Most of the people working in Germany are employees. However, there are also around four million self-employed people. New immigrants and refugees can also become self-employed subject to certain conditions. However, immigrants can only start up a business if they have a German residence permit.

For individual advice and information on other requirements, please reach out to your contact at the Federal Employment Agency:

Agentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)

Heinrich-von-Stephan-Straße 18, 51373 Leverkusen

Phone: 0800/ 4555500

www.arbeitsagentur.de

Opening hours:

As part of the IQ-Integration durch Qualifizierung integration programme, the federal gov-ernment and the EU are supporting the ActNow project with the aim of teaching entrepreneurial skills to migrants in Germany.

ActNow offers free workshops, advice, and individual coaching and training for immigrants on the topics of self-employment/business know-how, professional prospects and brainstorming. ActNow is sponsored by the Migrafrica association in Cologne. However, the project operates all across NRW.

ActNow – training for migrants on business know-how and skills

Migrafrica VJAAD e.V.
Nicola Deuticke, Project Co-Worker ActNow
Koblenzerstr. 11
50968 Köln

E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.migrafrica.org 

further Information and Downloads

www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/aktuelles/fluechtlinge-bei-existenzgruendung-unterstuetzen-450838

www.existenzgruender.de/DE/Home/inhalt.html

www.arbeitsagentur.de/fuer-menschen-aus-dem-ausland/existenzgruendung-in-deutschland