Unemployment insurance; application for voluntary continued insurance

If you are no longer compulsorily insured under the unemployment insurance scheme, you can continue to be insured on a voluntary basis under certain conditions.

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Under certain conditions, you can apply for compulsory unemployment insurance so that you can receive unemployment benefits if you should become unemployed at a later date. You are eligible for insurance if you

are self-employed for at least 15 hours per week, or
are employed abroad outside the EU, the EEA or outside Switzerland for at least 15 hours per week, or
are raising a child more than 3 years old on parental leave, or
are undergoing further vocational training and thereby
- are able to advance professionally, or
- are awarded a vocational qualification, or
- can pursue another professional activity.

The monthly contribution in 2023 will be

EUR 88.27 (West) and EUR 85.54 (East) for self-employed persons.
- In the first year of your self-employment and the following calendar year, you pay only half the contribution.
88.27 EUR for foreign employees
44.14 EUR (West) and 42.77 EUR (East) for persons on parental leave and for persons undergoing professional training.

You pay the monthly insurance contribution alone and directly to the Federal Employment Agency.

If you are employed abroad, there must be no posting. In other words, you must not be working temporarily for a foreign company on behalf of your German employer. Otherwise, you would continue to be subject to German social security regulations, and voluntary continued insurance in unemployment insurance would not be possible.

If you are employed in another European country in addition to your job, the social insurance law in that country applies. It is then not possible to apply for compulsory insurance under German law.

Note: If you terminate your self-employment or employment abroad and claim compulsory application insurance, you must make demonstrable efforts to find work again as quickly as possible.

You were compulsorily insured in the social insurance system for at least 12 months within the last 30 months before taking up the activity/employment abroad or starting the parental leave/continuing vocational training, for example as an employee or trainee, or
Immediately before taking up the activity/employment abroad or starting the parental leave/continuing vocational training, you were entitled to an income replacement benefit in accordance with the Third Social Code (SGB III), e.g. unemployment benefit, but not citizen's allowance, and
You are neither subject to compulsory insurance nor exempt from compulsory insurance under the unemployment insurance scheme.
The compulsory insurance relationship is excluded if you were already subject to compulsory insurance as a self-employed person, interrupted your self-employed activity twice and claimed unemployment benefits during the interruption periods.

Required Documents
- ID card or Passport and registration certificate, residence permit, work permit
- Social security card
- Work certificate
- Termination letter / employment contract
- CV

You can apply for compulsory unemployment insurance in writing to the Employment Agency:

Download the form online from the website of the Employment Agency and print it out or have the form handed over to you on site at the Employment Agency.
Fill out the form and attach the necessary supporting documents.
Submit the application documents to the employment agency. If possible, hand in the completed application documents in person.
You will be notified of the decision on your application in writing by mail. Your compulsory insurance relationship upon application begins on the day on which the requirements are met for the first time, if necessary also retroactively.

Alternatively, you can also submit the application online.

Go to the website of the Federal Employment Agency. Then call up eServices via the menu, click on "Show all services" and then on " Voluntary compulsory application insurance".
Here you will find accessible documents that can be filled out digitally, as well as the upload for the application and other supporting documents.
Download the application form appropriate for your job and complete it electronically.
Prepare the necessary supporting documents. Make sure that the necessary evidence is available in digital form. For example, you can photograph the documents with your smartphone or a digital camera and upload them as an image file.
Log in with your user account.
- If you do not have a user account, you must first register. If you do not remember your access data, follow the steps on the Forgot Username or Forgot Password page.
- Alternatively, you can receive an access code for the online portal by mail.
From your user account, you can upload the application for compulsory unemployment insurance coverage and all supporting documents and submit them to the Employment Agency.
Missing documents and changes can also be submitted or communicated online.
You will be notified of the decision on your application. You will find this notification in your profile in the "Notification filing" area - provided you have agreed to online delivery.
Your compulsory insurance relationship upon application for unemployment insurance begins on the day on which the requirements are met for the first time, if necessary also retroactively.