree course.

You can contact the helpline Monday to Thursday from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm, and on Friday from 8.00 am to 1.00 pm.

The Federal Employment Agency will then advise you, in a face-to-face meeting, on the requirements for taking up employment and on your career opportunities in general.

If you want to look for a job straight away, you can find job vacancies in the Job Search section of the Federal Employment Agency.

If you have applied for basic income support at the job centre, then you will receive advice there on job-seeking, job placement and training. The Job-Turbo programme is designed to help you find work as quickly as possible on a long-term basis once you have completed the integration course.

The job centre can support you in achieving your career goals through activation and integration services, and can provide access to support in specific difficult situations: for example, debt and addiction counselling or psychosocial support.

Please contact the relevant points of contact to discuss what support and funding are available and required. You can apply for financial support (such as towards application costs) directly during your counselling session by completing a paper application form or, where applicable, in an online application process.
In this case, please enquire whether your job centre offers the Jobcenter.digital online portal or the services offered by the "social platform" are available.

In addition, in the eServices you will find an overview of the online services offered by the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit - BA) and job centres (gemeinsame Einrichtungen - gE).

The overview covers online procedures in the following areas:

• Unemployment benefits or basic income support for jobseekers, finding work and other matters,
• Child benefit and child supplement,
• Training, higher education, continuing professional development.

1.2 Where can I get help if I still need to acquire certain skills before getting a job?

At the employment agency, you will receive advice based on your qualifications and work experience on whether, and if so which, support measures can best help you find a suitable job.

If you have any questions, please contact the employment agency or the job centre in the town or city where you are currently staying. About the "Office Finder" to view the address.

Alternatively, please contact the Federal Employment Agency’s helpline on +49 911-178 7915. There, you will be assisted in Ukrainian or Russian.

If you have applied for basic income support at the job centre, you will receive advice on job-seeking, job placement and training there. The job centre can support you in achieving your career goals through activation and integration schemes. Please contact the relevant points of contact to discuss what support and funding are available and required.

2.1 Am I allowed to work in Germany?

Yes, if you have a residence permit under Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz) you are allowed to work in Germany. Permission to reside under Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act is currently valid until 4 March 2027. 

Residence permits, which were valid on 1 February 2026, are automatically extended until 4 March 2027. If your residence permit states an earlier expiry date, it will remain valid until 4 March 2027 by virtue of an exemption regulation, without the need for any additional endorsements or stamps. In this case, in accordance with Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act it is not necessary for the foreigners authority to extend the residence permit on a case-by-case basis. If you currently only hold a "provisional residence document" ("Fiktionsbescheinigung"), that is, if a decision has not yet been made on your application, this automatic extension does not apply.

Unrestricted access to the labour market and training programmes will therefore continue until 4 March 2027.

Exceptions may apply if you hold a residence permit under Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act but do not hold Ukrainian nationality, or if you are stateless. For this group of people, the extension of their residence permits until 4 March 2027 applies only if they have fled Ukraine as a result of Russia’s war of aggression and 

• are family members of Ukrainian nationals who were resident in Ukraine prior to 24 February 2022,
• were entitled to international protection or equivalent national protection in Ukraine prior to 24 February 2022, or are a family member of such a person, or
• were lawfully resident in Ukraine prior to 24 February 2022 on the basis of a permanent residence permit.

For other non-Ukrainian third-country nationals and stateless persons, the residence permit is not automatically extended without renewal. This applies to you if you are a non-Ukrainian third-country national or a stateless person without protected status and you have previously resided lawfully in Ukraine without holding a permanent residence permit.

If you have any questions, please contact the relevant foreigners authority. 

You are already authorised to work on the basis of the provisional document confirming your right of residence under Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act. This document issued by the foreigners authority must contain the text "gainful employment permitted" ("Erwerbstätigkeit erlaubt"). You can then undertake, in principle, any kind of employment in Germany or begin vocational training.

Please note: Certain professions are subject to specific professional regulatory restrictions (e. g. doctors, teachers, educators, for further information, please see question 2.2). 

You can also work for a temporary agency. 

Note: Under the Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1912 of 30 July 2026, temporary protection was extended until 4 March 2028. However, new arrivals who, under Ukrainian law, are not permitted to leave Ukraine due to their military obligations, in particular men aged between 23 and 60 who are liable for conscription, will now only be granted temporary protection if they can provide evidence that they have fulfilled these obligations or have been exempted from them. Existing rights to protection remain unaffected by this restriction.

2.2 Do I need my professional qualification to be recognised in order to be allowed to work?

If you want to work in your trained profession in Germany, recognition of your professional qualification acquired outside Germany is only required for regulated professions (information in German and English). These include, for example, the professions of engineer, nurse, teacher, educator and doctor.

In unregulated professions (information available in German and English), you can work without having your qualifications recognised. Recognition of your professional qualifications or an assessment of your university qualifications may nevertheless be helpful in finding a job that matches your skills and in ensuring that you are paid a salary commensurate with your qualifications.

Your local employment agency or job centre (see Chapter 3) can provide you with initial guidance and information on the recognition process and the assessment of your qualifications.

Further free, impartial advice on the recognition of your foreign qualifications can be obtained from the counselling centres of the funding programme “Integration through Qualification (IQ)” and the ESF+ funding programme. You can find your nearest advice centre here: esfplus.de/iq. The advice centres will also help you find a training programme if the recognition process reveals that you need to undertake one in order to bridge any gaps identified in your qualifications.

Under certain conditions, employment agencies and job centres may cover the costs of the recognition procedure and of training programmes. Alternatively, there is the option of applying for the recognition grant, funded by the BMBFSFJ. Those wishing to have qualifications recognised should, if they are interested in financial support, submit their applications before commencing the process. No costs can be reimbursed retrospectively.

Further information on professional recognition can be found online on the portal www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de.

For information on the assessment of higher education qualifications in non-regulated professions, please contact the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).

2.3 Am I allowed to undertake in-company vocational training in Germany?

Yes, if you hold a residence permit under Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act. You already have this authorisation in the form of the provisional document confirming your right of residence. This document, issued by the foreigners authority, must contain the text "gainful employment permitted" ("Erwerbstätigkeit erlaubt"). This also includes permission to start in-company training. Please note: The period of validity of the residence permit is shorter than the duration of the course. Nonetheless, you can conclude a training contract and it can be officially recorded as a training relationship.

Your local employment agency (Agentur für Arbeit) can help you with your career guidance and advise you on choosing and finding a vocational training programme (see Chapter 3). If you are registered with a job centre, it can help you find a training place and provide you with targeted support both before and during your training. The Federal Employment Agency can also provide support in meeting living expenses through vocational training grants (Berufsausbildungsbeihilfe). This is also possible during a previous vocational preparation course or during the preliminary phase of an assisted training. Further information from the Federal Employment Agency on vocational training can be found here.

You can also take part in a specialised vocational language course for those in training, either before or during your in-company vocational training. Here you will find further information and the application form. 

You may also apply to the foreigners authority at a later date, provided the conditions are met, for a residence permit for the purpose of vocational training (Section 16a of the Residence Act). Once you have successfully completed your in-company vocational training, you can apply to the foreigners authority for a residence permit as a skilled worker (Section 18a of the Residence Act).

2.4 Is there a general minimum wage in Germany? How high is it?

Yes. There is a general statutory minimum wage in Germany. Since 1 January 2026, the minimum wage has been 13.90 euros gross per hour. From 1 January 2027, the statutory minimum wage will be 14.60 euros gross per hour.

The minimum wage generally also applies to internships, except for mandatory internships as well as voluntary internships accompanying professional training or studies and orientation internships of up to three months’ duration.

In addition, some sectors have what is known as a sector-specific minimum wage. This then applies only within the relevant sector, such as the care sector or the building cleaning sector. Here is an overview of the sectors in which a sector-specific minimum wage must be paid: Sectoral minimum wages – BMAS

Compliance with the minimum wage and the industry-specific minimum wages is supervised by Finanzkontrolle Schwarzarbeit [Financial Control of Undeclared Employment], which is part of the German Customs Service.

2.5 Does the minimum wage apply to me?

Yes, the national minimum wage generally applies to all employees. There are only exceptions for those under 18 years of age who have not completed vocational training and for those who had been unemployed for a long period in the first six months of employment.

2.6 How long am I allowed to work per day?

As a general rule, you may not work for more than eight hours a day from Monday to Saturday. However, you can work up to ten hours if you do not exceed an average of eight hours a day over a six-month period. There are also exceptions in certain sectors. As a general rule, there must be a rest period of at least 11 hours between the end of work on one day and the start of work on the following day.

2.7 What do I need to bear in mind if I take a so-called “mini-job”?

If you regularly earn no more than 603 euros a month (the "marginal employment threshold"), this is known as a “mini-job”. If the employment is limited from the outset to three months or 70 working days per year and – provided that the monthly remuneration currently exceeds 603 euros – is not carried out on a professional basis, it is considered short-term employment. In the agricultural sector, longer time limits apply (15 weeks or 90 working days). In both cases, this constitutes marginal employment. The threshold for marginal employment rises in line with the statutory minimum wage.

While you are then covered by statutory accident insurance against accidents at work and occupational diseases, you do not have any cover under statutory health, long-term care or unemployment insurance. People in mini-jobs are generally subject to pension insurance and pay pension contributions amounting to 3.6 percent (13.6 percent for work in a private household) of their earnings. It is possible to apply for an exemption from compulsory pension insurance. The application must be given to the employer.

Under employment law, you generally have the same rights as full-time employees. You are entitled to the statutory minimum wage, paid holiday, continued pay in the event of illness and on public holidays, as well as supplements to maternity pay.

You can find out more about the possible implications for social security benefits under the question "Can I keep my own funds if I claim social security benefits?".

2.8 What are midi-jobs? What do I have to pay attention to if I take a so-called “midi-job”?

If you are in a job where you earn a gross monthly wage of between 603.01 and 2,000 euros, this is known as a “midi-job”. Midi-jobs are subject to social security contributions; this means that employees and employers pay contributions towards health and long-term care insurance, as well as unemployment and pension insurance.

The employee’s contribution begins to rise gradually from a gross wage of 603.01 euros, up to the upper limit for "midi-jobs", at which point it reaches the standard employee contribution rate. Although these contributions are lower than those paid by other employees, you are, in principle, fully entitled to benefits under the health, long-term care, unemployment and pension insurance schemes in line with your gross salary.

2.9 What is agency work? What is temporary staffing? What is labour hire?

Temporary agency work means that as an employee you have an employment contract with an employer. This employer then hires you out to a third company to perform work. Your work is temporary agency work if you are integrated into the organisation of the third company and are subject to its instructions. Employees who are hired out to third companies to perform work are called temporary agency workers.

The employer with whom the temporary agency worker has an employment contract is known as a temporary work agency or staffing agency. This agency has the duties of an employer such as paying wages and granting paid leave. The temporary work agency needs a permit to hire out staff, which is issued by the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit). The Federal Employment Agency monitors the temporary work agencies on a regular basis, checking whether they pay wage taxes and social insurance contributions. The Federal Employment Agency also checks for compliance with labour law.

The third company where the work is actually performed is the user enterprise.

Temporary agency workers have the same workers’ rights as other employees, for example, protection against unfair dismissal and rights under the Part-time and Fixed-term Employment Act (Teilzeit- und Befristungsgesetz). Temporary agency workers receive at least a sector-specific minimum wage (see question 2.4).
Temporary agency work is also called temporary staffing or labour hire. It is characterised by a triangular relationship between the temporary work agency, the user enterprise and the temporary agency worker.

2.10 Who can help if I have questions about labour law?

You can find important information about your rights as an employee in Germany on the “Fair Integration” website. If you have specific issues relating to employment or social security law – for example, if you believe your employer is not paying you enough – you can contact the Fair Integration advice centres. The advice is free of charge and available in many languages, including Ukrainian and Russian. Here you will find an overview of the advice centres.

Please bear in mind the following, particularly if you are not (yet) very familiar with the German labour market:

A lack of language skills and legal knowledge, or uncertainty regarding access to the labour market and immigration regulations, can create situations of vulnerability and lead to you or others ending up in exploitative working conditions. On the website of the Service Centre against Forced Labour you will find useful information about your rights.

The "BEMA – Berlin Advice Centre for Migration and Decent Work" has produced leaflets on employment law for Ukrainian refugees in Ukrainian, Russian, English and German.

2.11 What health and safety rules apply, and who can I contact about them?

Work must be organised in such a way as to avoid, as far as possible, any risk to life and to physical and mental health; any remaining risks must be kept to a minimum. In Germany, employers are obliged to protect their employees effectively against hazards and harm to their health. This binding principle is enshrined in the Safety and Health at Work Act (Arbeitsschutzgesetz) and other occupational safety and health ordinances.

An overview of the occupational health and safety system in Germany and You can find the relevant legal provisions here. 

You can turn to:

• Employers who are legally obliged to ensure effective health and safety at work;
• Employee representative bodies (works council, trade union);
• Company doctors.

3.1 Am I entitled to social security benefits in Germany?

Yes, you can receive social security benefits if your income and, where applicable, your assets are insufficient to cover the living costs necessary to meet your basic needs (in other words, if you are in need of assistance).

If you are able to work and in need of assistance, you can receive basic income support for jobseekers from the job centre for yourself and your family. More information on basic income support for jobseekers can be found here.

If you have limited capacity to work – that is, if you are unable to work for more than three hours a day for health reasons, or if you have reached the statutory retirement age for an old-age pension – you may be eligible for social assistance from the welfare office (Sozialamt) if you are in need of support. One of the requirements for both basic income support for jobseekers and social assistance is that you hold a residence permit under Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act or have been issued with a corresponding provisional certificate by the foreigners authority. The local job centre or the local welfare office can give you information on this.

Under certain conditions, benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act may also be available.

3.2 What financial benefits can I receive?

You may be eligible for basic income support for jobseekers from the job centre. 

This includes:

• Labour market integration assistance (see Chapter 1)
• Benefits to secure living expenses (including accommodation and heating),

As a rule, cash benefits are provided to cover the cost of living. However, vouchers for food, clothing, personal hygiene articles and rent are also possible. If you receive basic income support for jobseekers, you are automatically covered by statutory health insurance. One-off benefits, for example for the initial furnishing of an accommodation with furniture, are also possible. For children and young adults, education and participation benefits are also possible under certain conditions, for example for tutoring outside school or music lessons. Your local job centre will also advise you on these issues. 

You can also receive support from the welfare office in the form of benefits to cover your living expenses, i.e. cash payments or vouchers for rent, food, clothing and personal care. You can also receive support for other aspects of daily life, such as social inclusion. Here, too, one-off payments – for example, to furnish the flat for the first time – may be possible.

Ukrainians receiving social assistance are, as a rule, not covered by statutory health insurance. They will still receive a health insurance card from a statutory health insurance fund and can, for example, see a doctor if you are ill, provided you have no other form of health cover. The costs for this are covered by the welfare office.

Benefits provided under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act also include the costs of accommodation, food, personal hygiene items, etc. You can also receive support for mobility or communication, as well as basic medical care.

3.3 What is basic income support for jobseekers and who is eligible to receive it?

Basic income support for jobseekers is a benefit designed to cover living expenses and thus ensures a decent standard of living. People who are able to work but have no income, or only a very small income (and are therefore in need of assistance), are entitled to basic income support for jobseekers. 

In particular, basic income support for jobseekers covers needs for food, clothing, personal hygiene articles, household goods, household energy and what is needed for participation in the social and cultural life of the community. Adequate needs in terms of accommodation and heating are also included in basic income support for jobseekers. 

The aim of the basic income support for jobseekers is to help people move beyond the need for assistance, primarily by taking up employment. Job centres provide active support in helping people find work or start a training programme (see also 1). Those receiving benefits also have a duty to cooperate in this regard. After all, anyone who makes use of state benefits must, in return, play an active part in ensuring that they can get back on their feet financially as quickly as possible. If you are receiving basic income support for jobseekers and refuse a reasonable job, training course or integration programme without good cause (known as a breach of obligations), or fail to attend agreed appointments at the job centre without good cause (known as a failure to report), you must expect your basic income support to be reduced.

3.4 Which costs relating to my accommodation are covered?

In the first year that you receive the basic income support for jobseekers, the actual costs incurred for your accommodation will be covered in full, provided that these costs do not exceed one and a half times the appropriate rent. What is considered appropriate is determined by the local authority in which you live. This allows you to focus entirely on looking for work or preparing to take up a job (e.g. through further training). 

If you receive basic income support for jobseekers for a longer period, after the first year (known as the waiting period) has elapsed, only an appropriate amount of your housing costs will be covered.

From the start, heating costs are only covered to a reasonable extent. It is therefore very important that you always use energy sparingly. The reasonable costs for heating are determined by the municipalities.

3.5 How much is the basic income support for jobseekers?

The so-called standard needs rate to secure living expenses includes means for food, clothing, personal hygiene articles, household goods and what is needed for participation in the social and cultural life of the community. The standard needs rate is a monthly lump sum.

The amounts of the standard rates applicable since 1 January 2024 are as follows:

In addition to the standard needs rate, children and adolescents also receive a direct supplement for children of 20 euros per month.

In addition to standard needs, reasonable expenses for accommodation and heating are taken into account, as well as, where applicable, certain additional needs (e.g. in the case of pregnancy) and one-off expenses (e.g. for furnishing a new home for the first time).

Here you will find more information.

3.6 What do I need to do to receive social security benefits?

If you need support, the first thing you should do is register at a reception centre (Erstaufnahmeeinrichtung). You can be registered anywhere in Germany at a foreigners authority office.

You can receive money from the job centre or welfare office if you have applied for a residence permit under Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act  at the foreigners authority office of your place of residence or where you are staying.

If a residence permit cannot be issued immediately under Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act, you will first be issued a provisional residence document. This document entitles you to receive social benefits. Before a residence permit is issued under Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act or a corresponding provisional residence certificate is issued, benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act may be considered, where applicable.

You can fill out a paper application or use the online procedure to apply for support in the form of cash benefits at the job centre. In this case, please enquire whether your job centre offers the Jobcenter.digital online portal or the services offered by the "social platform" are available.

In addition, in the eServices you will find an overview of the online services offered by the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit - BA) and job centres (gemeinsame Einrichtungen - gE).

The overview covers online procedures in the following areas:

• Unemployment benefits or basic income support for jobseekers, finding work and other matters,
• Child benefit and child supplement,
• Training, higher education, continuing professional development.

3.7 Are my family members also entitled to social security benefits?

Family members who live with you may also be entitled to benefits.
Depending on family circumstances and personal circumstances, you and your family members may be entitled to social benefits under various laws (Book II or Book XII of the Social Code (Sozialgesetzbuch) or Asylum Seekers Benefits Act). It is important that you apply for these benefits in good time to ensure that you and your dependants have enough to live on. If the local job centre or welfare office determines that one or more of your family members are eligible for another social security benefit, you will be informed of this, or the application will be forwarded to the relevant authority.

3.8 Can I keep my own funds if I apply for social security benefits?

Benefits to cover living expenses are only paid to those who are unable to meet their living expenses from their own income or assets. In this context, the same rules apply as for all other people who receive social benefits in Germany.

When assessing the need for support, a person’s income and assets are thus taken into account if they can actually be accessed. This may also include income that you receive in your home country, for example if you continue to work in your previous job (online) or receive social security benefits such as child benefit or a pension.

In addition, various tax allowances apply; this means that certain amounts may be retained. For example, if income is derived from gainful employment, it is not taken into account in full as income. You can find further information on the allowances, particularly in relation to the basic income support for jobseekers, here.

Assets which currently cannot be accessed because they are in Ukraine (e. g. real estate) are not taken into account. If you have significant assets which you can access (e. g. bank deposits, cash), then above a certain amount you must primarily use these assets to cover your living expenses.

3.9 What applies to pensioners and people who are unable to work?

The rules governing the basic income support for jobseekers with regard to the inclusion of accommodation costs also apply to pensioners and people who are unable to work and who receive social assistance under Book XII of the Social Code (SGB XII). However, the asset allowances that apply are different from those for basic income support for jobseekers. The asset exemption in Book XII of the Social Code is 10,000 euros for a person entitled to benefits (known as "exempt assets"). The same amount also applies, for example, to spouses or civil partners who are not living apart, as well as to partners in a relationship akin to marriage or a civil partnership. A married couple is therefore entitled, for example, to an exempt amount of 20,000 euros.

Recipients of benefits for care are entitled to an additional allowance of 25,000 euros for living expenses and old-age provision, in addition to the asset exemptions mentioned above (10,000 euros). This applies if this amount is acquired wholly or mainly as income from self-employment or other employment while receiving the benefit.

3.10 What should I bear in mind when travelling abroad for short or long periods of time. Or when returning to Ukraine? Or moving to another country?

All Ukrainian nationals who already hold a residence permit under Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act or a corresponding provisional residence permit may travel to Ukraine and return to Germany at any time. The duration of a trip has a direct influence on the residence status of those travelling in Germany and their right to receive basic income benefits under Book II of the Social Code (basic income support for jobseekers).

(a) Receipt of basic income support under Book II of the Social Code (SGB II) (basic income support for jobseekers)

The following applies to short-term travel: 

Ukrainians who are granted temporary protection may travel to their home country or to other destinations for up to three weeks per year, including weekends and public holidays, and return to Germany. In this case – provided the job centre has given prior approval for the absence – the basic income support for jobseekers will continue to be paid and the person’s registration in Germany will remain valid. In this case, it is important to apply for the job centre’s approval for the planned absence in good time – ideally two to three weeks in advance – either by email or by attending an appointment in person. The application can also be submitted online.

The application to the job centre should include the duration of the trip, the expected date of departure and return, and the destination. This can be done in writing without any particular form.

The job centre may also refuse to grant permission, for example if your presence is required precisely because you are due to start a new job or take part in another programme.

It is also advisable to check the period of validity of the residence permit before leaving Ukraine and to apply for its extension if necessary (this also applies to long-term travel).

If your planned trip lasts longer than three weeks, basic income support for jobseekers will only be paid for a period of three weeks. After three weeks, you will no longer receive basic income support for jobseekers and will no longer be covered by health insurance. 

If you travel without the job centre’s consent – either because you have not informed the job centre or because the job centre has rejected your application – you will no longer be entitled to basic income support for jobseekers from the first day of your trip. You will also lose your health insurance cover from the very first day. 

The following applies to trips of up to six months:

If a trip lasts longer than three weeks, payment of basic income support for jobseekers is suspended and, upon return to Germany, a new application must be submitted. The job centre must be informed before leaving the country. 

The following applies to returning to Ukraine or moving to another country:

If you receive basic income benefits according to Book II or Book XII of the Social Code, or receive benefits according to the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, you must also inform the job centre (in case of Book II of the Social Code), the welfare office (in case of Book XII of the Social Code) or the institution providing asylum seeker benefits of your departure. Also inform them when you are leaving the country. In this case, the entitlement to basic income support in Germany ceases. The person leaving the country must terminate all existing contracts, such as a tenancy agreement, contracts with internet or mobile phone providers, and so on. It is advisable to allow plenty of time for these steps before you leave the country. Given the unstable situation in Ukraine, it is advisable to seek advice from the foreigners authority regarding a possible return to Germany or other European countries should the fighting intensify. 

(b) Right of residence

The following applies to trips of up to six months:

It is important to note that the reason for the short trip must be of a temporary nature; otherwise, the residence permit will expire upon departure, in accordance with Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act. So, for example, if you are travelling to Ukraine to start a course of study or to provide long-term care for a family member, this may be regarded as more than just a temporary reason.

Your right of residence will lapse if you are absent from Germany for more than six months. The six-month period may be extended by the foreigners authority – before it expires, not after – if you can prove that even this longer absence is only temporary. However, following re-entry and the submission of the relevant application, a new residence permit must be issued in accordance with Section 24 of the Residence Act.

The following applies to returning to Ukraine or moving to another country:

If you move from Germany to another country or if you return to Ukraine, please inform the foreigners authority responsible for your case. In this case, too, the residence permit expires upon departure. In addition, it is necessary to deregister at the registration authority. Please go to the registration authority at the earliest one week before and at the latest 2 weeks after moving to have the registration removed. It is also possible to have the registration removed in writing or by e-mail.

4.1 Can I take up employment even if I don’t speak German?

Getting a job does not necessarily depend on your ability to speak German.

In general, however, it is important for you to have a basic grasp of German so that you can communicate with your employer and colleagues. There are also many jobs and fields where it is important for you to have adequate German language skills. In so-called regulated professions, a certain level of German language proficiency may be strictly required in order to obtain a licence to practise the profession (see question 2.2.).

It is therefore always a good idea to take a German course (see question 4.2.).

4.2 What German language courses can I attend, and how do I apply for them?

It is possible to attend a state-subsidised German course. Depending on how well you can already speak German, your options are either an integration course or a job-related language course. 

If you have no knowledge of German, or only a very limited knowledge of the language, and hold a residence permit under Section 24 of the Residence Act, you may be granted a place on an integration course, in particular by your local job centre. You do not have to pay anything for the course. If you do not receive basic income support, you may be admitted to an integration course by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, subject to the availability of places on the course. This path is therefore aimed in particular at people in employment or other individuals holding a residence permit under Section 24 of the Residence Act who are not supported by job centres. Further information and the online application form can be found at: BAMF – Federal Office for Migration and Refugees – Information Centre – Application for admission to an integration course

If you have already completed an integration course or already speak German well (level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) and hold a residence permit under Section 24 of the Residence Act, you may attend a vocational language course aimed at level B2 or, where applicable, C1 or C2.

If you are already in work or have a specific job, a part-time professional language course might be an option for you. To take part, you must have a knowledge of German at A2 level. Ask your local job centre for advice. There, they can help you find a course that fits and give you the participation authorisation. The course is generally free of charge.

If you receive a residence permit under Section 24 of the Residence Act, you can also attend an initial orientation course or a so-called “MiA course” (“Migrantinnen einfach stark im Alltag”, an offer especially for women).

Further information is available from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees: Welcoming programmes and language support for refugees from Ukraine.

4.3 Can I learn German online as well?

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) offers an overview of free online ways to learn German on its website.

5.1 What if I get sick or need medical help?

If you receive money from the job centre, you are insured in the statutory health insurance system. Just like everyone else who is covered by the statutory health insurance system, you are entitled, under Book V of the Social Code (Sozialgesetzbuch), to a range of services, especially medical treatment, pregnancy and maternity services, and services for the prevention and early detection of diseases.

If you receive social assistance (Sozialhilfe), you are not on account of that compulsorily insured in the statutory health insurance system. If you have no coverage for illness, you will receive a health insurance card from a statutory health insurance fund, and this allows you to access healthcare services if you need them, in line with the services provided by statutory health insurance. The costs will be covered by the welfare office (Sozialamt).

If you receive benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act (Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz), you are only entitled to the medical and dental treatment required for the treatment of acute illness or pain during the first 36 months of your stay in Germany. This includes the provision of medicine and dressings, as well as other benefits required for recovery, improvement or alleviation of illness or its consequences.

Officially recommended vaccinations and medically necessary preventive examinations for the prevention and early detection of diseases or the consequences of diseases are also covered. Dental prostheses are covered if, in an individual case, they cannot be postponed for medical reasons.

Women who are pregnant or have recently given birth are entitled to medical and nursing assistance and care, midwife support, medicine, dressings and remedies.

Additional benefits may be granted if they are indispensable for the protection of health in individual cases. This regulation enables the competent benefit authorities to meet special needs in individual cases. The legislation does not impose any restrictions on the type of illnesses, so that the treatment of mental illnesses can also be covered.

5.2 Where can I get help if I have a physical or mental impairment?

Refugees from Ukraine with physical or psychological impairments, and their family members, need information when they arrive in Germany about accessible registration, residence, and accommodation and care in keeping with their needs. The complementary independent participation counselling service (EUTB) advises these people throughout Germany. The association “mittendrin e.V.” has created an information page in Ukrainian and Russian for this group of people. More information about the EUTB can be found in this flyer [PDF, 87KB].

Please contact the competent office in the Land where you are staying. Information provided by the individual Länder for refugees with and without disabilities from Ukraine and persons assisting them can be obtained here:

• Bayern (Bavaria)
• Baden-Württemberg (Baden-Wurttemberg)
• Berlin (Berlin)
• Brandenburg (Brandenburg)
• Bremen (Bremen)
• Hamburg (Hamburg)
• Hessen (Hesse)
• Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania)
• Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony)
• Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia)
• Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia): Guide for people with a sensory impairment
• Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate)
• Saarland (Saarland)
• Sachsen (Saxony)
• Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt)
• Schleswig-Holstein (Schleswig-Holstein)
• Thüringen (Thuringia)