From Ukraine to Berlin: stay, work, train or study

For people who already live in Berlin with temporary protection, and for people in Ukraine or elsewhere who want to come for work or study. How long § 24 protection lasts, how to switch to a work, training or study permit without leaving Germany, what the end of protection would mean, and which Ukrainian rules matter. Every statement is tied to an official source. Free, independent, no agency.

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Guide

🧭Which route fits me?Already in Berlin with § 24, or still in Ukraine or a third country: a short decision guide. 🛡️Temporary protection (§ 24)Who is covered, what the permit allows, residence rule, travel – the basics of your current status. 📅Extensions and deadlinesEU extension to 4 March 2028, automatic validity of German permits, rules for new arrivals from 9 October 2026. ⏳When protection endsWhat the end of temporary protection would mean, the EU plan for a coordinated transition, and your options now. 🔄Switching from § 24 to a work permitWhy and how to move from temporary protection to a regular permit without leaving Germany. 💼Route: skilled worker and EU Blue CardBlue Card, skilled-worker permits, salary thresholds 2026 and the fast-track procedure. 🃏Route: Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)Job search permit with points system (§ 20a AufenthG) – mainly for people outside Germany. 🛠️Route: vocational training (Ausbildung) and nursingDual training in Berlin with § 24 or a training permit, pay, German level, and nursing as a common path. 📜Recognition of your qualificationanabin, ZAB Statement of Comparability, regulated professions, vocational qualifications – who decides and what it costs. 🎓Route: study in BerlinStudying with § 24 or with a student permit (§ 16b): money, work rights, job search after graduation. 🏫Admission with Ukrainian certificatesSchool certificate, Studienkolleg, direct admission after study in Ukraine, and the 2026 rules for war-time certificates. 🗣️Learning GermanIntegration course, job-related German courses and language certificates. 🏠Staying long-termSettlement permit after work or protection, Blue Card shortcuts, and German citizenship with dual nationality. ✈️Coming from Ukraine or a third countryVisa-free entry, the special Ukraine rule until December 2027, national visas for work and study, refusals. 📂Documents from UkraineApostille, translations, documents you cannot obtain any more, and documents from occupied areas. 🇺🇦Ukrainian rules: military service, passports, citizenshipExit restrictions for men, military registration and Reserve+, consular services, and the 2025 dual citizenship law. 🛬After arrival in BerlinAddress registration, residence permit at the LEA, advice centres, school and childcare. 🤝Find your communityFree advice in Ukrainian, associations, churches, film, Saturday schools and first-language lessons for children, and where to look for work. 🏛️Social benefitsBasic income support through the Jobcenter, what changes when you switch status, and the planned law for new arrivals. 💶Costs at a glanceFees, salary thresholds and money you must show, by route (2026). ⚠️Avoiding scamsPaid appointments, fake job offers, "guaranteed" permits and fake authority messages – and how to check before you pay.