Die Beauftragte für Integration und Migration Welcome to Berlin englisch Impressum Willkommen in Berlin (englische Version) Welcome to Berlin Herausgeber: Die Beauftragte des Berliner Senats für Integration und Migration Potsdamer Straße 65 10785 Berlin Telefon: (030) 9017-2351 Telefax: (030) 9017-2320 E-Mail: [email protected] Internet: http://www.integrationsbeauftragte.berlin.de Konzeption und Text: Martina Gembus Bildnachweis: Titelbild: Fernsehturm, © Berlin Partner / FTB-Werbefotografie S. 5: © Senatskanzlei Berlin, Rainer Jensen S. 6: Hüseyin İşlek S. 7: Fred Vollmer Lektorat: Diane T. Schöppe Übersetzung: Übersetzungsdienst Skrivanek GmbH www.skrivanek-gmbh.de Übersetzung ins Englische: Herr Matthew Schneider Druck: AZ Druck und Datentechnik GmbH, Berlin http://berlin.az-druck.de Satz & Layout: Christoph Holzki www.satzinform.de Berlin, Juni 2013 Copyright © 2013 Die Beauftragte des Senats von Berlin für Integration und Migration ISBN 978-3-938352-63-2 Welcome to Berlin — Table of Contents Table of Contents I. Welcome to Berlin ............................................................................................................... 5 Greetings from the Governing Mayor of Berlin ....................................................................... 5 Greetings from the Senator for Labour, Integration, and Women’s Affairs .............................. 6 Introduction from the Senate Commissioner for Integration and Migration ............................ 7 2. New in Berlin ..................................................................................................................... 8 2.1 First steps ...................................................................................................................................... 8 2.2 Counselling services for new immigrants .................................................................................. 9 2.3 The integration course ............................................................................................................... 11 3. The State of Berlin and its city districts (administrative structure) ................................... 13 4. Commissioner for Integration and Migration .................................................................... 16 4.1 The Berlin Senate Commissioner for Integration and Migration .......................................... 16 4.2 City District Commissioner for Integration and Migration ..................................................... 18 5. The Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde) ..................................................................... 19 5.1 Support with residency issues in special life situations ........................................................ 20 II. Living in Berlin: Living, working, raising children, education, and education services ....... 22 6. Living in Berlin .................................................................................................................. 22 6.1 Finding an apartment ................................................................................................................. 22 6.2 Calculating rent .......................................................................................................................... 22 6.3 Tenant associations .................................................................................................................... 23 6.4 Obligation to register ................................................................................................................. 24 7. Working in Berlin .............................................................................................................. 24 7.1 Employment services: employment agencies .......................................................................... 24 7.2 Who is allowed to work? ............................................................................................................. 28 7.3 Social insurance and taxes ......................................................................................................... 28 7.4 Employee interest groups .......................................................................................................... 29 7.5 Self-employment ......................................................................................................................... 29 7.6 Acknowledgement of professional qualifications acquired abroad ..................................... 30 8. Anti-discrimination and equality ....................................................................................... 32 8.1 Equality between men and women ........................................................................................... 32 8.2 State office for equality – against discrimination (Landesantidiskriminierungsstelle) ....... 34 1 9. Counselling and aid for families ........................................................................................ 35 9.1 Offices for families and raising children (Erziehungs- und Familienberatungsstellen) ...... 35 9.2 Children’s allowance (Kindergeld) ............................................................................................. 35 9.3 Berlin Family Pass (Berliner Familienpass) .............................................................................. 36 9.4 Families in Berlin – the Family Advisor (Der Familienratgeber) .............................................. 36 10. Institutions for children and youths, school, education, and third-level eduction ............ 36 10.1 Day-care centres (Kitas) ........................................................................................................... 36 10.2 School: From start to finish ..................................................................................................... 39 10.3 Youth services in Berlin ............................................................................................................ 42 10.4 Help for delinquent children .................................................................................................... 44 10.5 Professional training ................................................................................................................ 44 10.6 Studying in Berlin ...................................................................................................................... 46 10.7 Acknowledgement of educational diplomas .......................................................................... 47 11. Further education ........................................................................................................... 48 11.1 How can I find the right program? .......................................................................................... 48 11.2 Adult education centres ........................................................................................................... 49 11.3 The Federal Agency for Civic Education (Landeszentrale für politische Bildungsarbeit) .. 52 12. Health – medical care in Berlin ......................................................................................... 52 13. People with disabilities ................................................................................................... 54 13.1 Support for people with disabilities ........................................................................................ 54 13.2 Work and disabilities ................................................................................................................ 55 13.3 Regional representative for people with disabilities in Berlin ............................................. 56 14. Consumer protection ..................................................................................................... 56 15. Self-help: Voluntary civil involvement ............................................................................. 57 16. Debt counselling services ............................................................................................... 58 III. Transportation, culture, and recreation in Berlin .......................................................................................................................... 60 17. Travelling in Berlin .......................................................................................................... 60 17.1 Public transportation ............................................................................................................... 60 17.2 Travelling by bicycle, car, taxi ................................................................................................. 60 18. Culture and recreation .................................................................................................... 62 18.1 Events: museums, theatre, cinema in Berlin ......................................................................... 62 18.2 Sports ......................................................................................................................................... 64 18.3 Recreation areas ...................................................................................................................... 67 2 Welcome to Berlin — Table of Contents IV. Long-term integration .................................................................................................... 68 19. Legal information regarding extended stays in Berlin ..................................................... 68 19.1 Residency rights .......................................................................................................................