At the new Hamburg Welcome Center (HWC), people with professional skills acquired abroad or with migration-related counseling needs, as well as companies hiring these individuals, will receive support and guidance.
The Hamburg Welcome Center is located at
Süderstraße 32b
20097 Hamburg
Please understand that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, personal consultations are possible by appointment only.
For all requests and inquiries, please contact the Welcome Desk staff exclusively. They will take your request and forward it to the correct contact person.
How to find us:
Take the bus line 25 to the station Süderstraße. Then you can either walk from Süderstraße past the Mercedes Benz office, then turn left and go across the courtyard and then right around the corner to entrance number 32b.
Or from Heidenkampsweg turn right behind the Mercedes Benz office and go across the parking lot to entrance number 32b on the right side.
Welcome Desk
The Welcome Desk tends the telephone hotline and the e-mail inbox of the Hamburg Welcome Center and provides information on all services offered by the center. In addition, you will receive general information on registration and deregistration, public transportation, entry regulations, and much more.
You can reach the telephone hotline at (040) 42839-5555 during the following office hours
Monday to Wednesday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday 9 a.m. to noon
Please send e-mail inquiries to info@welcome.hamburg.de. You will hear back from us within 72 hours.
Chapter overviewLegal advice and clearing office for foreigners
The Immigration Law Advisory Service (Ausländerrechtliche Beratung) advises on issues relating to immigration law, in particular on prospects for access to the German labor market, in accordance with the basic guidelines of the Ministry of the Interior and Sports (Behörde für Inneres und Sport - BIS). It primarily advises companies, migrants and immigrants living here, as well as volunteers and other institutions on questions of residence law status, general questions on residence law, employment opportunities (e.g. employer engagement), employment permit procedures or possibilities of a change of residence. In individual cases, it also supports cooperation between the partners involved - the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), the Federal Employment Agency, the BIS and the district immigration offices - with the aim of facilitating integration into the labor market within the framework of the existing legal situation.
Chapter overviewNewcomers Service
You are new in Hamburg or want to move to Hamburg? Are you still lacking information for settling in? We at the Newcomers Service can advise you on all topics from A to Z. We will provide you with free initial information and brochures on topics such as finding a place to live and work, family and childcare, school and studies, as well as culture and leisure.
Chapter overviewChapter overviewHWC-P (Hamburg Welcome Center for Professionals)
The Hamburg Welcome Center for Professionals is aimed at companies, specialists and executives and their families from Germany and abroad and is your service provider for the areas of entry and residence.
Company Service for Skilled Workers
The IQ project 'Company Service for Skilled Workers' (Unternehmensservice Fachkräfte) from the Social Ministry Hamburg supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hamburg in recruiting international skilled workers. The free and independent all-round service aims at the long-term and sustainable integration into the company and the Hamburg labor market. The consulting team continues to provide advice and support even after the skilled worker has arrived in Germany.
Chapter overviewAQtivus
Labor market-related services for employees and employers
We at AQtivus assess the professional skills and needs of employable refugees as well as immigrants and migrants and also provide support in the context of life situation counseling. We inform employers about the employment opportunities of these groups of people and strengthen their willingness to provide internships as well as training and job offers.
For employable refugees as well as immigrants and migrants we strive for qualification in the fields of crafts, professions regulated by the chamber of commerce or in medical professions.
Chapter overviewFair Integration
The IQ project 'Fair Integration' from Arbeit und Leben Hamburg supports employed persons with a refugee background and from non-EU countries in labor law issues. Advice is provided to people who are already in work, training or an internship, as well as to people who would like preventive information about their working conditions.
'Fair Integration' informs and advises on issues arising from the employment relationship, such as remuneration, working conditions, temporary work, termination and other rights and obligations as an employee. The project does not provide legal services, but can consult lawyers.
The service is free of charge and confidential. The advice is given in the language of the person seeking advice, if necessary with the help of interpreters.
Work and life - Information Centre Labour Mobility
The Information Centre Labour Mobility (Servicestelle Arbeitnehmerfreizügigkeit) supports employees from member states of the European Union who work in Hamburg within the framework of the free movement of workers, as posted employees or as solo self-employed persons.
The Information Centre provides information and advice on issues related to the employment relationship, such as remuneration, working conditions, temporary employment, termination and other rights and obligations as an employee. The Information Centre does not provide legal services, but can consult attorneys.
The services offered are free of charge and confidential. Advice is given in the language of the person seeking advice, if necessary with the help of interpreters.
The Information Centre Labour Mobility is funded by the Hamburg Social Authority and the European Social Fund (ESF).
Chapter overviewCentral Recognition Office (ZAA)
The IQ project 'Central Recognition Office' (Zentrale Anlaufstelle Anerkennung - ZAA) from the diaconal organization Hambueg helps with the recognition of foreign qualifications. It provides information on questions relating to the Recognition Act and organizes training courses and specialist events.
Chapter overviewRefugee Center
Immigrants with an unsecured residence (persons with temporary residence or Duldung) permit who do not come from a safe country of origin and are not entitled to participate in federal integration courses or other publicly funded language courses are given the opportunity to acquire a basic knowledge of the German language.
The Refugee Center also provides them with detailed learning advice and socio-pedagogical support, as well as comprehensive advice on follow-up prospects.
