German town offering two-week free flat in scramble for skilled workers

The eastern German town of Eisenhüttenstadt is offering international skilled workers free accommodation for two weeks, to come and see if they could imagine living there.

German town desperate for skilled workers offering free flat

Eisenhüttenstadt, the “ironworks city” formerly named Stalinstadt, lies on the Brandenburg border with Poland, and like many German cities and towns, it is desperate for skilled workers.

In a scramble to attract them, local authorities have launched a new project: “Now's the Time – Trial Living in Eisenhüttenstadt”, aimed at skilled workers or self-employed people who have a permit to work in Germany or the EU and speak German at C1 level.

Applications close on July 5, after which local authorities will select two candidates for the project. The chosen candidates will be given the keys to a fully furnished flat in Eisenhüttenstadt where they can live free of charge between September 6 and September 20, 2025. They are also allowed to bring a maximum of three members of their family with them.

During their stay, candidates are encouraged to participate in local projects, undertake job shadowing at local businesses, or engage with the cultural scene. Launched as part of the programme for Eisenhüttenstadt’s 75th birthday celebrations, the “Now’s the Time” project is supported by local businesses, institutions and partners. 

What’s Eisenhüttenstadt got to offer you?

Applicants should have a “true interest in Eisenhüttenstadt”. So, what’s it got to offer you? In many ways, the ironworks city is a typical former East German city, with a historical old town including a church, a theatre and a town hall. 

The city’s skyline is a testament to its post-Wende economic decline; Eisenhüttenstadt’s large state-owned steelworks was privatised in 1990, leaving around 2.500 people without a job. The population fell from 50.000 to 30.000 as a consequence. You can find out more in the local museum!

Eisenhüttenstadt is surrounded by greenery, many lakes and sits on the Oder River, which separates Germany and Poland, making a day trip for perogi a relatively easy endeavour. One further detail worth mentioning to prospective applicants, while Eisenhüttenstadt might be literally inviting us to go and live there, around 40 percent of the population voted AfD in the 2025 federal election. Welcome!