What are the real salaries in Germany: refugees share their observations

Many Ukrainians still perceive Germany as a country where even simple jobs guarantee high incomes and a comfortable life. However, refugees increasingly talk about a different reality: minimum wages, hard work, and high expenses that "eat up" a significant part of their income. This is reported by TSN citing the story of Ukrainian Lyudmyla Rusina.

Salaries in Germany for Ukrainians often remain minimal

According to Lyudmyla Rusina, a significant portion of Ukrainians in Germany work for minimum wage, even if they have a good education and professional experience.

She notes that among refugees, there are often accountants, engineers, or marketers who cannot quickly find jobs in their specialty and agree to lower salaries.

«Foreigners are invited for interviews specifically knowing that they can get a good specialist with excellent education and experience for minimal costs», - said the Ukrainian.

She mentions that the pay difference among employees is often only 300–400 euros and directly depends on skills, experience, and language knowledge.

Working in Germany often turns out to be harder than expected

Lyudmyla specifically pointed out the working conditions in areas that Ukrainians often consider profitable. For example, drivers and long-haul truckers can earn good money, but due to overtime hours and constant night shifts, the actual hourly pay becomes significantly lower.

A similar situation exists in jobs with multiple shifts. Even under a heavy schedule, many workers still remain at the level of minimum wage.

At the same time, the woman emphasizes that income in Germany should be compared considering local costs for housing, food, transportation, and insurance.

If you are interested in working in Germany, we suggest checking out 125,000 job vacancies on the Layboard portal.

The minimum wage in Germany is significantly higher than in Ukraine

According to the Ukrainian woman, the current gross minimum wage in Germany is approximately 2400 euros. In comparison, the minimum wage in Ukraine is around 8600 UAH, or about 165 euros.

«It is quite possible to live well on such money in Germany», - concluded Lyudmyla Rusina.

Against the backdrop of economic difficulties in the EU, more and more countries are also reviewing the rules for supporting Ukrainian refugees, tightening requirements for receiving assistance and legalizing their stay.

It should be reminded that Germany has tightened the rules for receiving social assistance, which already affect Ukrainians with temporary protection. Now, refusal of a proposed job can lead to loss of benefits from the first instance.