Work and Law

There are various regulations stipulating the conditions that you need to meet in order to be permitted to work in Germany. These regulations differ depending upon which country you come from, whether or not you already reside in Germany, and what residence permit you possess.

You can use this quick test to check what options for working in Germany are available to you. In addition to German and English, this test is also provided in the following languages: Spanish, French, Albanian, Arabic, Bosnian, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Turkish and Vietnamese. You will find the test here:

Citizens of the European Union

Freedom of movement for workers applies to citizens of the European Union. This means that you can live and work in Germany without needing a permit to do so. Freedom of movement for workers also applies to people from Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

Third-country nationals

Third-country nationals are people who have entered Germany with a visa and are not citizens of the Member States of the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland.

For you, there are various regulations stipulating when, where and on what conditions you may take up training or work in Germany.

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees [Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge] provides a brochure with information on the legal prerequisites for residence by third-country nationals in Germany. It contains information on the regulations concerning training options, work and family reunification. The brochure is in the languages German and English and can be found here:

Asylum seekers

There are regulations governing whether you, as an asylum seeker, may or may not work in Germany. This depends upon the duration of your residence in Germany, your level of education and the status of your asylum proceedings. Links and brochures dealing with these regulations and providing you with guidance are listed and briefly described below.

The regulations for asylum seekers often stipulate that an "application for the taking-up of employment" must be filed with the immigration authority [Ausländerbehörde]. The immigration authority's website containing the application and the contact details is in German, English, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian and Vietnamese and can be found here:

Opportunity Residence Act - Chancenaufenthaltsgesetz

The law on the right to residence has been in force since December 31, 2022. People who have a tolerated permit can apply for the “Chancen-Aufenthaltsrecht”. This means they can meet the requirements for a permanent residence permit within 18 months. You can find all information about the right of residence here:

The „NETZWERK Unternehmen integrieren Flüchtlinge“ has put together all the information about the target group, the requirements, the application process and the legal basis in a very clear manner. Further information, an explanatory video and information paper can be found here:

Searching for work and a job

The main function of the Federal Employment Agency [Bundesagentur für Arbeit] is to provide assistance with finding work. Every worker can use the Federal Employment Agency's services free of charge. The Job Exchange [Jobbörse] is an online portal where you can search for and find jobs. You will find the online portal here:

A job exchange is a website on which companies can publish their job advertisements, and applicants can search for a vacancy.

You will find a list of various job exchanges here:

Job turbo for the labor market integration of refugees

In order to quickly integrate refugees into the labor market, there is the Job-Turbo program from the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. You can find information for refugees here:

Find out about careers

On the Federal Employment Agency's website BERUFENET you can obtain information on various careers. Different careers are described there, for example careers in the service, agricultural, health, engineering and construction sectors and many others. Additionally, the website explains what qualification or training one needs, and at which companies one can work in this career. You will find the website here:

Career re-entry

If you have taken a relatively long period of time off from a career, for example because you have looked after children at home, the Federal Employment Agency will provide you with advice helping you back onto your career path. This also includes further training measures. You will find the website here:

Furthermore, the Employment Agency and the Jobcenter Dresden have a representative for equal opportunities on the labour market [Beauftragte für Chancengleichheit am Arbeitsmarkt]. If you need help with returning to your career, you can contact:

Agentur für Arbeit Dresden

Beauftragte für Chancengleichheit am Arbeitsmarkt
Henriette-Heber-Straße 6
01069 Dresden
0351-28851464
Dresden.BCA@arbeitsagentur.de

Jobcenter Dresden

Beauftragte für Chancengleichheit am Arbeitsmarkt
Budapester Straße 30
01069 Dresden
0351-4753859
Jobcenter-Dresden.BCA@jobcenter-ge.de

In addition to the Federal Employment Agency, there are many other options for finding a job. If you like a certain company, ask this company directly if there is a vacancy and apply for vacancies.

Some companies use newspapers to recruit new employees.

You can attend job fairs in order to get to know companies and talk to them. You will find information on the job fair in Dresden here:

The migration advice centres [Migrationsberatungsstellen] in Dresden provide migrants with advice on many different areas. This also includes help and guidance on what options there are for you. The migration advice centres provide advice in various languages. You will find the migration advice centres and contact details here:

The Expert Information Center Immigration [Fachinformationszentrum Zuwanderung] is a contact point for migrants, employers, Employment Agencies and the Jobcenter, public authorities and other advice institutions. The Expert Information Center provides information, advice and support and arranges contacts. Matters on which advice is given include, among others, career guidance, immigration and residence, recognition of qualifications as well as qualification measures. You will find further information here:

The project RESQUE forward is intended to help refugees to integrate into the labour market. The project is presented on the website of the Saxon Refugee Council [Sächsischer Flüchtlingsrat]. At the bottom of the website you will find the contact details of the persons to contact. You will find the website here:

The Fair Integration advice centre of the Work and Life Saxony Association [Verein Arbeit und Leben Sachsen] gives advice on all aspects of training and work. This includes matters such as, for example, employment contracts, leave, insurance and pregnancy. On request, individual consultations can also be held in Arabic, Farsi and Pashto.
You will find further information in German and English as well as the contact details here:

The project Labour Market Mentors Dresden [Arbeitsmarktmentoren Dresden] helps to integrate asylum seekers into training and work. You will be supported here by labour market mentors. Labour market mentors provide advice and assistance with searching for a job or a training place. They will help you to prepare and orientate yourself and support you during your training or work. You will find further information here:

The afeefa.de website contains a city map of Dresden showing various services offered to migrants. If you click on "JOBS + EDUCATION" and then on "Jobs counselling", you will receive an overview of career advice centres in Dresden. The website is in German, English, Arabian, Farsi, French, Spanish and Turkish and can be found here:

Information

The website zuwanderung.sachsen.de offers information aimed primarily at qualified and highly qualified migrants. The website is in German and English and can be found here:

The Foreigners' Council Dresden [Ausländerrat Dresden] provides a writing workshop project for young migrants aged from 12 to 26. Skills in dealing with media can be improved there. This supports the migrants' linguistic, educational and vocational integration. You will find further information on this here:

You can obtain from Spike Dresden e. V. help with writing applications and CVs. Additionally, you can jointly devise career perspectives for yourself. You will be given help with finding a job or a training place. This service and other services offered to migrants can be found here:

The following overview contains the offers in Dresden for advice, mediation, support, career orientation and application coaching for migrants on their way to vocational training and work. Here you will find all relevant information about the group of persons (residency status and age) and the specific offers with which migrants are supported.