Losing or Changing Jobs in Germany – Deadlines, Unemployment Benefits, and Your Residence Permit

Most of our candidates stay with their first employer for years. That said, fixed-term contracts do expire, facilities close, and sometimes you simply want a fresh start in a different city. There are clear rules for all of these situations – along with a few deadlines that are easy to miss.

Changing Jobs: Get Approval Before You Hand in Your Notice

A residence permit for work in Germany is often tied to a specific position, and the Federal Employment Agency's (BA) consent may be tied to a specific employer as well. Your permit card states exactly what work you are authorized to perform.

• You may not begin a new job until the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) has given its approval, as required under § 4a of the Residence Act.
• The correct order of steps is: find a new position and secure a signed contract, submit your application to the Ausländerbehörde, and only then give notice to your current employer – once approval has arrived.
• Keep your current employer's notice period in mind. What applies in your contract is explained in the article Employment Contracts in Germany.
• If your employer covered the cost of a language course or credential recognition, check whether your contract includes a repayment clause.

If You Lose Your Job: Four Steps to Take

1. Register as Arbeitsuchend (job-seeking) with the Agentur für Arbeit no later than three months before your contract ends. If you find out about the end of your contract at short notice, you have just three days from that moment to register (§ 38 SGB III). You can do this online, by phone, or in person. Missing this deadline results in a one-week suspension of benefits (Sperrzeit).

2. Register as unemployed (Arbeitslosmeldung) no later than your first day without work and submit your benefit claim at the same time. The BA recommends submitting the claim around two weeks in advance.

3. Notify the Ausländerbehörde. Your residence permit does not automatically expire when your employment ends, but the office is entitled to shorten its validity. Let them know you are actively looking for work in your field and ask how much time you have. Your employer is in any case legally required to inform them within four weeks that your employment has ended.

4. Get in touch with us. We remain available after you have started working, so let's look at your next steps together.

If you resign without good cause, your benefits may be suspended for up to 12 weeks.

Who Is Entitled to Unemployment Benefits

The benefit is called Arbeitslosengeld I and is funded by the social insurance contributions deducted from your salary each month.

• Eligibility: at least 12 months of insured employment within the past 30 months, and a residence permit that authorizes you to work.
• Amount: 60% of your net pay as calculated under BA rules, or 67% if you or your partner have a child.
• Duration: after 12 months of contributions you receive benefits for 6 months; after 24 months of contributions, for 12 months. Recipients over the age of 50 receive benefits for longer.

Unemployment benefits are designed to support you while you look for work – not to replace it. The BA will put forward job offers and will expect you to stay in regular contact.

What to Prepare

• Your employment contract and termination notice, with the date of receipt
• Your residence permit card and passport
• Pay slips for the past 12 months
• Your social insurance number and tax identification number
• Your credential recognition certificate (Anerkennungsurkunde), if you have one – it will make it considerably easier to find work in your field

If anything is unclear, reach out to us before signing or cancelling anything – through our candidates page.

Sources: Federal Employment Agency – Arbeitslosengeld (arbeitsagentur.de), §§ 38 and 159 SGB III, §§ 4a and 7 of the Residence Act (gesetze-im-internet.de), Merkblatt 7 of the Federal Employment Agency (June 2024).