The German government plans to change the rules of social support for Ukrainians who are in the country under the temporary protection program according to §24. The reform will set different conditions depending on the date of arrival in the country and may come into effect on July 1, 2026. This is reported by Visit Ukraine.
Reform §24 in Germany: what will change for Ukrainians from July 1, 2026
A key feature of the reform will be the division of Ukrainians into two categories: those who arrived in Germany before April 1, 2025, and those who entered after this date.
For Ukrainians who have been in the country before April 1, 2025, the amount of social assistance and housing compensation generally will not change. Payments will still be made by Jobcenter, but the Bürgergeld program will receive a new name - Grundsicherungsgeld.
At the same time, authorities plan to strengthen control over recipients of assistance. In particular, more attention will be paid to job searching, fulfilling employment requirements, and mandatory attendance at meetings in Jobcenter.
If you are interested in working in Germany, we suggest checking out 140,000 job vacancies on the Layboard portal.
Social payments in Germany: what rules will apply to newly arrived Ukrainians
The biggest changes await Ukrainians who arrived in Germany after March 31, 2025.
For them, the following is planned:
- transition from Jobcenter to Sozialamt;
- calculation of benefits according to the rules applicable to asylum seekers;
- possible reduction of the base payment from approximately 563 to 441 euros;
- introduction of a payment card Bezahlkarte with cash withdrawal limits;
- replacement of full medical insurance with basic medical care.
At the same time, the right to temporary protection under §24 remains. Its validity has already been extended until March 4, 2027.
Also, the right to official employment and automatic extension of residence permits (Aufenthaltstitel) remains unchanged. It is not necessary to contact migration authorities solely for their extension.
Visit Ukraine draws attention to the fact that certain details of the reform may differ depending on the federal state, so it is advisable to clarify the current rules in your region before contacting Jobcenter or Sozialamt.