Job and career

You can use the following form to report vacancies to us, which we will then share on the channel.

Gross/net salary, how to calculate how much I will receive?

Website to help calculate your net salary→ https://www.gehalt.de/einkommen/brutto-netto-rechner 

Website where you can see the average salary in German cities → https://www.gehalt.de/ 

Minimum wage per hour (gross, if not a minijob).

From 01.01.2022 – 9,82 €

From 01.07.2022 – 10,45 €

From 01.10.2022 – 12 €

Calculation of the minimum wage for 40 hours, an example from 01.01.2022 to 30.06.2022

The number of hours per month is 173,33

Current Minimum wage = 173,33 * 9,82 €= 1 702,13 € (until 1.7.2022)

Health insurance contribution?

A general health insurance contribution rate of 14.6% is usually applied, even if you work part-time. The employee pays 7.3%, and the employer – the rest – 7.3%. In addition, there is an additional contribution, which may vary depending on the health insurance company. This amount is also divided equally between the employer and the employee.

If you earn less on your part-time job than the Minijob wage, you are entitled to an insurance exemption.

Is the salary taken into account when calculating social help money?

Financial help to meet basic needs (i.e. to ensure the level of life) is received only by those who need it, i.e. those who cannot cover the cost of living from their own income or property. The audit takes into account your own income and assets partially; there are various non-taxable minimums.

What documents are required to apply for a vacancy in Germany?

Paying to find a vacancy is a scam. All job postings in Germany are free.

When it comes to qualified professions in the office, most of the documents should be submitted online.

Resume (CV) – German CVs are high quality, structured, without grammatical errors with good photos. Tip: It is better to remove the photo from the CV, if it is not professional. CV must be compiled in chronological order, starting from the last or current place of employment. Only provide professionally relevant information.

Cover letter – (optional, but good to have) – can increase your chances of receiving an invitation to an interview. Contains a brief argumentation for applying for a specific position. Write only relevant, clear and concise information. Be creative, do not use banal introductory and concluding sentences that you find on the Internet. People should want to read your letter to the end and prefer you to the dozens and hundreds of other applicants.

Recommendation letters – (optional) – this is the standard when applying for a vacancy.

Diplomas, certificates – (optional). For regulated professions (eg. engineer, doctor) – required.

Examples of projects, portfolio – (if any available). Important – do not send files in an archive, provide links to secure sources.

What do you need to pay attention to in the employment contract?

The employment contract is concluded in writing with the signatures of both parties.

Wages in Germany are usually indicated as gross (taxes are not yet deducted).

Probationary period – 6 months. During these 6 months, the leave notice period for the employer and the employee is 2 weeks. During the probationary period, the employer has the right to dismiss the employee without explaining the reasons for dismissal.

Vacation – 24 days when working 6 days a week, 20 days when working 5 days a week. Many German employers give extra days.

Leave notice period after the probationary period – four weeks to the fifteenth or the end of the calendar month. The term may be extended by the employment contract.

Fixed-term contract (with a specified deadline) – does not require dismissal by the employer or employee. Can be concluded for 2 years.

Part-time employment is common for women with children, 30 to 35 hours per week.

The number of working hours per week is usually 40, some companies may reduce it, for example, to 39.

Overtime – can be paid, a maximum of 10 hours a day

Break – after 6 hours of work there is supposed to be a break. 6-9 hours: 30 minutes break. 9 hours: 45 minutes break. There should be an 11-hour resting period between the end of work in the evening and the start of work in the morning.

Sick leave – sick leave slip must be provided within 3 days, usually on the 3rd day of illness. Sometimes by the contract you have to provide the sick leave slip from the first day of absence from work. A new employee is not entitled to sick leave payments from the employer in case of illness during the first four weeks of work. During the first 6 weeks, the employer pays the full salary. If you are ill for more than 6 weeks, you will receive financial help from a health insurance company.

Dismissal – after the probationary period, if the company has more than 10 people, there is a protection against dismissal and the right of the employee to file a complaint to the court within 3 months from the date of receipt of the notice of dismissal.

Job Certificate (Arbeitszeugnis) – can be provided to any employee, contains information about the work tasks, as well as an assessment of your performance.

More information on employee rights (in english) → https://handbookgermany.de/en/work/labor-rights.html 

Do I need a proof of qualification/diploma?

Recognition of your professional qualifications is mandatory, if you want to work in a regulated profession (eg. doctor, teacher). In non-regulated professions, recognition of qualification significantly increases the chances of finding a job that matches your qualification.

More information on the recognition of professions can be found on the website (also in Russian) https://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/html/de/index.php 

You can get a free consultation on the recognition of your qualifications in the recognition and qualification counseling centers under the Integration through Qualifications (IQ) program. The nearest counseling center can be found here: https://www.netzwerk-iq-sachsen.de/annerkennung/

Information in Russian on the recognition of documents can be found at: https://www.berlin.de/willkommenszentrum/ru/etap-4-rabota-i-obrasowanie/prisnanie-kwalifikazii/ 

Main types of employment in Germany

Full-time employment (Vollzeit Beschäftigung) – Such a contract may be open-ended or limited in time, depending on the type of work and the employer. In Germany, this is an ideal option for those who need confidence in the future, seek a work visa and want to stay in the country for a long time. Under this employment contract, you work 40 hours per week, and the probationary period is a maximum of 6 months, unless otherwise specified in the contract.

Part-time employment (Teilzeit Beschäftigung) – A more flexible, contractual contract for those who need to work 20-35 hours a week.

Minijob – A small number of working hours and a low salary of up to 450 euros / month. Under such conditions, the employee does not pay taxes and social security contributions.

Student contract (Studentenjob) – Prerequisites for such a contract – to be enrolled in a German university. The maximum number of working hours is 20 hours per week, 120 full working days per year or 240 part-time days per year. Usually student contracts are very flexible.

https://ukr-dim.de/poshuk-roboti-v-bierlini/

What is a minijob?

Minijobbers in Germany are those who earn less than € 450 per month or whose employment is limited to three months or 70 working days per year and – if the salary exceeds 450 euros per month – this employment is not the main job (short-term employment). This type of employment is informally called Minijob, and officially – Geringfügige Beschäftigung. There are separate laws and rules of taxation for this type of labor relations 

https://www.tupa-germania.ru/rabota/minijob-450.html

Due to the increase in the minimum wage to 12 euros this year, the upper limit of wages for minijobbers  will also increase. It is planned to be 520 euros per month. According to the Federal Minister of Labor the new limit on minijob will apply from October 1, 2022.

Minijobbers are insured in the state system against accidents at work and diseases caused while working. They do not pay contributions to social security: medical insurance, care insurance and unemployment insurance. Default pension contributions must be paid, but this can also be waived. At the same time, employers are obliged to pay their share of social security contributions from wages.

Under labor law, part-time workers have the same status as their full-time counterparts. They have the right to the statutory minimum wage, as well as to receive salary in case of illness and absence from work on holidays.

Labor law (in Ukrainian)

https://sachsen.dgb.de/ukraine/++co++d5488486-b0d3-11ec-b52f-001a4a160123

Am I allowed to work in Germany?

Employment without a residence permit, i.e. during your stay completely visa-free, is not allowed.

Those who have received §24 AufenthG residence permit can start working immediately. Usually the following is written on the back of the id-card – Erwerbstätigkeit (ist) gestattet. For your own safety, we always ask you to sign a proper employment contract with your employer. You can also start a company or work as a freelancer. As this may require additional permits, it is recommended that you first seek appropriate advice.

§24 AufenthG id-cards are not issued immediately, as they still need to be made. In this case, the Fiktionsbescheinigung (temporary permit) is issued. Look for the following text in this document: “Erwerbstätigkeit erlaubt”, “Beschäftigung gestattet”. This means that you are allowed to work.

If you see an ad: only a passport is required to work – this is illegal. You can work in Germany only after obtaining a work permit. Illegal employment can lead to serious consequences, recalculation or denial of social help.

Working using Polish/Czech/Croatian documents is illegal. These documents are valid only in the country where they were issued. Work visas cannot be “transferred”.

German employers do not ask for a passport before concluding the contract, and even more so they do not take it away.

What is legal employment?

Legal employment – ensures the existence of an employment contract that meets the requirements for the minimum wage, according to which payments are made to all social insurance funds (health insurance, pension insurance, unemployment insurance, etc.)