Registration with Employment Agency as unemployed

photo by Maria Kostyleva (IG:masha_and_film)

For some time in 2024 I was unemployed. Very unusual situation for me. I got my first job in 2006 and since then I have had back-to-back jobs: at the end of my employment at one place, I always had a contract signed and a starting date arranged for the new job.

18 years with 0 days of unemployment. 

Also I'm living in Germany, but I was not born here, so whenever I worry about my future here, I remind myself that since I arrived here I pay taxes & social contributions, I'm nice to neighbors and always separate the trash for recycling. And, like many other not-born-in-Germany people living here, I worried how long I would be allowed to stay if I was just nice to neighbors and separated the trash.

Huge contribution of uncertainty, when one suddenly faces unemployment is simply lack of information. You don't read every day a story of someone, who is applying for unemployment  benefits and how this process goes. "Bundesagentur für Arbeit" has pretty much info online, but it would’ve helped to know what to expect.

What is next?

If you paid the mandatory insurance contribution (Arbeitslosenversicherung) for at least 12 months, then you are entitled to unemployment benefits, typically around 60% of your salary. If you paid the contributions for more than 2 years, you can count on 12 months of his support. For most people I know it's more than enough to find a new job, even at current economy.

To receive unemployment benefits, you should register with the Employment Agency. This happens in two stages:

1. Registration as a "Job Seeker" (Arbeitsuchend). As soon as you realize that you will soon be left without work, without waiting for the official end of the contract.

Procedure: create a profile on arbeitsagentur_dot_de and fill out a short questionnaire. 

2. Registration as "Unemployed" (Arbeitslos). The official deadline is the day after the last working day specified in the letter terminating your contract. In fact it's better to do it earlier. Because all your employers over the past 5 years must send them a document electronically confirming that you worked there and it takes some time.

You can do this online with a document confirming your identity (e.g a residence permit card) and a phone with NFS. Among several stages there will be "identity verification" - for this, it is better to log into your account from your phone. Everything else can be done from a PC.

3. You’ll get an appointment at the Jobcenter where they explain support options, like their job-board portal and paid training programs. I came across a very smart consultant who knows the difference between a Data Analyst and a Data Engineer. This probably does not always happen, but all the employees at the agency that I have met were very nice and friendly, no one asked me anything about how I got to this point in my life.

Two other topics, which were important for me back then:

Health insurance

If you have public health insurance, the Employment Agency will now pay for it. For family members included in your insurance, nothing will change, all conditions remain the same.

Part-time job (Nebenjob)

If you earn over €167/month and work under 15 hours/week, your benefits will be reduced by the amount you earn. Over 15 hours counts as full-time, and you lose entitlement. In any case, you will need to notify the Employment Agency: fill out a form and tell them what you do and how much you earn from it (if you work as a self-employed/freelancer, a rough estimate is enough).

Having something to focus on in the first days of unemployment was actually helpful— it kept my mind occupied and distracted from negative thoughts. Knowing I had a full year to figure out my next steps also brought a sense of calm and reassurance. Another major source of support came from family, friends, and former colleagues through their encouraging words, offers to connect me with others, or simply by spreading the word about me.

If you were unemployed, feel free to share what helped you to go through this period and hug someone, who is going though it right now in the comments.