Finding work in Germany

An asylum seeker that has made it to Germany doesn't have it easy when it comes to work.

They may not work during the first three months inside the country. After that, they can start applying for jobs.

And even after that their application can only be successful if there is no German or European Union citizen who qualifies for this job.

This rule is called the priority check, or in German, Vorrangprüfung.

Refugees have to get the approval of the municipal immigration office before accepting their new job.

Generally, the longer an asylum seeker stays in Germany, the more options he or she has in the area of employment or education. And if a refugee has a foreign or German qualification, it is much easier for them to receive approval to work in Germany.

An asylum seeker who has been granted asylum, is able to work straight away. But until that happens, many years can often pass.

On the other hand, a refugee can also start working if he or she is officially deemed to be tolerated by the state (known in German as "Duldung" on ID cards).

These days, applicants from the western Balkan states have almost no chance of obtaining asylum in Germany.

For further information on when refugees are allowed to work in Germany, click here for a set of #link:http://www.bamf.de/EN/Startseite/startseite-node.html:Questions and Answers from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.#

How do I find work?

Generally, the Federal Employment Agency is responsible for dealing with job vacancies in Germany. Foreigners looking for work can register at one of these offices (known in German as Agentur für Arbeit). There, they are able to receive advice or assistance.

A number of job search websites are also useful:

#link:http://jobboerse.arbeitsagentur.de/vamJB/startseite.html;jsessionid=yDwbWDQSh1B1l74MJz3cZk2JGfL9cQptcNzwyfGvf911vkSB03W1!127585498?m=1&aa=1:The job vacancy website of the Federal Employment Agency is here.#

More #link:http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/web/wcm/idc/groups/public/documents/webdatei/mdaw/mta1/~edisp/l6019022dstbai433308.pdf:job portals recommended by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.#

And #link:http://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/html/en/finding_a_job.php :other job portals.#

It's also possible to just approach local businesses for work, on the ground in Germany. Currently, there are job vacancies in parts of the hospitality business, in trades and in certain specialized professions. A list of sectors where job vacancies can be found #link:http://www.make-it-in-germany.com/:here.#

Some of these jobs, the aforementioned priority check is not done at all, as long as the refugee is qualified properly. Generally speaking, in these fields there are comparatively few bureaucratic hurdles to be crossed if you are looking for a job.

In just about any sector, good knowledge of the German language is an important qualification.

How will my qualification be recognized?

The more proof that a refugee can show about his or her vocational training or studies, the better. As a general rule, a qualification will only be recognized in Germany if the relevant documents can be provided.

Germany's Federal Employment Agency has information on how to geta a qualification recognized in Germany.

The #link:http://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/html/en/index.php:Ministry of Education and Research has created an online portal# where you can get the necessary contact details for the recognition of various qualifications in different fields.

How can I start a traineeship or apprenticeship?

Generally speaking, the same rules apply here as to when you are getting a regular job. Whether you are allowed to start a vocational training or not, depends on your residence permit. If you have "Duldung" status you can start training straight away. But if you have only been granted a temporary position to stay (known in German as an "Aufenthaltsgestattung") then you have to wait three months until you start.

It's important to realize that even if an apprenticeship is started, it is no guarantee that the asylum seeker will be able to stay in Germany long term. The municipal immigration offices re-examines residency on a yearly basis for trainees.

How do I start studying in Germany?

Whether or not an applicant may study in Germany is determined by the individual universities. Circumstances for education differ across the 16 German federal states.

For most degrees the student has to be able to speak German at the C1 level, according to the widely-recognized CEF language scale. In addition, the applicant needs to have an approved school leaving certificate.

Some universities make an exception for refugees however, or they just let them take part in lectures as guests.

The German Ministry for Migration and Refugees has put together #link:http://www.bamf.de/EN/Startseite/startseite-node.html:information for students# on their website.