Vocational training programmes in Germany can offer great opportunities for a successful career. To come to Germany and take part in a vocational training programme, you will need a corresponding residence permit, i.e., "residence permit for the purpose of training" ("Aufenthaltserlaubnis zum Zweck der Ausbildung"), as per Section 16a of the Residence Act, which will come into force in March 2024. For many people from the so-called third countries (countries outside the EU), however, the first step is to apply for a "visa for the purpose of vocational training". A vocational training visa allows you to enter Germany legally and then start your training programme. Here you can learn about requirements you have to meet for a visa or residence permit as a trainee.
*The information on this page has been reviewed and verified by lawyer Astrid Meyerhöfer.
You can apply for a vocational training visa for Germany if you want to undertake qualified vocational training here and have admission to a training programme. Qualified vocational training is a training programme that is recognised by the state (or a comparable regulated vocational training) and continues for at least two years. You will find a list of all available qualified vocational training programmes at bibb.de.
If you need a visa to enter Germany, you must first apply for a visa at the German embassy/consulate in your home country or in a neighbouring country and present the above-mentioned documents there.
Please note: It can take several months for your visa application to be processed. However, if you would like to immigrate to Germany as a skilled worker, you may be able to obtain a visa more quickly (in accordance with Section 81a Residence Act). To do so, your future employer in Germany must apply for an "accelerated visa procedure" (“beschleunigtes Visumverfahren”) at the Immigration Office.
If you do not need a visa to enter Germany, report to the immigration authorities at your new place of residence after your entry and present the required documents there.
Whether you need a visa depends on your country of origin. On auswaertiges-amt.de, you will find a list of countries whose citizens need a visa to enter Germany.
In our chapter "National Visa" you will find a list of all the documents that all third-country nationals need for a national visa.
For a vocational training visa, you will also need the following documents:
- A vocational training contract or a specific offer for a vocational training position
- Proof that your livelihood is secured during your training. If you do not have enough money yourself, a third person can make a so-called declaration of commitment for you. You can find out more about this in our chapter "Declaration of commitment for a national visa".
- Proof of your German language skills. You need at least B1.
Good to know: You can also obtain your language certificate in Germany. To do so, you must enter Germany with a visa for language learning (“Visum zum Spracherwerb”) and attend a language course. (§ 16f para. 1 Residence Act)
If you want to do dual training, the Federal Employment Agency usually has to confirm. Then, whether you get a residence permit depends on whether other trainees from Germany or the EU or a person with a humanitarian residence permit are applying for the same training position or not; since such applicants would have priority. The Federal Employment Agency is in charge of the priority check procedure. When you apply, the embassy informs the Federal Employment Agency - that means you don't have to do anything yourself.
After coming to Germany, you must report to the Immigration Office at your new place of residence within three months and apply for a residence permit there. To do so, you must (again) submit the above-mentioned documents as well as, in principle, police registration and a rental agreement. The authorities will check your papers and then decide whether you can get a residence permit.
A "residence permit for the purpose of vocational training" is usually issued for one to two years and can be extended until you have completed your training. During this time, you can work an additional ten hours per week in another job.
With the amendment to the Skilled Immigration Act coming into effect on March 1, 2024, you will be allowed to work 20 hours per week and the job you take on can be anything (i.e. not necessarily a qualified job).
If you would like to stay in Germany after completing your training, you can apply for a residence permit for jobseekers or a residence permit as a skilled worker. You can learn more about in the chapters "Visa for jobseekers" and "Visa for skilled workers".
If you drop out or are dismissed, you will be at risk of losing your residence permit. You will only be given up to six months to find a new training position if you are not responsible for the loss of your vocational training spot. That means that if you drop out on your own accord - for no solid reason - you will lose your residence permit. If you are dismissed, e.g., because your company generally has to lay off employees, you will have up to six months to seek a new vocational training programme.
Yes, according to the amended version of § 16 a para. 1 sentence 2, you can. This is known as the so-called simplified change of purpose or “Zweckwechsel”– it means that you can change the training place if you inform the relevant Immigration Office beforehand and they agree. Please note, however, that special regulations may apply for certain special training courses, e.g. training as a speciality chef (in accordance with § 19 c Para. 1 Residence Act in conjunction with the Employment Ordinance).
Good to know: During the training phase, it is not possible to apply for a permanent residence permit (according to § 9 Residence Act). There is, however, one exception: If you worked as a qualified skilled worker (according to §§ 18a, b Residence Act) before your training, you can also apply for a permanent residence permit during the training if all other requirements for a permanent residence permit are met. This is according to the amended version of § 16 a Para. 1 S. 3.
You can learn more about vocational training in our chapters "School-based vocation training" and "Dual vocational training".
Visa for Seeking a Vocational Training or University Programme
Accomplishing in a vocational training or university programme in Germany can offer you many future opportunities. Finding a vocational training position or a spot in a university from abroad, however, could be quite a challenge. That is why according to §17 Residence Act, you can obtain a visa or residence permit to stay in Germany and search for a training position or a spot in a university here. This way, you can enter Germany with the respective visa, obtain a residence permit according to § 17, and then look for a suitable training position or a spot in a university programme on-site. Here, you can learn about the requirements you have to meet in order to obtain such a visa or residence permit to search for a training or university spot.
Overview of the changes to Section 17 Residence Act from March 2024:
- Maximum age for applying for a residence permit will be increased to 35
- The required German language skills will be lowered from B2 to level B1
- Duration of the residence permit increased to 9 months
- You can work a part-time job for 20 hours per week and go on probationary employment of up to 2 weeks.
- A so-called „change of purpose“ or “Zweckwechsel” is possible without having to repeat the visa procedure, i.e. you can switch to another qualified occupation (in accordance with §§ 16 a, b, 19 c Para. 2 and § 18 a, b and g Residence Act).
*The information has been checked by lawyer Astrid Meyerhöfer.
School-based Vocational training
If you want to find a job in Germany, a good alternative to studying at university is taking part in a vocational training programme. These training programmes usually last between one and three-and-a-half years. They are either school-based and take place solely in a classroom (“schulische Ausbildung”) or combine classes with practical training in an establishment or company (“Duale Ausbildung”). This chapter provides you with detailed information and useful links on school-based vocational training. To find out more about dual vocational training programmes, check our chapter “Dual Vocational Training”.
Upon completion of a vocational training programme, you become a skilled worker (“qualifizeierte Fachkraft”). Skilled worker are in demand in Germany and earn more money for their work compared to unskilled workers. So, completing a vocational training programme may constitute an important step towards building a career in Germany.
Dual Vocational Training
If you want to find a job in Germany, a good alternative to studying at university is taking part in a vocational training programme. There are approximately 330 different jobs you can qualify for with vocational training. These training programmes usually last between one and three-and-a-half years. They are either school-based and take place solely in a classroom (“schulische Ausbildung”) or combine classes with practical training in an establishment or company (“Duale Ausbildung”). In this chapter, you can read about the dual vocational training. For more information about the school-based vocational training programs, please refer to the chapter “School-based Vocational Training”.
Upon completion of a vocational training programme, you become a skilled employee (“qualifizeierte Fachkraft”). Skilled employees are in demand in Germany and earn more money for their work compared to unskilled workers. So, completing a vocational training programme may constitute an important step towards building a career in Germany.
Job Hunting and Application
The job market in Germany has numerous rules and regulations. In addition, you must meet some requirements to get a job. Many employers choose their employees mainly based on their certificates or degrees in the desired field. But even without the relevant certificates, you still have a chance to find a job.
Here you will learn about the steps you need to take to start your first job in Germany and the ways you can increase your chances of finding your dream job.
Here are two essential points you need to consider in advance:
- German is spoken in most companies in Germany. In some cases, English will do; but for most jobs, you need to be able to communicate in German. There are many ways to learn German or to improve your proficiency. Find out more in our chapters on "Language".
- You need a work permit before you can start to work in Germany. For migrants, the work permit is directly linked to the residence permit. You can find out more about this in our chapter "Migration to Germany". If you have fled to Germany, whether you can work or not depends on your current residence status. You can find out more in our chapter "Work Permit for Refugees".
National Visa Type D
All citizens of so-called "third countries" (non-EU countries) need a visa to stay in Germany for more than three months or work here. That means only citizens of the EU countries and Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and the US do not require a visa to enter Germany. The long-stay visa most foreign citizens need to obtain is called the "National Visa Type D".
Most people from third countries also require a visa for shorter visits. You can find out more about it in our chapter "Visitor Visa".
- The information on this page has been reviewed and verified by our consulting lawyer, Astrid Meyerhöfer.
Declaration of Commitment for National Visa Type D
When third-country nationals (i.e. citizens of non-EU countries) want to apply for a national visa for Germany, they usually have to prove that they have enough money to support themselves during their stay. If they cannot do so themselves, a person living in Germany can vouch for them under certain circumstances. This can be a relative, acquaintance or a company or institution that can prove they have sufficient funds. Such a guarantee is known as a "Verpflichtungserklärung" or "declaration of commitment". A declaration of commitment can then be presented as proof of financial support for the visa application. Such financial support, however, does not work for all visas - in principle, it only applies to the following visas:
- Student visa
- Vocational Training visa
- Jobseekers visa
- Marriage visa
- Visa for attending a language course/school
- Visa to search for a vocational training or university programme
- Visa for family reunification
- Visa for state-level admission programmes per § 23 para. 1 Residence Act
Here, you can learn everything about the declaration of commitment for long-term visits. In our chapter "Declaration of Commitment for a Visitor Visa", you can learn more about the Declaration of Commitment for short-term visas.
Please note:
On July 7th, 2023, a new skilled worker immigration law was passed. It includes numerous changes and amendments to facilitate the immigration of skilled workers and make Germany more attractive to them. It is unclear when exactly these changes and amendments will be enforced. When the time comes, we will update our website– we encourage you to visit us regularly to stay well informed.
Here you can find the German embassy in your country.
Wondering which job is the right one for you? Here you can test your strengths and interests, explore professional fields and find useful tips about work.
Here you can find all you need to know about visa requirements for Germany.