In brief
- Job
- Forklift driver (m/f/d), Warehouse worker (m/f/d), Production helper (m/f/d)
- Location
- Göttingen, Estorf (near Hanover), Paderborn, Diemelstadt
- Pay
- from €15.33 per hour gross, forklift drivers from €16.08
- Contract
- official employment contract in Germany (temporary work, Zeitarbeit)
- Who can apply
- EU citizens and their family members, Ukrainian citizens (§ 24), people with a German residence permit that allows work; aged 18 or over
- German language
- not required, but a plus
- Support
- moving and address registration (Anmeldung); accommodation can be provided if needed; our recruiters speak German, English and Russian
- For applicants
- free of charge
Anyone looking for work in Germany quickly comes across the terms Zeitarbeit, Leiharbeit, Arbeitnehmerüberlassung or Personaldienstleister (temporary work, agency work, temporary agency work, staffing service provider). At their core, they all mean the same thing. Here we explain it without official jargon – and for everyone who prefers to ask questions in English or Russian: you can do that with us.
As of: October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice.
The short answer
In temporary work (legally: temporary agency work, Arbeitnehmerüberlassung), you sign an employment contract with a staffing agency and work at a client’s company. Your employer is the staffing agency: it pays your wages, registers you for social insurance and gives you holidays. The rules are set out in the Temporary Agency Work Act (AÜG).
Three parties
- You as a temporary worker – you sign the employment contract with the staffing agency.
- The lender (temporary work agency, Verleiher) – your employer, responsible for wages, contract and insurance.
- The hirer (client company, Entleiher) – the company where you actually work, for example a logistics warehouse. On site, you receive your work instructions from the client.
Before each assignment, the agency must tell you the name and address of the client company (§ 11 AÜG).
The employment contract
You have a regular employment contract with the temporary work agency. It contains the main conditions such as wages, working hours, holidays and area of work. Under § 11 AÜG, it must also include information about the licensing authority. When you sign the contract, you receive an information sheet from the licensing authority about your rights – in your native language on request.
Important: if the agency temporarily has no assignment for you, it must still pay your wages. This right cannot be excluded by contract (§ 11 (4) AÜG).
Your rights at a glance
| Topic | Legal rule |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage | statutory minimum wage, 2026: €13.90 per hour gross |
| Collective agreement | many temporary work agencies apply a collective agreement of the temporary work sector |
| Equal pay | same pay as permanent employees; deviation by collective agreement usually only in the first 9 months (§ 8 AÜG) |
| Maximum assignment period | no more than 18 consecutive months with the same client; different collective agreement rules are possible (§ 1 (1b) AÜG) |
| Holidays | by law at least 24 working days with a 6-day week, i.e. 20 working days with a 5-day week |
| Sickness | continued pay for up to 6 weeks; you are entitled after 4 weeks of employment |
| Social insurance | health, pension, unemployment and long-term care insurance |
Equal pay in more detail
Under § 8 AÜG, temporary workers must receive the same essential working conditions, including pay, as comparable employees of the client. A collective agreement may in principle differ on pay only for the first nine months of an assignment. Longer only if the pay rises in stages and reaches an equivalent level after 15 months at the latest.
Minimum wage and our pay
Since 1 January 2026, the statutory minimum wage has been €13.90 per hour gross, and from 1 January 2027 it will be €14.60 (source: Federal Government). With us, you earn from €15.33 per hour gross, as a forklift driver (m/f/d) from €16.08 per hour gross. You can read how gross pay becomes net pay in the article Gross and net.
The licence from the Federal Employment Agency
Temporary agency work is only allowed with a licence (§ 1 (1) AÜG). The licensing authority is the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit). A reliable temporary work agency
- has this licence and can prove it,
- names the licensing authority in the contract,
- has a complete imprint with company name, address and register number.
If in doubt, ask directly about the licence. Reliable companies will answer this without hesitation.
Advantages for newcomers
- Quick start. Staffing agencies are often looking for staff all the time, and the way to a contract is usually shorter than with a direct application.
- Help with settling in. Many staffing agencies – including us – help with moving and address registration. More under Moving and registration.
- Support in a language you understand. While your German is still growing, it is easier to clarify questions about your contract and documents in English or Russian.
- Work experience in Germany. You gain experience that counts on your CV.
- Chance of being taken on. Some clients later offer good workers a direct contract. Possible, but not guaranteed – the client decides.
Common myths about temporary work
“It’s not a real job.” Yes, it is. You have an employment contract with a German company, pay taxes and social security contributions, receive a payslip every month and have all employee rights.
“The temporary work agency keeps part of my wages.” The client pays the staffing agency for providing workers – this is a separate contract between the companies. Your wages are set out in your employment contract; only taxes and social security contributions are deducted.
“When the assignment ends, I am immediately without money.” Your employment contract is with the staffing agency, not with the client. The end of an assignment does not automatically end the contract. Usually an assignment with another client follows, and your wages continue to be paid in the meantime.
“Nothing works without German.” German skills are a big plus, and learning German is worth it. But for many simple jobs in warehouses and production, a basic level is enough to start. We also consider applications from people who do not speak German yet.
How to recognise dishonest offers
Watch out for these warning signs:
- Fees “for the place”, “for papers” or as a deposit – invalid under § 9 AÜG.
- No written employment contract or “We’ll sort that out on site”.
- No company details: no imprint, no address, only a messenger number.
- No information about the licence under the AÜG.
- Work without papers or “with a tourist visa”.
- Unrealistic promises: very high wages, “guaranteed work for everyone”.
More examples in the article How to spot fake job offers. You can read whether you are allowed to work in Germany at all under Who can work in Germany?
How it works with us
- Application. You fill out our short application form – free of charge and without obligation.
- Interview in German, English or Russian. We contact you by phone or messenger and clarify your documents, experience and arrival date.
- Contract. We discuss the work location and conditions and sign the employment contract.
- Moving. We help with moving and registration; accommodation can be provided on request.
- Start of work. You work in the warehouse or in production at our client – and you can come to us with questions in English or Russian.
Open jobs
We are looking for warehouse workers (m/f/d), forklift drivers (m/f/d) and production helpers (m/f/d) in Göttingen, Hanover and Paderborn. If you are allowed to work in Germany, apply now – we will get back to you.
