The employment program for foreign students during holidays (Ferienbeschäftigung) is carried out with the participation of the Central Placement Service Abroad (ZAV) of the Federal Employment Agency. Students of full-time departments of higher education institutions with a German language level above intermediate can participate in the program. Mostly, vacancies are offered in the service sector in resort towns and recreation areas, as well as in agriculture and industry. Up to 10,000 people from different parts of the world, including from Eastern European countries, are employed in such positions per year.
According to Beata Raabe, press secretary of ZAV, Russians, for example, send about 400 applications per year. Between 80 and 150 of them receive an employment contract. 'Refusal may be due to poor language skills,' the employee explains in an interview with Deutsche Welle. 'In addition, sometimes applicants insistently want to get a position that we cannot offer them at the moment, or they do not meet the deadlines set by the employer.'
The maximum duration of a part-time job is three months per year, but there is no minimum period: it all depends on the terms of the contract and the student's capabilities. There is even a possibility of finding work in winter. However, often during the Christmas holidays, an employer needs an assistant for only 10 days, and the earnings for such a short period may not cover all the students' expenses for paperwork, flights, and accommodation.
Irina Stativka took advantage of the chance to go to Germany twice, visiting Bavaria and the Baltic Sea. Among the advantages of the program, she cites its low cost, the opportunity to earn money and get acquainted not only with the features of German culture but also with the traditions of other countries. There are more than enough foreign students in Germany in summer. Knowing several languages has helped the girl more than once.
'Once in a restaurant, visitors couldn't explain to me what they wanted to order. They tried in English, but it was at a low level; they tried in Italian – I don't know that language. They didn't know German,' Irina recalls. 'Suddenly they started speaking Ukrainian among themselves! It turned out they were my compatriots who now live in Italy.'
A typical work week lasts six days. The salary does not differ from the earnings of Germans in similar positions. 'According to the contract, I was supposed to work 6-8 hours a day, but sometimes I had to stay a little longer. All overtime hours were paid without any problems,' Irina says. In her free time, she traveled and met interesting people. Among the vivid impressions that Germany left were visiting thermal springs and swimming in alpine lakes.
'If there are representatives of our service's partner network in the candidate's country, the student should contact them directly,' emphasizes Beata Raabe. A list of partner organizations can be found in the information brochure. For Ukraine, such a representative is the public organization MultiKultiUA. All employers are necessarily checked by the German side; controversial issues are resolved through representatives of ZAV.
Program participants advise those wishing to spend summer vacations in Germany to discuss with the employer issues of salary, job duties, and housing provision in advance to avoid unpleasant surprises. It should be kept in mind that the offer received may not necessarily be a contract from a dream company. Many students go to work at McDonald's or pick fruits and berries. Nevertheless, the first practical experience gained abroad can play an important role in the development of a specialist.
Application deadlines are set by ZAV partner organizations. For summer employment, documents must be ready as early as winter. The application includes:
• Completed form with photograph.
• Certificate of German language proficiency.
• Copy of driver's license (if available).
• Certificate of a set form confirming student status, issued by the university. Specialists recommend preparing several copies in case the employer needs one of them.
Only original documents without corrections in German or English, as well as certified translations, are accepted. The necessary forms and sample certificates are posted on the ZAV website or on the websites of partner organizations.