Assistance to migrants in employment and integration in Germany: help desks, reference services, free consultation centres in English, German, Polish and Russian
- Information on the page:
- BAMF help desk
- Consultation centres
- Support programs
- Employment support
- Comments and questions
§ Federal Office for Migration and Refugees
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) is the main government structure in Germany, which organizes consultations and support for migrants with regard to education, employment, qualification, language proficiency, and other issues of integration. The BAMF Central Help Desk as to the migration laws of Germany is available in the German and English languages by telephone +49-911-943-0 (within Germany, 0911-943-0) on working days and in work-hours.
The BAMF Central Help Desk as to the migration laws of Germany in the German and English languages: 0911-943-0
§ Consultation, counselling centers
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees supervises multiple consultation, counselling services for adults (Migrationsberatung für erwachsene Zuwanderer) and consultation, counselling services for youth (Jugendmigrationsdienste), which offer free-of-charge consultations on many issues in the migrants’ native languages including, among others, English, Russian, and Polish. Apart from providing information, such centers help in the actual resolution of problems and offer consultations on the free integration courses of the German language, recognition of qualifications and diploma confirmation, insurance policies, allowances, housing issues, etc.
Where can you find counselling centers in the vicinity of your location?
- WebGIS - the Internet system for searching the BAMF consultation centers. Having reached this website, click on "Schnellsuche", download your postal ZIP code or city and the maximum distance to consultation centers in kilometers. You will receive the list of such centers with addresses and telephone numbers.
- JMD - the system for searching consultation centers of the youth migration service for young people at the age of 12–27 years old. Consultation can be also received anonymously, in which case it is necessary to get registered on the website.
- Information on consultation/ counselling centers can be received as well in your municipal administration (Gemeindeverwaltung, Stadtverwaltung) and at the Foreigners' Office (Ausländerbehörde).
Free-of-charge consultation, counselling centers operating in foreign languages
With the BAMF support, the free-of-charge consultation centers have been opened in the following charity associations and organizations as well as in the Christian Church institutions in Germany. Some of those provide consultations in the English, Russian, Polish, and German languages.
- Deutscher Caritasverband - Association helping the persons being in difficult life situations. Internet consultations are also available.
- Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO) - Charity Union for helping the socially unprotected people as well as migrants and refugees.
- Deutscher Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband - German Parity Welfare Organisation offers consultations, courses, and seminars on various issues. The list of its members includes the well-known "Pro Familia" association.
- Deutsches Rotes Kreuz - Red Cross of Germany, too, operates in providing support for migrants.
- Zentralwohlfahrtsstelle der Juden in Deutschland - Jewish Charity Union.
- Bund der Vertriebenen - Federation of Expellees, which pursues the objective to help refugees, in-migrating persons and expellees.
- Diakonie Deutschland - social church service providing help and support.
Besides, some Russian Diaspora organizations in Germany, too, offer consultation services.
§ Support programs, integration courses
Together with free-of-charge consultations, different programs of support are organized in Germany to help migrants, and some of those are presented below:
| Identity and Integration Plus | The 200-hour course for integration available for the later in-migrating persons and their family members. The course conducted by various schools and institutions is financed by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. The course curriculum includes the issues of education, employment, as well as the daily life in Germany. Various trainings, included in the course, will be helpful, for instance, in finding a job and getting hired. Information on the given course is available in the counselling centers for migrants. |
|---|---|
| Initial orientation courses for asylum seekers (refugees) | A learning course for refugees with the unclear prospect includes 300 lessons for introductory study of the German language and orientation in Germany. The course curriculum also covers the issues of job placement in Germany. |
| Otto Benecke Stiftung e.V. Higher Education Guarantee Fund | Young people at the age under 30 years old, willing to receive higher education or have their diplomas issued in another country confirmed can be assisted by the Otto Benecke Stiftung e.V. Higher Education Guarantee Fund. This fund organizes the German language courses, pays allowances, and offers consultations. |
| Integration Through Qualification (IQ) Support Program | Another program meant to help migrants is Integration Through Qualification. The consultation centers operating within its framework offer advice on such issues as recognition of qualifications and diploma confirmation, as well as on the available options for competence upgrading. |
§ Employment support
Migrant consultation centers/ counselling centers provide legal advice on employment in Germany as well, however, the Federal Employment Agency in Germany provides direct assistance in finding employment, offering support in job search and actual employment, as well as pays our unemployment allowances. Read more about the Federal Employment Agency and the services it provides on a dedicated page of our website.
Detailed information and consultations on the confirmation of a diploma in Germany is also available on a dedicated page of our website.
- Employment in Germany
- German labour law
- How and where to find work in Germany
- Available vacancies in Germany
- Employment agencies and intermediaries in Germany
- Work permit in Germany
- Confirmation (nostrification), recognition of a diploma, education in Germany
- Forced labour, human trafficking and exploitation in Germany
- Fraud and deception in job ads, employer reviews
- Documents for employment, an employment contract in Germany
- Resume for obtaining work in Germany: samples, examples, rules for drawing up
- Job interview in Germany
- Experience of work in Germany: sharing your experience
- Migrant assistance, counselling centers and help services, help desks in Germany
