How to get free career coaching when you're unemployed with Germany's AVGS voucher

Whether you work in a startup or a long-established company, you'll be aware of an increase in layoffs in recent years. 

If you're affected by them, or even if you've left your job for another reason, don't despair: Germany offers support to get people back into the labour market. 

One of those resources is career and founder coaching. People who are unemployed or at risk of unemployment can access this for free with what's known as an AVGS voucher from the Germany's unemployment agency (Agentur für Arbeit) or the Jobcenter. 

READ ALSO: Four steps to take straight away after losing your job in Germany

What exactly is the AVGS voucher?

The Aktivierungs- und Vermittlungsgutschein, or AVGS voucher for short, literally means an 'activation and placement voucher'. 

This is a government-funded resource that grants holders access to short-term courses designed to help jobseekers find employment or improve their chances in the job market. In comparison a Bildungsgutschein is usually issued for longer-term educational courses.

With the AVGS voucher, you can access job coaching and certain types of training.

Who can get the AVGS voucher?

The AVGS is available through Germany's Agentur für Arbeit or Jobcenter. People who receive the unemployment benefits known as Arbeitslosengeld or Bürgergeld can apply for it. (Note that according to current government plans, the Bürgergeld benefit is set to be adjusted and renamed 'Neue Grundsicherung' as of spring 2026.)

In general, eligible groups include:

• People registered as unemployed or job seeking
• People threatened with unemployment (for example during a notice period)
• Returnees to the labour market after a break (for example after parental leave)

Anyone who falls into these categories can potentially get the voucher, including foreign residents. 

But keep in mind that the AVGS is known as an 'Ermessensleistung', or a discretionary benefit. That means there’s no automatic legal entitlement.

Receiving the voucher depends on your individual circumstances and the assessment of your caseworker.

READ ALSO: Germany's best employers for professional development 

What can the voucher be used for?

The AVGS voucher funds a few different services including short-term coaching and qualification programmes. Popular options are career counselling, startup founder consulting and interview preparation.

It can also sometimes be used to pay for private recruitment agencies if the participant thinks they have a better chance of finding employment through this channel. 

All providers have to be certified. This is to make sure the training or coaching meets official standards.

How do I go about getting it?

First, it's a good idea to figure out what kind of career coaching or training you'd like to do and find a certified provider. You can even reach out to a provider at this point to say you're interested in receiving counselling, and that you want to apply for the AVGS voucher.

By the way, coaching or training courses that can be funded by the AVGS will state it clearly on their website. Officially, these courses are called "measures for activation and vocational integration". For English speakers, firms like Fired Up may be a good option, but you'll find lots of different companies and individual trainers by searching online.

READ ALSO: 'Get uncomfortable' - 5 expert tips for job hunting in Germany 

Then get in touch with your caseworker at the Agentur für Arbeit or Jobcenter to state that you think coaching or training will help you get back into work. You can say you've found a company or specialist, and that you would like to request an AVGS voucher.

If you get the green light, you'll soon receive a letter from the authorities with various details about the voucher, such as how many hours of training or counselling it provides.

You can then get back in touch with the coaching provider who will check the requirements of the AVGS voucher. If they can accept you into the course, they will let you know the next steps. Usually you'll be asked to send the voucher to the provider who then communicates back to the Agentur für Arbeit, but the process can vary. 

If all requirements are met, you will receive an approval notice from the employment agency. It is typically a letter stating that you are authorised to participate in the programme during a certain timeframe. The programme provider will also be informed that everything has been approved.

What happens next?

After that you can start the coaching or training.  Make sure to schedule your programme when you have plenty of time to take part – sometimes the coaching can be intensive.

The length of courses vary, but they commonly take around four to eight weeks to complete. 

Keep in mind that your recruitment advisor may want to arrange a meeting after the course to see how it went and whether you're any closer to taking the next steps in your career.