AVGS voucher: what it is, what it says and how to redeem it

The AVGS (Aktivierungs- und Vermittlungsgutschein) is a voucher from the Agentur für Arbeit or the Jobcenter. It confirms that a measure can be funded for you and sets its goal and content. Start-up coaching needs an AVGS for a measure at a Träger (provider) with the goal „Heranführung an eine selbständige Tätigkeit“ (preparation for self-employment). There is no legal entitlement to this voucher.

No legal entitlement: The employment agency or job centre alone decides on the AVGS, at its own discretion.

Whether AVGS coaching could work for you, the Fit Check shows you after five questions. Already have a voucher? Here’s how to redeem it.

Contents

1. What is the AVGS?
2. What the AVGS is for
3. MAT, MPAV and MAG: the three types of voucher
4. What your voucher says
5. How to redeem the voucher
6. What the voucher covers and what it does not
7. What happens if you drop out of the measure
8. Frequently asked questions about the AVGS voucher
9. Your next step

What is the AVGS?

The activation and placement voucher is governed by § 45 SGB III (in German). With it, the Agentur für Arbeit certifies that you meet the requirements for funding. It also sets the goal and content the measure is to have (para. 4).

Unemployed people, people looking for vocational training and jobseekers at risk of unemployment can receive the voucher (para. 1). If you receive Grundsicherungsgeld, you get it from the Jobcenter. This is set out in § 16 para. 1 SGB II (in German), which refers to the benefits of SGB III. Who qualifies in detail is covered in AVGS eligibility.

The AVGS is not money paid out to you. The Agentur für Arbeit or the Jobcenter pays the Träger where you take part in the measure. According to the Federal Employment Agency (in German), the voucher is mainly issued when the agency offers no suitable measure of its own. It is a discretionary benefit.

What the AVGS is for

§ 45 para. 1 SGB III lists the goals for which a measure can be funded. Number 2 has been repealed, which leaves four.

No.	Goal of the measure	Example
1	Preparation for the training and labor market, removing barriers to placement	application coaching
3	Placement in employment subject to social insurance	private job placement
4	„Heranführung an eine selbständige Tätigkeit“ (preparation for self-employment)	start-up coaching
5	Stabilizing a new job	support in the new job

For a start-up, number 4 is what counts. A voucher for application coaching cannot be used for start-up coaching, even if both are called “coaching”.

MAT, MPAV and MAG: the three types of voucher

Vouchers and notices often carry abbreviations. In its technical instructions (in German), the Federal Employment Agency distinguishes three types. They follow the three routes that § 45 para. 4 sentence 3 SGB III provides for the voucher.

Abbreviation	Redeemed at	For	Legal entitlement
AVGS-MAT	a Träger with an approved measure	coaching and qualification, including start-up coaching	no
AVGS-MPAV	a private job placement agency	placement in a job subject to social insurance	yes, under conditions
AVGS-MAG	an employer	in-company measure of up to six weeks	no

AVGS-MAT: measure at a provider

MAT stands for „Maßnahme bei einem Träger“ (measure at a provider). This is the type that start-up coaching runs through. The Träger itself needs approval (§ 176 SGB III (in German)). Its measure must be approved under § 179 SGB III (in German) and match the goal and content of your voucher. Both are checked by an accredited certification body under the AZAV (Akkreditierungs- und Zulassungsverordnung Arbeitsförderung, the ordinance on accreditation and approval in employment promotion).

AVGS-MPAV: private job placement

MPAV stands for „Maßnahme bei einem privaten Arbeitsvermittler“ (measure at a private job placement agency). Here an agency looks for a job subject to social insurance for you. It is only paid if it succeeds: 2,500 euros, or up to 3,000 euros for the long-term unemployed. Of this, 1,250 euros are paid after six weeks in the new job, the rest after six months (§ 45 para. 6 SGB III).

Only this type comes with a legal entitlement. You have it if you receive Arbeitslosengeld (unemployment benefit) and have not been placed after six weeks of unemployment. The six weeks count within a period of three months (§ 45 para. 7 SGB III). An AVGS-MPAV does not help you start a business. A voucher for start-up coaching (AVGS-MAT) remains a discretionary benefit.

AVGS-MAG: measure at an employer

MAG stands for „Maßnahme bei einem Arbeitgeber“ (measure at an employer). It lets you get to know a company during a trial period of at most six weeks. For the long-term unemployed, up to twelve weeks are possible (§ 45 paras. 2 and 8 SGB III). This type also leads into employment, not into self-employment.

What your voucher says

An AVGS can be limited in time and by region (§ 45 para. 4 SGB III). According to the Federal Employment Agency (in German), it states four requirements that the measure must meet.

Requirement	What it means for start-up coaching
Goal of the measure	„Heranführung an eine selbständige Tätigkeit“ under § 45 para. 1 sentence 1 no. 4 SGB III
Maximum duration	how long the coaching may last, often in teaching units or hours
Validity	the date by which you must start the measure
Region	where you may take part

Check the goal and the type first. If it names a measure at a Träger with the goal of self-employment, the voucher fits start-up coaching. If it names a region, ask the Träger whether online coaching fits it.

How to redeem the voucher

You receive the voucher in a meeting with your Vermittlungsfachkraft. How that works is explained in the guide How to apply for AVGS. Once you have it, the Federal Employment Agency describes four further steps.

1. You look for a measure that matches the requirements of your voucher. The Träger checks the voucher and confirms your participation.
2. Your Vermittlungsfachkraft checks whether the measure helps you professionally and whether the conditions of the voucher are met.
3. You receive a Bewilligungsbescheid (approval notice). The Träger is also informed that the measure has been approved.
4. You start the measure. The Träger must present the voucher before the start (§ 45 para. 4 SGB III).

How to recognize a suitable provider is explained in the guide Choosing an AVGS provider.

What the voucher covers and what it does not

The measure costs you nothing if your Vermittlungsfachkraft agreed in writing before you take part. That is what the Federal Employment Agency (in German) states. Travel costs and childcare costs can be reimbursed under certain conditions. Ask about this before the measure begins.

What coaching is worth and what that depends on is explained in the guide on the AVGS measure value. The voucher does not cover:

• your living costs; after the start, the Gründungszuschuss (start-up grant) or the Einstiegsgeld (integration allowance) can help with these (see AVGS and the start-up grant)
• the fee for the fachkundige Stellungnahme (expert statement)
• the costs of setting up the business, such as business registration, a notary or tax advice

What happens if you drop out of the measure

Dropping out without good reason has consequences for your benefits. With Arbeitslosengeld, a Sperrzeit (benefit suspension) can apply (§ 159 para. 1 no. 5 SGB III (in German)). With basic income support, dropping out counts as a breach of duty (§ 31 SGB II (in German)). Grundsicherungsgeld can then be reduced by 30 percent of the standard rate (§ 31a SGB II (in German)).

If the coach is not a good fit for you, talk to the Träger about switching before you drop out.

Frequently asked questions about the AVGS voucher

Is the AVGS the same as the Bildungsgutschein (education voucher)?

No. The Bildungsgutschein under § 81 para. 4 SGB III (in German) funds vocational further training. The AVGS funds measures for activation and integration, for example coaching.

Do I have to pay for the AVGS coaching myself?

No, as long as your Vermittlungsfachkraft approved it in writing before the start. If you start earlier, you risk that the costs are not covered.

Do I get money paid out with the AVGS?

No. The Agentur für Arbeit or the Jobcenter pays the Träger directly. You only get travel or childcare costs reimbursed if this was agreed in advance.

Can I redeem the voucher with any provider?

No. The provider must be an approved Träger and offer an approved measure that matches the goal and content of your voucher.

What do I do if my voucher expires soon?

What matters is the date by which the measure must begin. Contact a Träger early so that confirmation and approval are done in time.

Your next step

If you already have a voucher with the goal of self-employment, you can use it for AVGS start-up coaching. The coaching is in German and requires German at B2 level or above. No voucher yet? The Fit Check shows you in five questions whether the coaching suits you. The Agentur für Arbeit or the Jobcenter decides on the voucher at its own discretion.