Under the new rules, all Ukrainians who arrive in Germany after April 1, 2025, will receive aid not according to the standard of German unemployed, but under the law for asylum seekers. This means that the amount of monthly payments will be reduced by almost three times.
This was reported by the Bild publication.
How payments will change
Currently, Ukrainians in Germany receive 563 euros per month (for a single person), and the state additionally covers housing and heating expenses. After the changes, those falling under the new category will receive about 180 euros per month plus accommodation and basic services.
The decision was made by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) and Social Policy Minister Barbel Bas (SPD). Thus, Berlin officially ends the four-year «special status» for Ukrainians, introduced after the full-scale invasion began.
Why the decision to cut was made
In the coalition agreement, the German government had previously foreseen a change in the status of Ukrainians, but the process was delayed due to the resistance of local authorities. Representatives of states and communities explained that recalculating the aid was «too bureaucratically complicated». One coalition member explained to Bild:
«Municipal bodies would have to redo thousands of cases. It is not worth the effort. The main thing is that we have established new rules».
What awaits Ukrainians in Germany
Currently, about 1.1 million Ukrainians live in Germany. The government hopes that the changes will motivate more people to seek employment, as the employment rate among Ukrainians remains low.
If you are interested in working in Germany, we suggest checking 78,000 job vacancies on the Layboard portal.
Ukrainians who arrived in Germany after 2022 received Bürgergeld under the same conditions as unemployed Germans — this ensured them significantly better social protection than other categories of refugees. However, against the backdrop of rising expenditures and public discussion about «excessive aid», the government decided to revise the support system.