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ALG I Explained for Expats: How Much Will You Get and for How Long?
Maximize your unemployment benefits in Germany. A clear 2026 guide to ALG I payouts, duration rules, and how to protect your income after a layoff.
ALG I — Arbeitslosengeld I — is Germany's unemployment insurance benefit. If you've been working here and paying into the social security system, it provides income replacement while you look for a new job. Understanding exactly how it works means you can plan your search from a position of clarity rather than financial anxiety.
Who Qualifies
You need three things: contributions to German unemployment insurance for at least 12 months within the last 30 months; official registration as unemployed with the Bundesagentur für Arbeit on the first day of unemployment at the latest; and active job-seeking availability for at least 15 hours per week.
For most employees in Germany, contributions are deducted automatically from salary. Mini-job workers and the self-employed are generally not covered unless they opted into voluntary contributions.
How Much You'll Receive
ALG I pays 60% of your previous average net salary — 67% if you have at least one child. As a rough guide: if your previous net monthly salary was €2,500, expect approximately €1,500 per month without children, or €1,675 with children. There is a cap — in 2025, maximum benefit is approximately €2,640 to €3,425 gross per month depending on tax class and family situation.
How Long You'll Receive It
Duration depends on contribution length and age. For people under 50, the maximum is 12 months after 24 months of contributions; the minimum is 6 months after 12 months of contributions. Roughly: for every two months of contributions, you receive one month of ALG I.
Over 50, the maximum increases: age 50+ with 30 months of contributions gives up to 15 months; age 55+ with 36 months gives up to 18 months; age 58+ with 48 months gives up to 24 months.
What Can Reduce or Suspend Your Payment
If you are considered to have caused your own unemployment — by resigning without good reason or signing a mutual termination agreement (Aufhebungsvertrag) — you may face a Sperrzeit of up to 12 weeks with no benefit paid. This is a significant consideration before signing any employer-offered settlement.
Registering late also triggers a blocking period. If you knew your employment was ending and didn't register within three days of finding out, benefits can be suspended. This is the most avoidable mistake — and one I see expats make regularly simply because they didn't know the rule.
Health Insurance During ALG I
While you receive ALG I, the Bundesagentur für Arbeit pays your statutory health insurance contributions in full. If you're privately insured, they contribute up to the standard statutory amount — you cover any difference.
After ALG I Ends: Bürgergeld
If you haven't found employment by the time ALG I ends, you may be eligible for Bürgergeld — Germany's basic income support programme, which replaced the old Hartz IV system in 2023.
Bürgergeld is means-tested, which means your savings, assets, and (if applicable) your partner's income are taken into account. In 2025, the standard rate for a single adult is €563 per month. This is a base figure — on top of it, the Jobcenter also covers reasonable housing and heating costs (Kosten der Unterkunft) up to limits set by your local authority, and your statutory health insurance is paid in full.
For expats, eligibility depends on your residence and work permit status. EU citizens and holders of long-term or settlement permits are generally eligible. If you're on a time-limited work visa or EU Blue Card, your entitlement is less straightforward — it's worth clarifying this with your Ausländerbehörde early, because Bürgergeld receipt can in some cases affect permit renewal.
The programme comes with real obligations. You'll be assigned a caseworker at the Jobcenter (a separate agency from the Agentur für Arbeit), and you'll be expected to actively seek work, document your efforts, and participate in measures they propose — language courses, retraining, or placement programmes. The first 12 months carry a so-called Vertrauenszeit (trust period), during which sanctions for non-compliance are lighter. After that period, failing to meet your obligations can result in benefit reductions.
The practical reality: Bürgergeld provides a financial floor, not a comfortable runway. The base rate is modest, and the oversight obligations increase over time. If ALG I is your reason to job-search strategically, Bürgergeld is your reason not to let the search drift past it.
