I have graduated from a university in Germany and found a great job that matches my degree. With this work contract, I have applied for a residence permit for employment. My documents were accepted and I have received a Fiktionsbescheinigung (my student residence permit is no longer valid).
Today I was informed that my employer is facing bankruptcy and the majority of the employees, including me, were let go. I was also told that I am entitled for severance pay if I apply at the Arbeitsamt.
What does that mean for my residence permit? Will it still be processed to the end or is my application no longer valid? Should I apply for the severance pay? I understand that I need to look for a new job immediately, since I don’t have any other “proof of being able to secure my livelihood”. Is it best to call the ABH directly and tell them about the layoff or wait to get a residence permit?
Thank you so much for the answer! I already received a termination letter, but there is a cancellation period, so I am still employed until the end of November (Sorry, I should have mentioned it from the start). My plan was to look for a job immediately, and in case I can find a new job before I am officially unemployed, then I would just notify ABH that I changed my job. If I can’t find a job in time, I will tell them about the situation. Is this a good idea or should I just tell them directly now what’s going on?
First you’ll have to inform the Arbeitsagentur, that’s a mandatory step you can’t delay, even if you’re not entitled to benefits. They will not automatically inform the ABH (yay data privacy laws!), so you can wait for 2 more weeks, but really shouldn’t drag it out too long.
I’d also recommend to have a lawyer review your termination letter - if you’re out of the probation period, it’s not as straightforward to fire someone, bankruptcy or not. But to counter a termination you must file a protective lawsuit within 3 weeks of the date you received it, and that’s a hard deadline. It’s fairly inexpensive, and always recommended, really.
Thanks, but what exactly would I achieve with that? My only goal right now is to stay in Germany. I would be great to get severance, but I don’t really have much hope in that regard. The more i read the replies and discussions, the more confused I get. People recommend so many things, and I don’t understand what I am supposed to get out of those actions.
Fair question. You don’t achieve any direct benefit, but you get the official documentation of your unemployment status. It is creating the ‘paper trail’.
Some day later, you may need that in order to get some other benefit or to avoid formal/legal complications. The longer you are going to stay in Germany, the more likely you will have such a situation.
It’s not severance, it’s a benefit you’re entitled to and that you paid for. Secondly, without providing evidence that you did everything possible to keep your job and maintain your livelihood, this may later be held against you.
Is your Aufenthaltstitel, even in the Fiktionsbescheinigung, tied to the specific employment at this company?
If so, you need to inform the Ausländerbehörde immediately and tell them, that you are looking for a different job and ask them how to speed up the process of getting the working permit for a new position from the Agentur für Arbeit.
If you have a Aufenthaltstitel for employment and it is tied to a specific company your title is still valid when you no longer work at that specific company. The working at that specific company is a limit to your title, not a condition of it.
The Ausländerbehörde should get back to you with a timeframe, in which they expect you to find a new job. You are obliged to inform them about any change immediately, e.g. within 14 days. While you are it, showing them that you are proactive about finding a new job is in your best interest.
thanks! I wil call them. My current Fiktionsbescheinigung doesn’t say anything about a job.