Search-Process and Recognition | Germany Manpower Germany

Global Mobility: Dual Career Assistance for International Assignments / Unemployment benefits / Family and Children/Housing benefit

One of the realities of the modern world is the dual career family, where both partners have a profession with equal earning capacity.  When a company is planning global mobility strategies, it has to include specific measures for the dual career couple when an employee is sent abroad with their family.

What is Dual Career Assistance?

Dual career assistance is a method of offering some type of support to the spouse or partner that will accompany an employee on a foreign assignment.  The type of assistance will vary, but this is an essential step since the employee’s partner will have a major influence on whether the assignment is accepted.

What this means is that a company will often need to make up for lost income and benefits when the employee’s partner gives up their job to make the assignment possible.  This may seem like ‘double compensation’ for the employee’s position, but the reality is that a foreign assignment can carry importance for a multinational, and additional expense may be necessary.

The Importance of Dual Career Assistance to Employees

Unless an employee is the sole earner in their household, any relocation to a foreign country will impact the income and benefits for the entire family.  In some cases, the employee’s partner may be able to evolve some of their current duties into a remote arrangement with their own employer.  However, most spouses that will accompany an employee abroad will be giving up their job position and related income.

Of course, this is part of any change in a dual career family, and is primarily a personal conversation about career goals, family life and opportunities.  A strategic HR department will be aware of this, and prepared to introduce support methods early on in the process.

The Most Common Types of Support

Job Search Assistance in the New Location

The first step is to ascertain if the employee’s partner wants to work in the foreign location.  As noted in one survey,  “The majority of accompanying partners do want to work…”

This fact makes job search assistance a vital support measure, since there are several areas of challenge in securing employment abroad.  This is further complicated by the fact that the HR department is likely located in the home country headquarters, and remote support efforts can be limited due to time differences and access to host country resources.

The common obstacles may include:

  • Legal work status, few professional contacts and language barriers in the new country.
  • Finding flexible or part time work arrangements to accommodate childcare needs.
  • Low threshold of employer support for the partner’s efforts to find a suitable job and required visas and work permits. Local or third party providers may be needed to facilitate new employment opportunities.

Visas and Work Permits

This seems like a very basic level of support, but in some countries it may be problematic if the employee has a non-traditional family.  Unmarried partners, same-sex couples and dependents may all face immigration barriers, which the company should attempt to overcome prior to the assignment.  Failure to research and address potential immigration issues could derail the assignment before it begins.

Spouses joining citizens of non-EU countries
Citizens of countries which are not member states of the European Union or the EEA can bring their dependants with them to Germany. Which regulations apply depends on the nationality of the dependants you want to join you.

(1) Level I: If your spouse is a citizen of a member state of the EU or the EEA 
Even if you are a third-country national, if your spouse is a citizen of a member state of the EU or EEA, they are entitled to freedom of movement and can therefore live and work in Germany without restrictions. All they need to enter the country is a national identity card.) 

(2) Level II: If your spouse is a citizen of a non-EU country
Even if your partner is a national of a non-EU country, you can look forward to living together in Germany. For your spouse to be able to join you, the following requirements will need to be met:

Right of residence:
As an employee, you have a temporary or permanent residence permit or an EU Blue Card for Germany.

Accommodation:
You have rented accommodation in Germany which is large enough for your family. You can find tips on finding accommodation in our section on Living in Germany

Health insurance and money:
You have sufficient health insurance cover and funds to be able to care for your family.

Legal age:
Your spouse is of full legal age, i.e. at least 18 years old.

Basic knowledge of German:
As a general rule, spouses coming to join their partners must have basic knowledge of German. This is to ensure that they can communicate in German from the moment they arrive in Germany. For example, they should be able to ask the way, go shopping or introduce themselves in German.

However, there are a number of exceptions. Your spouse does not require any knowledge of German to obtain a visa or a residence permit if:

(1)You are a holder of an EU Blue Card, an ICT card or a Mobile ICT card.

(2)You are in possession of a residence permit according to section18c paragraph 3, section18d, section18f or section 21 of the German Residence Act -AufenthG.

(3)You are a national of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand or the United States of America.

(4)Nevertheless, your family will probably feel most at home in Germany if they all speak a little German. We explain how this can be achieved in other section on Learning German

(3) Level III: How to bring your family to Germany 
If your spouse requires a visa to enter Germany they must apply for it at the German Embassy or a German consulate in their country. Our world map lists the local contact details of all German embassies and consulates.To apply for a visa for your spouse to join you, you will generally need to provide your passport and a wedding certificate or proof of a registered or civil partnership. Ask the local German Embassy what other documents need to be submitted. 

Since processing your application may take some time, we recommend you to find out what documentation is necessary for the application well in advance and submit your application in good time. 

Once your family has arrived in Germany, you must register them at the residents' registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt). You must apply to the local immigration authority for a residence permit within three months. To do so, you must present your passports, birth and marriage certificates, pay slips or tax statements, proof that you are renting accommodation and any other documents that may be needed depending on the specific situation of your family.

Once right of residence has been granted, your newly arrived spouse is immediately entitled to take up any kind of employment in Germany. 

Compensation and Benefits to Offset Loss of Income

The form of dual career support that is most sought after is naturally an increase in income to offset the financial hardship of the partner leaving a job.  The objective for the company is to arrive at an amount that is fair, but may not go all the way toward income replacement.  However, offering benefits in kind that both partners will need is one way to reduce cash incentives.

For instance, a housing allowance can eliminate a major monthly expense that would need to be paid if the couple were still in the home country.  Other benefits with real monetary value include vehicles, childcare, healthcare and travel expenses.  Most of these items would be paid for using after-tax currency in the home country (unless tax-deducible), so this is a significant savings available for the expat couple.

Benefits to the Employee and Employer

The benefits of dual career assistance to the employee’s family are obvious, since it allows them to take new posting without giving up more income than is reasonable.  It is a balance between the opportunity and very basic concerns about budget, income and savings for the future.  There can be a value to the employee as well in terms of their career if the posting adds to their professional status, which may offset some of the financial sacrifice.

From the employer standpoint, dual career assistance can offer valued employees with a very tangible measure of support.  This can result in the employee accepting multiple or long term assignments and secure their loyalty to the company.  These are intangible values, and most companies also have to justify this type expenditure in terms of return on investment.

ROI and Spousal Support

How does a company measure return on investment (ROI) for spousal support?  Instead of piecemeal approach, the position and assignment can be viewed as one cost item, including all related expenses.  The type and amount of spousal support would have to fall within those cost parameters, and then measured against potential return.

There is a trend toward offering more modest spousal support for long term transfers abroad, where the level of total compensation is based on host country economic levels (plus specific benefits), rather than the home country.  Nonetheless, for executive and highly skilled employees, there may be exponential business value in having them accept the assignment, and some flexibility may be necessary when computing spousal support amounts.

Challenges in Providing Dual Career Support

While an easy idea to grasp, dual career support can be more difficult to implement successfully.  There may be issues with increased taxation, valuing benefits in kind and assessing the correct time frame for support.

Key issues include:

  • Is the support geared toward securing employment in the new location for the ‘trailing partner’?
  • What is the tax effect of shifting dual income to one partner if additional compensation is offered?
  • If a compensation/benefit package is structured to offset lost income, what is the time frame and what happens if the assignment is extended? Are amounts based on home country or host country economic levels? 
  • What provisions are in place in the event the trailing partner is dissatisfied, or the couple separates while on assignment?

The Manpower Solution to Accommodate Trailing Partners on Assignment

When a company evaluates its options for dual career support one approach is the use of a Manpower (Manpower) to assist the trailing partner.  In essence, the Manpower, such as Manpower, can act as local employer of the partner, which eases the process of obtaining visas and work permits.  This could smooth the path toward local work opportunities and remove certain immigration barriers for non-traditional partners that accompany the company’s employee.

The Manpower could also employ both partners as a method to make quick entry to the new country, and can handle all aspect of payroll, tax and withholding under local laws.  If you have questions about dual career assistance and Manpower solutions please contact us

Manpower Dual Career Policy and Guidelines

Policy Statement

Manpower acknowledges the importance of supporting dual career partners in attracting and retaining a quality workforce, including the long-range economic and program quality benefits ..  As such, Manpower is committed to offering placement assistance or opportunities to existing partners of prospective and senior administrative staff whenever feasible and appropriate.

What is the Dual Career Assistance Program?

We recognizes that new candidates increasingly have partners who simultaneously are seeking employment, and acknowledges that to remain competitive in recruitment and retention, it is important to consider the employment needs of partners to retain and hire .  The presence of successful dual career assistance resources is likely to enhance organisational effectiveness in recruitment, retention, overall diversity, and sustaining a family friendly climate.  Thus, included here are suggested guidelines to assist accompanying partners of job candidates in searching for appropriate employment opportunities.  These guidelines are envisioned to work in coordination with and are subject to Affirmative Action policies, programs, and goals.

Employment Assistance, and Job Placement

Our Dual Career Assistance does replace and supersede Affirmative Action policies and obligations, also applicable policies and other collective bargaining agreements.  Due to the specifics of various labor union contracts, these guidelines currently are primarily intended to meet the needs of senior administrative staff.  However, the following recommendations are designed to be a first step in an ongoing process of developing guidelines that effectively address dual career needs at Manpower for all employees.  Moreover, we recognizes the importance of continuously evaluating the impact of dual career assistance on the overall goals of diversity .

The value of assisting individuals in dual career partnerships to obtain employment opportunities is readily acknowledged, and we has established these guidelines in that spirit.  However, it is critical to note that these efforts do operate as a promise and guarantee of employment and individuals are encouraged to take advantage of additional career search resources in adjacent communities.  

Dual Career Assistance Hiring Guidelines  

The following guidelines shall be applicable to and govern dual career assistance hiring opportunities in accordance with the dual career assistance program established by us:

1. Advertising

A notice that Manpower is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action (EEO/AA) employer and is responsive to the needs of dual career couples will appear in faculty job advertisements.

2. Providing Information

A Dual Career Hiring Resources webpage describing these guidelines and all other available resources will be linked from various other university sites, including the Office of Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity and Diversity (“Affirmative Action”), Office of the Provost, Human Resources, and the Office of Community, Equity, and Diversity (CED).  Affirmative Action and Human Resources shall ensure that all search committees and all employment applicants receive information regarding the University’s process for providing assistance to dual career partners.  Candidates in a job search as well as current University employees have an opportunity to inquire about assistance and procedures in regard to dual career partner hires. Equal Employment Opportunity policies dictate that such inquiries are confidential and will not influence hiring or promotion decisions.

3. Definition of Dual Career Partner

A dual career partner must be the spouse or domestic partner of an employment applicant or employee, as defined by state law and referred to in the collective bargaining agreement.

4. Requesting Dual Career Information and Assistance.

Formal assistance for dual career concerns, as outlined below, are provided to on-site interviewee finalists, candidates with job offers, and existing employees seeking dual career assistance.  Other applicants may also inquire about dual career information informally and confidentially by contacting the Director, Staff Recruitment and Retention.

         A. Manpower Employment. When the interviewee finalist, candidate with job offer, or existing employee inquiries about partner employment at Manpower, the following steps are recommended:

  1. The Search Committee Chair or Department Chair of the interviewee finalist, candidate with job offer, or existing employee should be apprised and provided the partner’s curriculum vitae. The appropriate Chair will contact the personnel associated with the position and/or the Director, Staff Recruitment and Retention to explore possible opportunities for the partner.
  2. If it is determined that an appropriate academic employment opportunity may exist, a copy of the dual career partner’s curriculum vitae and other relevant materials shall be forwarded confidentially to the Department Chair(s) in which the dual career partner is seeking employment. These administrators will explore the options between the partner and determine whether to pursue the dual career partner hire request, and which accommodation strategies are most appropriate.
  3. Accommodation Strategies. Administrators are encouraged to consider a variety of possible accommodation strategies, which could include, but are not limited to:

Expedited application for open position. A dual career partner of a candidate who has received a job offer in a search may request consideration to be an applicant for another open position as long as they meet the published qualifications and as long as the search is still open.  A search committee chair that receives such a request shall contact Affirmative Action immediately.  No action or further steps on the request can be made without approval of Affirmative Action.

Joint appointment. Joint appointments may be considered, as appropriate, in order to meet the needs of several departments/units.  Joint appointment  candidates will need to interview individually with departments and be acceptable to all parties. The participating departments will coordinate efforts, which will be reviewed by the Provost’s Office.  Guidelines for joint appointment procedures can be found here: 

Shared appointment. Dual career partners in the same discipline may be considered for a shared appointment.  In such cases, the concerned department must determine whether both individuals have appropriate credentials and qualifications, have a demonstrated potential to become tenured members of the department, and that the shared appointment meets the department needs   If the department determines that the shared appointment is feasible, it will be submitted to the head for final consideration. Shared appointments typically mean the resources of a single position are shared among the partners and convey no commitment for full support of both positions at some future date, including following positive tenure decisions.  If approved the head shall determine the terms and conditions of the shared appointment.

Soft money appointment. Eligible dual career partners may be considered for soft money positions or other short-term internal payroll positions.  These appointments are fully eligible to apply for any tenure-line or more permanent positions that become available.

Visiting position. In some situations, a temporary (usually not to exceed one year) Visiting Position may be created in order to either meet the needs of a particular department or offer a specialty area to a department that would otherwise be unavailable. During this temporary , the dual career partner is encouraged to apply for other open job opportunities within and outside the Organization.

Lectureships & per course instruction. Dual career partners may also be eligible to be considered for employment as part-time (per-course) faculty, lecturers or Faculty of Practice.

Faculty of Practice position. Faculty of Practice are full- or part-time non-tenure track appointments reserved for accomplished or distinguished individuals who have demonstrated skills and experience acquired in their chosen field of practice, and whose primary duties and responsibilities are teaching. They are appointed annually up to a maximum of five years.

Search Waiver Request. Manpower policy typically expects a national or regional search for professional staff appointments.  The Manpower Dual Career Partner Guidelines are designed for appointments that meet organisational priorities and that require rapid action.  In some cases, the Director of Affirmative Action may grant search waivers upon request when such requests are justified, rational, and in the nest interests of the organizations.  For staff postings, external posting waivers may be granted so that the we can comply with internal posting protocols as well as with requirements of specific unions.  Decisions on request for waivers of the search process under this policy shall be made by the Director of Affirmative Action.

       B.   Manpower Employment. A dual career partner may apply to any available employment position through the company’s regular hiring policies and procedures . Partners of employment applicants who have received job offers may also seek the services of the Center for Career , Human Resources, the Unit Director and/or Affirmative Action in searching for appropriate employment opportunities on site.  These representatives will be responsible for assisting the dual career partner in identifying, applying for, and interviewing for available site employment opportunities.  The unit head/chair may also identify an appropriate facilitator to assist in the job search to ensure that all possible avenues are being explored for the partner.

A dual career partner, like any other employment applicant, must be systematically       reviewed by the hiring unit. If that unit believes the dual career partner has appropriate credentials and has skills that are compatible with the unit’s needs and mission, and if the dual career partner meets published deadlines for application, it may request that the dual career partner be considered for an interview or other placement alternatives to the extent permitted by applicable collective bargaining contracts, and affirmative action policies as well as applicable laws and regulations.

     C.  Off-site Employment. Dual career partners of current employees or candidates who have received job offers may seek available University services, including the Center for Career and Experiential Education, the Business Engagement Center, Human Resources, and/or the Office of Affirmative Action, in searching for appropriate employment opportunities .  These representatives are authorized to utilize their formal and informal contacts to assist the dual career partner in identifying, applying for, and interviewing for appropriate off-site employment.

     D.   Monitoring and Oversight. Prior to a dual career hire or appointment, Affirmative Action and the Office of Community, Equity, and Diversity will review the process of all dual career partners hires to ensure that discrimination of any type has not occurred.  Affirmative Action in cooperation with Human Resources (HR) and Institutional Research (IR) will regularly collect and provide information on dual career requests and request outcomes to monitor the effectiveness of these guidelines in recruitment, retention, and diversity, and to ensure that no negative effects or unlawful discrimination against specific persons or subgroups has occurred because of these guidelines.

Manpower recognizes the value of promoting opportunities for dual career partners, and has established these guidelines to help secure this value, IT GUARANTEE EMPLOYMENT TO ANYONE ON THE BASIS OF THESE GUIDELINES. 

Human Resources provides assistance to help the recruit’s spouse in networking and locating employment opportunities within the first year of arriving in the community. While employment is guaranteed, Human Resources will provide assistance to contribute to the successful recruitment of dual-career couples.

To be eligible to participate in this program, the following criteria must be met:

  • You must be a spouse or partner of a new permanent staff member who is being employed by Manpower through a regional or national recruitment effort or a spouse or partner of a continuing staff member who is seeking job search assistance.
  • The Office department heads must make the referral for services.

Priority is given to those individuals whose spouses or partners have been employed at the Manpower less than one year. For those not eligible for all services, spouses or partners may still be able to secure information about local employers and community network partners.

Dual-career services are provided by Employment Services in Human Resources. Dual-career service availability is limited to permanent staff. Human Resources guarantee employment. The dual-career accommodation must comply with all Manpower hiring policies and procedures and be consistent with university equal opportunity and affirmative action policies and best practices.

Dual Career services are customized to best serve the career needs of each person. These services may include:

  • Job search assistance for up to one year
  • Confidential career assessment and counseling
  • Resume writing assistance
  • Assistance with interviewing techniques
  • Guidance to appropriate resources for career exploration and planning
  • Current data on how best to find job openings
  • Information about employment opportunities at Manpower,
  • Information on where to find employment opportunities and other employers in the surrounding area
  • Creative strategies for developing employment solutions with Manpower.

If a spouse meets the criteria of a soon-to-be open position, the appointment may be filled without an open search. The unit that is creating the new position will evaluate the spouse’s qualifications as it would for any vacancy. Such review should include at a minimum, a review of a resume or curriculum vitae, contacting references and an interview. The person’s qualifications should be evaluated against the qualifications of recent hires. In the case of staff hires, the department must be involved in the evaluation as they would in any staff hire. Waiver of an open Search Process must be requested in writing and include supporting documentation showing the evaluation and endorsement of the hiring department. The request will be approved by the EE Office upon the endorsement of Human Resources and the President responsible for the hiring unit’s division. Any hiring of a family member must be accomplished in compliance with existing policy. .

Dual-career services are initiated by contacting Employment Services in Human Resources. Contact may be made by email employment@germannymanpower.solutions or by calling 49208-885-3611. Services may be initiated by an administrator in the recruiting department, the individual being recruited by the department, or by the spouse/dual-career candidate.

Expat Tips—Prepare for Dual-Career Couples and Trailing Spouses

As companies continue to expand globally and as international trade and production become both easier and more cost-effective, more and more companies are sending their employees abroad. These employees, known as expatriates or “expats,” are employees from the home country who are transferred to work in a host (foreign) country.

This is done in order to implement company standards in the host country, train employees from the host country, and ensure the long-term viability of the firm in the host country. For example, if a Canadian firm wanted to ensure that a recently acquired firm in Brazil was going to produce to Canadian standards it might send one of its Canadian employees to Brazil during the critical setup of the business. In this example, Canada is the home country while Brazil is the host country.

However, despite the integral role that expats play in establishing a global commodity chain and the high cost associated with relocation and compensation, a large number of expat assignments end in failure. Often, this is due to relationship stress brought on by what is known as the trailing spouse problem. This occurs when the partner of the expat, known as the trailing spouse, has varied reactions and experiences related to relocation that puts unforeseen stress on the relationship and well-being of the expat culminating in a return to the home country and incomplete expatriate assignments.
In response to this, many employers are turning to their compensation system in order to ensure a higher expatriate assignment completion rate. Two considerations often overlooked in this undertaking are dual career couples and male trailing spouses.

Dual-Career Couples

In most cases of dual-career couples, the partner of the expat gives up his or her own career in the home country in order to relocate and maintain a relationship with the expat in the host country. The loss of a second income can result in a lower standard of living and financial instability that, coupled with the stress of relocation, can often result in low productivity at work and can cause the expat to reconsider assignment completion.

As a result, the success of the assignment is put in jeopardy unless the employer is able to compensate the expatriate for the lost wages of the trailing spouse. However, in order to combat these potentially high costs, the employer may also provide employment services to the trailing spouse. This is done in order to help ease the financial burden of relocation while also addressing the career needs of the trailing spouse.

If employment services are not offered, then an employer may also choose to provide the expat with allowances for the trailing spouse that address training and education in the host country, including job-related, cultural, and language training. All of this is included in the expat compensation package in order to decrease the psychological and monetary impact of relocation on the expat and the trailing spouse. If these measures are undertaken, there will be an increase in the expat assignment completion rate, an increase in expat productivity through a reduction of domestic stress, and you will ensure that expat assignments remain appealing to other top performers in the company.

Male Trailing Spouses

While male trailing spouses face the same challenges as their female counterparts, there is an added complexity introduced when gender stereotypes are challenged while adapting to a new country and an unfamiliar societal role. Since the majority of men in North American society have not previously assumed the primary homemaker role, their domestic consciousness as well as their lack of domestic skills can often prevent them from being able to effectively establish a home in a foreign environment while their expat partner focuses on work. This results in women being in charge of domestic responsibilities while also trying to establish company standards in the host country.

This balancing act often leads to work-family conflict where the expat feels she is not fully committed or is failing at fulfilling her roles in the family and at work, which is often due to time constraints and other stresses.

Furthermore, due to these stresses, expat engagement and productivity at work are significantly reduced, resulting in insufficient levels of performance that can ultimately lead to assignment hindrance and assignment failure. Even when a male trailing spouse regularly performs nontraditional tasks in North America, upon relocation to a traditional or less tolerant society, the male is more likely to be stigmatized when he does not work outside the home.

In addition, many of the formal and informal support mechanisms for trailing spouses are designed for women only. That is why when developing expat compensation initiatives the employer needs to directly address the concerns of male trailing spouses either through employment services, which may provide the husband with a more traditional role in society, or through cross-cultural training. Through cross-cultural training the trailing spouse would be able to learn the norms of the culture they are entering, including socially acceptable behaviors. This will also provide the spouse with realistic expectations of relocating to a new country so that any potential problems can be addressed before relocation occurs. This measure is useful for both male and female trailing spouses and results in less domestic stress on the expat and an increased probability of assignment completion.

As employers continue to expand in the global marketplace, they must continually look to utilize the knowledge and experience of expats and look to increase expat assignment completion rates in order to ensure continual profit and growth. In this effort employers must continue to incentivize and provide adequate compensation to ensure expatriate assignment completion. In today’s world, that means compensation initiatives must consider the impact of relocation on not just the expat but also on their partner. Providing expats with the foundation for success by addressing the concerns of dual-career couples as well as male trailing spouses in these compensation initiatives ensures the expat will have every chance at assignment success.


How To Apply

To request assistance through our Dual Career Employment Services Program, complete the Referral Form Placement Questionnaire and Authorization to Release Contact Information Form  and return it to the Office of Talent Acquisition,

Once your paperwork is received, an employment counselor will contact you to start the process. Please remember that it’s better to take advantage of these services during the Search Process or as soon as you know you will be relocating to Germany area. 

Unemployment benefits

Lost a job, retrenched? Find out where to go in order to register for unemployment benefits...

New arrivals to Germany do not normally qualify for any unemployment benefit, simply because they will not have made the necessary contributions or have worked the required number of hours within the defined period.

However, some EU nationals may be able to claim benefit. They must have been in work in their previous country of residence for a minimum of 360 days over the past three years (and paid contributions into the relevant schemes) and to have worked in Germany for at least one day.

Claiming unemployment benefit

Basic security benefits for jobseekers (Grundsicherung für Arbeitssuchende) provide a single set of benefits for those who can work but are unemployed or do not earn enough to cover basic living expenses. Benefits are handled by the Federal Employment Agency and local authorities.

Anyone who has been in employment in Germany and subsequently finds themselves out of work should go to their local employment office (Arbeitsamt) as soon as possible to register and make the necessary applications for benefit.

Qualification is usually dependent upon a contract of employment having been in force and payments having been made into the necessary fund. The minimum qualifying period is 12 months. The self-employed do not qualify and those who resign must wait three months before receiving benefits. Benefits are paid to those aged between 15 and 64 and are paid monthly in advance for periods of six months at a time.

There are two types of unemployment benefit:

  • Unemployment Benefit 1 (Arbeitslosengeld I), full employment benefit paid as a percentage of previous earnings
  • Unemployment Benefit 2 (Arbeitslosengeld II) a subsistence allowance

Full employment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld I)

If the claimant has no children, they receive 60 percent of their previous net earnings. If caring for children under 18, this rises to 67 percent. This benefit is payable for 90 to 360 days, depending on the length of previously insured employment and age. A full year's unemployment benefit is received if the person has worked for two calendar years or more (18 months for those aged over 55).

Subsistence allowance (Arbeitslosengeld II)

This allowance is lower than ordinary unemployment benefit and is payable when the claimant cannot receive full benefit or their period of benefit has come to an end, but they are still fit to work and registered as unemployed. Whether or not a person can claim for Arbeitslosengeld II will depend on savings, spouse's earnings and life insurance. A set amount is paid for those requiring social assistance (about €350 per month). Claimants must attend training courses, and be ready to step into any job offered them by the Arbeitsamt, even a very low paid one. Exceptions to this rule are sometimes allowed on mental, physical or psychological grounds or in cases where pay rates are deemed immorally low.

Exactly how much social assistance an individual receives depends on several factors, such as number and age of children as well as marital status.

While receiving benefits, reports must be made regularly to the job centre. The centre may make contact at any time requesting proof of job searching activities (applications and responses from different companies). Anyone claiming unemployment benefit must not be absent from their usual place of residence for longer than three weeks in each year. These holidays must be agreed in advance with the unemployment office agent.

Note: As soon as redundancy or resignation is confirmed,  the unemployment office at least three months in advance so that they can process the unemployment benefit application in time for the period of unemployment. Where the time between the announcement of redundancy or resignation is less than three months, the unemployment office should be notified within three days of knowing the end date of employment.

Unemployment

If, as an EU citizen, you last worked in Germany subject to compulsory insurance and lose your job, you may be entitled to unemployment benefit. The unemployment benefit is intended to provide social security for employees who lose their job. 

The following applies: If you become unemployed, you must contact the employment service of the country where you last worked.

Please note: If you work in a country other than the one in which you live (e.g. cross-border workers), special provisions apply.

The same conditions apply to your entitlement to unemployment benefits as to citizens of the country where you last worked. Employment and insurance periods that you have completed in other countries will be taken into account when processing your application.

Those who last worked in Germany and become unemployed are not left to their own devices, but rather receive support from the State under certain conditions. You do not only receive financial help. You also have the option of using the services of the Federal Employment Agency to search for a job. The employment agencies and job centres have a large number of funding instruments at their disposal (e.g. training and further education), which are established in the Social Security Codes II and III.

1. Unemployment benefit

If you last worked in Germany, you are entitled to unemployment benefit under certain conditions. A prerequisite is that you have previously worked for a certain period of time. As a rule, you must have worked in the last 30 months at least 12 months subject to Social security contributions. If you were mainly in short-term employment, which was limited to no more than 14 weeks from the outset, 6 months of gainful employment may be sufficient.

Tip: Employment times in other EU countries can also be taken into account. These can be verified using the PD U1 form. Information on this can be found in the Leaflet for unemployment benefit and foreign employment from the Federal Employment Agency.

If you have become unemployed or if you have found out that you will soon lose your job or apprenticeship position, you are obligated to report to the responsible Employment Agency as a jobseeker.

Attention: You must report personally to the responsible Employment agency at least 3 months before the end of your employment. If you learn of the termination of your employment less than 3 months in advance, you must report personally to the responsible Employment agency within 3 days. In order to meet this deadline, you can also contact us by phone (free service number: 0800 4 5555 000) or register online as a jobseeker. The personal appointment can take place at a later time. If you miss the deadline, you face a blocking period during which you will not receive any benefits according to Social Security Statute Book III (Unemployment benefit I).

Further information on unemployment benefit can be found in the leaflet for unemployed people from the Federal Employment Agency.

You can take your entitlement to unemployment benefit with you to another EU country for 3 to 6 months in order to look for work there during that time. This means that you can take your unemployment benefit with you from another EU country to Germany to look for work. And vice versa, you can take your German unemployment benefit with you to another EU country. You can find more information on this in the Leaflet for unemployment benefit and Foreign Employment from the Federal Employment Agency.

Please note: If you want to take your unemployment benefits with you to another country, you must first contact your employment service and meet certain conditions. Otherwise you could lose your entitlement to benefits.

Go to top

2. Basic income support

The basic income support gives you the minimum financial means you need for a living.

Employable persons who are looking for work and have no or insufficient entitlement to unemployment benefit or an income that is too low, receive unemployment benefit II according to the second Social Security Statue Book (SGB II), the so-called “Hartz IV”.

People who, for example, due to illness or retirement age are unable to work and therefore cannot work, receive support under the twelfth Social Security Statue Book (SGB XII).

Please note: For EU citizens, special regulations apply to access to these social benefits.
You can receive benefits under the second Social Security Statue Book (SGB II) if you
• work in Germany but do not earn enough to cover your living expenses or
• have worked in Germany for more than 1 year and are involuntarily unemployed. If you have worked for less than 1 year, the benefits are limited to 6 months.

Single parents entitled to benefits currently receive 446 Euro per month. Reasonable costs for accommodation and heating are also covered. Your income will be taken into account.

If you stay in Germany exclusively for the purpose of looking for a job and have not previously worked here long enough, you will only receive benefits under SGB II (basic income support) and SGB XII (social assistance) after a legal residence of 5 years in Germany.

If you are not entitled to social assistance, but are in need of assistance, you can receive benefits according to SGB XII for nutrition, personal hygiene and health as well as for accommodation and meals until you leave the country or for a maximum of 1 month within two years (bridging benefits). In particular cases of hardship (e.g. inability to travel), these benefits can be granted for longer than 1 month in individual cases.

Please note: You do not need to be willing to leave the country to receive bridging benefits! Such a will to leave does not have to be documented.

You can find detailed information in the Leaflet Unemployment benefit II / Social allowance - Basic income support for Jobseekers Social Security Statute Book II from the Federal Employment Agency. You can also use the Questions and answers catalogue of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

Tip: If you are entitled to social benefits in Germany, this also applies to your family members living in Germany.

Go to top

FAQ Unemployment

How can I transfer my unemployment benefits to another country?
I’ve lost my job. Where do I have to register?
What benefits do I receive from unemployment insurance?
What other support can I receive from the Employment Agency, besides assistance in looking for a job?


Family and children

Various State benefits relieve and support families. The most important financial benefits include child benefit, supplementary child allowance and parental allowance.

1. Benefits before and after pregnancy

The Act on the Protection of Working Mothers (MuSchG) applies to (expectant) mothers who have their job in Germany. This law protects against dangers in the workplace and gives them special protection against dismissal. Expectant mothers are only allowed to work in the last 6 weeks before the birth with their consent and not at all until 8 weeks after the birth. In the case of premature and multiple births, the mothers are not allowed to work until 12 weeks after the birth. In the case of medical premature births and other premature deliveries, the statutory period of maternity leave is extended after the birth by the days that could not be used before the delivery. In addition, the law prohibits certain types of work (for example piecework, assembly line, overtime, Sunday or night work). If a doctor certifies an individual prohibition of employment, this also applies.

In order to protect women from financial disadvantages during this time, the Act on the Protection of Working Mothers regulates various maternity benefits:

  • the maternity benefit,
  • the employer subsidy to the maternity benefit during the statutory period of maternity leave,
  • the remuneration in the event of a ban on employment outside the statutory period of maternity leave (maternity pay).

Go to top

2. Child benefit

You can claim German child benefit for your children if:

  • You are citizen of an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway (EEA countries) or Switzerland,
  • You have a place of residence or your usual place of residence in Germany and are therefore unrestrictedly subject to income tax. If you do not live in Germany or have your usual place of residence, but earn at least 90% of your income in Germany, you can be treated as having unlimited income upon application to the Tax Office.
  • A claim can also exist if you are subject to limited income tax in Germany because you do not live in Germany or have your habitual residence but are employed here and are subject to Social security contributions.

Please note: During the first three months after changing your place of residence or establishing your habitual residence in Germany, you are not entitled to child benefit if you have no domestic income during this time. This includes income from your work (non-self-employed or self-employed) or income from commercial operations (§ 2 para. 1 No. 1 to 4 Income Tax Act).

  • To be entitled to child benefit, you must be entitled to freedom of movement. You have the right of freedom of movement if you are doing a job (not self-employed or self-employed) or are a family member of an EU citizen (§ 2 para. 2 No. 1 or § 2 No. 2-7 Freedom of Movement Act/EU). If you are not employed, it is required that you have adequate health insurance coverage and sufficient means of subsistence. Otherwise you are not entitled to freedom of movement. This also applies to family members who are not gainfully employed.

Please note: If your right to freedom of movement results exclusively from the purpose of looking for a job (§ 2 para. 2 No. 1a Freedom of Movement Act/EU), you are not entitled to child benefit. This only does not apply if you were already in Germany due to another right of freedom of movement before you started looking for a job, for example because you have already worked before. In this case, jobseekers are also entitled to child benefit.

You usually receive child benefit for children up until their 18th birthday. These include:
• biological and adopted children,
• stepchildren,
• foster children,
• grandchildren.

If the child is older than 18 years old, you can only receive child benefit under certain conditions. Find more information on this in the FAQs.

Please note: If your family lives in another EU country, it must first be clarified which country is responsible for paying child benefit. It is possible that you will receive partial benefits in different EU countries. That depends on your family situation. Find out more about cross-border cases here.

The application for child benefit must be submitted to the Family Benefits Office by the parent with whom the child lives. Child benefit amounts to 204 Euro per month for the first and second child, 210 Euro for the third child and 235 Euro for each additional child.

Please note: From 1 January 2018, shorter deadlines apply for retrospective applications for child benefit. After receipt of your application, the Family Benefits Office will only pay you child benefit retrospectively for the past 6 months.

Further information on child benefit and how to apply (e.g. family benefits forms) can be found in multiple languages on the website of the Family Benefits Office. 

Go to top

3. Supplementary child allowance

The supplementary child allowance according to § 6a of the Federal Child Benefits Act (BKGG) supports parents whose monthly income is insufficient to cover the needs of the family fully. Its purpose is to ensure that parents are not dependent on receiving Unemployment benefit II because of their children. The supplementary child allowance is a maximum of 185 Euro per child per month and, together with child benefit and, if applicable, housing benefit, covers the average needs of children. Those who receive the supplementary child allowance are also entitled to benefits for education and participation and are exempt from daycare fees.

Parents are entitled to supplementary child allowance for their children if

  • the children are not married and are under 25 years old,
  • they live in the parents’ household,
  • child benefit or a benefit is received for these children, which excludes child benefit,
  • the monthly income of the parents reaches the minimum income limit of 900 Euro for parents and 600 Euro for single parents,
  • the family's needs are covered by the payment of child benefit, supplementary child allowance and, if applicable, due housing benefit and therefore no entitlement to Unemployment benefit II arises.
  • Your income, which is offset against the supplementary child allowance, is not so high that the supplementary child allowance is reduced to zero.

Please note: A previously applicable fixed maximum income limit no longer applies since 1 January 2020!

Go to top

4. Parental allowance

Parental allowance is financial support for families after the birth of a child. The parental allowance covers part of the missing income if you want to be there for your child after the birth and you therefore interrupt or limit your professional work. The entitlement to parental allowance exists if the child is domiciled in Germany or if one of the parents is or was employed in Germany. Parental allowance can be drawn by those who

  • do not work an average of more than 30 hours per week per month in the requested parental allowance months,
  • look after and bring up the child themselves,
  • live in the same household with the child and
  • have their place of residence or habitual abode in Germany.

You must apply for parental allowance at your local Parental Allowance Office. You can find the Parental Allowance Office responsible for you here.

According to the needs of the parents, the regulations on parental allowance offer different modalities.

The Basic parental allowance is 65% to 100% depending on the net income before the birth. The lower the income, the higher the percentage. It amounts to a minimum of 300 Euro and a maximum of 1,800 Euro per month. Fathers and mothers can receive it for a maximum of 14 months in total and can freely divide the period among themselves. One parent can claim a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 12 months. The full 14 months exist if both parents are involved in looking after the child and they lose their earned income as a result. Due to the lack of a partner, single parents can claim the full 14 months of parental allowance to compensate for the lost income. There are also other forms of parental allowance, for example for parents who want to work part-time while receiving parental allowance (Parental allowance “plus”). Find more information on this in the FAQs.

Please note: The following applies to all family benefits for EU workers: The country in which the parents work is primarily responsible for paying family benefits. You are also considered employed during parental leave, as your employment relationship continues during this time. If the parents work in different EU countries, the country in which the child lives is primarily responsible. It may be that the other (subordinate) State has to pay a difference if the benefit there would be higher than in the State primarily responsible.

Go to top

5. Paternal leave

Parental leave is a right of the employee regarding the employer who usually does their work in Germany, as well as for employees who work abroad, if the employment relationship is subject to German law. With parental leave you can interrupt your employment or shorten your working hours to look after your child. If you take parental leave, you are released from work. You do not receive any wages. However, you can receive parental allowance during the period under the above conditions.

Please note: You cannot be dismissed during parental leave. The employment relationship is only suspended and you are entitled to return to your job.

In order to obtain parental leave, you have to meet certain requirements. Find more information on this in the FAQs.

Go to top

6. Childcare

Children from the age of 1 have a legal entitlement to a childcare place in a child day care centre (also known as a kindergarten or “day care centre”) or in childminding (with a “child minder”). This right to care for the child applies from the first birthday until starting school.

Under certain conditions, a child under the age of 1 can also obtain a childcare place (e.g. if the parents are working, looking for work or completing an apprenticeship)

Parents can choose whether their child should be looked after in a child day care centre or by a childminder. In order to get a childcare place, you must submit an application to the responsible Youth Welfare Office.

Many Youth Welfare Offices in Germany provide appropriate forms and information on the Internet as well as an overview of the care costs involved. The Youth Welfare Offices also offer personal advice for parents and support them in finding a suitable childcare place.

Tip: If you would like to have your child looked after, you must register early. Due to the large number of interested parents, the childcare places are usually taken quickly. Many have to wait more than 6 months for a childcare place. It is best to inquire about free places as early as possible.

Care in a child day care centre is particularly beneficial for the language skills of your child. For children and adolescents who grow up with a mother tongue other than German, there are special language support offers in German in kindergarten and school.

In all Federal States, language tests are done in the child day care centre (at the latest before school enrolment) to determine whether the child needs further German lessons. This ensures that a child can follow the lessons.

Tip: For your child to be successful at school, it is important that they speak German well. So take advantage of the language support offers! In some Federal States, participation in German support programs is compulsory for those children who have found that their knowledge of German is insufficient. You can get information about the offers for German language learning directly from the kindergarten or school of your child as well as from Migration Advice and Youth Migration Services.

You can get more information on site:

  • City, municipality, district administration: Youth Welfare Offices
  • Family counselling
  • Migration advice for adult immigrants
  • Day-care centres for children (many day-care centres, for example, offer an “open day”, where you can visit the day-care centre on fixed dates and familiarise yourself with the educational concept. These open days are usually announced on the websites of the daycare centres.)

Or on the Internet:

Go to top

7. Education and participation package

In particular, children, adolescents and young adults who receive Unemployment benefit II, social allowance or social assistance or whose parents receive supplementary child allowance or housing benefit, have a fundamental legal right to educational and participation benefits. These include:

  • one-day school and day-care trips,
  • class trips over several days,
  • equipping with personal school supplies with 150 Euro per school year,
  • the trips to school,
  • reasonable learning support,
  • a grant to communal lunches as well
  • Services for participation in social and cultural life in the community (sport, music, leisure).

The educational and participation benefits are to be applied for from the responsible municipal authorities in the respective Federal State. You can find out where you can apply for the services locally here.

Go to top

8. In which country do I get family benefits?

Family benefits, such as child benefit or parental allowance in Germany, are available in all EU countries, but there are major differences in terms of their structure and amount depending on the country.

The question often arises as to which country is responsible for paying family benefits. That depends on the situation of your family.

  • If your family lives in the country where you are insured, that country is responsible for paying family benefits. You will receive family benefits under the same conditions and in the same amount as citizens of this country. This means that if you work in Germany and live here with your family, you will receive the same amount of family benefits as German citizens.
  • If your family does not live in the country where you are insured, you may be entitled to benefits in several countries. That depends on the rules in the respective countries. If you are eligible to receive family benefits in more than one country, rules of precedence decide which country pays. If the family benefits are higher in the other country, you can claim the difference in that country.

Example: One parent works in Germany, the other parent works in Poland and lives there with their child. Then you are entitled to child benefit in both Poland and Germany. In this case, Poland pays Polish child benefit because the child lives in Poland. Since the Polish child benefit is lower than the German child benefit, Germany pays the difference. All in all, you will receive as much child benefit as in the country with the higher benefits. 

The video on Child benefit in cross-border cases gives a good insight (also available in English and Polish). You can also find the Leaflet for child benefit in cross-border cases on the website of the Family Benefits Office. The leaflet contains information on the Family Benefits Office responsible for you.

Go to top

9. Videos on family benefits

Those who have children deserve the support of the State. However, as diverse as the families are, the benefits and tax allowances they need are just as diverse. This film explains the family policy benefits of child benefit, supplementary child allowance and maintenance advance as well as tax exemptions for children and the relief amount for single parents.

The video was published under the Creative Commons license by-nc-nd/3.0/. It may be redistributed and published in an unchanged form for non-commercial purposes and including the name of the author “Federal Ministry for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth and Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration”.

More videos on individual benefits for families

Go to top

FAQ Family

Do I receive child benefit (Kindergeld) if my child is 18 or over?
In what circumstances do I receive maternity benefit (Mutterschaftsgeld) and the maternity benefit top-up payment (Zuschuss zum Mutterschaftsgeld)?
In what circumstances do I receive maternity pay (Mutterschutzlohn)?
What do I have to consider when applying for child benefit?
What does childcare cost in Germany?
What forms of parental allowance (Elterngeld) exist?
What requirements have to be met so that I can receive parental leave (Elternzeit)?
What types of childcare exist?
Which country is responsible for paying family benefits if my family does not live in the country whose social security system I am subject to?

Housing benefit in Germany (Wohngeld)

Housing benefit (Wohngeld) is a government contribution towards your housing costs. It is a state subsidy intended for those on low incomes to ensure they can afford suitable housing. Generally, in order to qualify for housing benefit, you cannot be in receipt of any other benefit payments, such as unemployment benefit. Housing benefit comes in two different forms.

Rent support (Mietzuschuss)

If you are renting a room or apartment, you can apply for rent support (Mietzuschuss) to help you cover regular expenses like utilities, as well as your rent. 

Home upkeep support (Lastenzuschuss)

If you have bought your property, you can also apply for housing benefit to support you with the costs of owning a home. This may be of help in covering the costs of your mortgage, or to help you with the upkeep of the house. 

Requirements for housing benefit (Wohngeld)

In order to qualify for housing benefit, you need to fulfil the following requirements:

  • You live in Germany with a valid residence permit (if applicable).
  • You rent an apartment or a room, or you have bought a house or apartment.
  • You are registered at the same address.  
  • Your household’s combined earnings do not exceed the income threshold (see below).

In addition to this, you are not entitled to housing benefits if you are already receiving any of the following:

Your application may, however, be considered if receiving housing benefit would prevent you from needing support from other benefit schemes.

Income requirement

In order to be eligible for housing benefit, your household’s total monthly income must not exceed the total income ceilings below (for 2021). These limits vary according to the number of people in your household and your rent band (Mietstufe):

Persons in household Rent band I Rent band II Rent band III Rent band IV Rent band V Rent band   VI  
1 961 euros 999 euros 1.034 euros 1.071 euros 1.100 euros 1.128 euros
2 1.314
euros		 1.367
euros		 1.417 euros 1.468
euros		 1.510
euros		 1.550 euros
3 1.605 euros 1.665 euros 1.721 euros 1.779 euros 1.826 euros 1.871 euros
4 2.133 euros 2.197 euros 2.255
euros		 2.314
euros		 2.362
euros		 2.406 euros
5 2.438 euros 2.508
euros		 2.572
euros		 2.636 euros 2.689 euros 2.738 euros

How much housing benefit will I get?

Whether you are eligible for housing benefit, as well as the possible amount you would potentially receive, depend on the number of people in your household, the price of your rent or mortgage and your household’s total monthly income.  

Housing benefit is usually granted for 12 months at a time and is paid in advance into your German bank account. Once your entitlement period has ended, you will need to reapply. You should do this two months in advance to ensure there is no interruption to your payments.

How to apply for housing benefit

To receive housing benefit, you need to submit an application to your local housing benefit office (Wohngeldbehörde - often a branch of your local citizen's office). You will need to fill out a form and prove your eligibility, usually by providing some of the following documents:

Once you have submitted your application, it will be considered by the housing benefit authority. You will receive their written decision in the post, outlining the outcome and their reasons along with any possible prerequisites you may need to fulfil to qualify for future housing benefit payments.