Being offered a job opportunity

    If you receive Citizen's Income and would like to improve your employability, you can be assigned to a work opportunity by the Jobcenter.

    Description

    Have you been unemployed for a long time, possibly with health restrictions and would like to get back on your feet professionally? A work opportunity gives you, as a recipient of citizen's allowance, the opportunity to carry out an activity that prepares you for employment on the labor market.

    The activities to be carried out must be additional, non-competitive and in the public interest.

    A work opportunity can only be considered if your integration into the labor market cannot be achieved with other benefits. A work opportunity usually lasts up to 24 months. It can be extended by up to 12 months.

    Work opportunities are carried out by a suitable organization. This can be, for example, an educational institution, a charitable and welfare-oriented company or a non-profit association.

    The working hours are determined by the Jobcenter on a case-by-case basis.

    Your contact person at the Jobcenter will assign you a work opportunity. In addition to your Citizen's Allowance, you will receive an additional expense allowance, for example for additional travel costs or work clothing. The amount of the additional expense allowance is based on the actual expenses incurred as a result of participating in the work opportunity. You will only receive the additional expenses allowance for hours in which you have actually performed work, i.e. not for sick leave, vacation days, weekends and public holidays.

    You are insured against accidents through your training provider.

    If you receive benefits in kind from your measure provider from your own funds, such as a monthly bus and train ticket, your additional work allowance will be reduced accordingly. If you receive additional cash benefits from the measure provider, these will be taken into account as income and offset against your citizen's allowance.

    The costs required to carry out the work opportunities will be reimbursed to your measure provider.

    The decision on a work opportunity is at the discretion of your Jobcenter. You do not have a legal entitlement to this support.

    Online service

    Jobcenter online über die Teilnahme an einer Arbeitsgelegenheiten informieren

    ID: B100019_104102397

    Description

    Wenn Sie Bürgergeld bekommen und Ihre Beschäftigungsfähigkeit verbessern möchten, können Sie vom Jobcenter in eine Arbeitsgelegenheit zugewiesen werden. Sie können dem Jobcenter online mitteilen, ob und wann Sie an einer Arbeitsgelegenheit teilnehmen.

    Use this service online

    Trust level

    You need an account with password to use this online service (trust level: low).

    further information on the level of trust for online services

    Identification

    • no identification

    Language

    Deutsch

    Sprache: de

    Competent office

    You can find the Jobcenter responsible for you via the office finder.

    Contact point

    You can find the Jobcenter responsible for you via the office finder.

    Contact person

    Bundesagentur für Arbeit (BA), Arbeitnehmer-Hotline

    Opening hours

    Monday 08:00 - 18:00 Tuesday 08:00 - 18:00 Wednesday 08:00 - 18:00 Thursday 08:00 - 18:00 Friday 08:00 - 14:00

    Contact

    telephone: +49 800 4555500(Service-Hotline der Bundesagentur für Arbeit; gebührenfrei)

    Version

    Technisch geändert on 17.10.2025

    Language version

    Deutsch

    Sprache: de

    Englisch

    Sprache: en

    Sprachbezeichnung nativ:

    English

    Bundesagentur für Arbeit (BA), Dienststellenfinder

    Internet

    Version

    Technisch geändert on 10.11.2025

    Language version

    Deutsch

    Sprache: de

    Englisch

    Sprache: en

    Sprachbezeichnung nativ:

    English

    Required documents

    None

    Prerequisites

    • You can be assigned to a work opportunity if
      • this benefit is necessary for your integration into work and no other benefit can be considered for you to introduce you to the labor market and
      • you have not been assigned to work opportunities for more than 24 months within the last 5 years.
    • The work opportunity must
      • be additional, i.e. the work to be performed would not be carried out without the support, would not be carried out to the same extent or would only be carried out at a later date.
      • be in the public interest. Your work must therefore serve the general public, not commercial interests or a limited group of people.
      • be competition-neutral, i.e. no regular employment relationship may be displaced or prevented.
    • Objection to assignment to the work opportunity

    Procedure

    You will receive a job opportunity from your contact person at the Jobcenter.

    • Your contact person will explain the type, scope and duration of the work and tell you who you will be working for. Your interests will also be taken into account.
    • You will also be informed of the details of the work opportunity in writing.
    • You can also confirm your assignment online.

    Deadlines

    None

    Processing time

    None. The work opportunity is usually agreed directly during the consultation.

    Costs

    There are no costs.: Fee free of charge

    Further Information

    Area of validity

    Germany-wide

    Official approval

    Officially approved by Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS) on 01.12.2023

    Version

    Technisch geändert on 08.09.2025

    Keywords

    Job center, Labor market, Measure, Promotion

    Language version

    Deutsch

    Sprache: de

    Englisch

    Sprache: en

    Sprachbezeichnung nativ:

    English