Here non-EU foreigners aren't eligible to receive social benefits like unemployment income until after we've been here and paying into the social safety system for 2 years. So the 2nd company should have known they were letting me go without any government support coming. And it's not so much the money that's the issue, I have another freelance/consulting job lined up starting soon. It's just the frustration of investing myself in the work to only get in return broken promises and being replaced despite very positive feedback.

As for the first company, they paid the invoices, just were incredibly unprofessional about it. Including insulting me for "daring" to invoice them for full time work at the agreed up on rates. I got my money but they irreparably damaged the relationship.