Under­stand­ing an invitation from the Jobcenter

Last updated: October 2026

The Jobcenter invites you to an appointment. This is a common letter and usually no reason to worry, but the appointment is mandatory.

Sample letter

Made‑up sender, made‑up names. The letter often looks like this or similar.

What does the letter mean?

The Jobcenter wants to talk to you, usually about work, training or courses. This kind of appointment is also called a registration appointment (Meldetermin).

The most important part is at the bottom: the notice of legal consequences (Rechts­fol­gen­be­leh­rung). It says that you may get less money if you do not show up without a good reason.

Deadlines

• The appointment itself: the date, time and room are in the letter.
• If you cannot come, get in touch before the appointment, ideally in writing, or by phone with a note of when and with whom you spoke.

What you can do

1. Put the appointment in your calendar and plan enough time to get there.
2. Get the documents ready that are listed in the letter.
3. If you are ill, a normal sick note is sometimes not enough. Ask your doctor for a certificate saying that you cannot come to the appointment, and send it to the Jobcenter right away.
4. If you have questions about the meeting, you may bring a person you trust.
5. You can often get your travel costs to the appointment paid back. Ask about it at the appointment.

This guide does not replace legal advice. Every letter is different: deadlines and amounts apply as they are written in your letter. If you have questions, an advice centre can help.

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