Ausbildung in Germany | What is Ausbildung | Ausbildung For Eu and Non Eu Citizens
What means Ausbildung?
Ausbildung is also known as vocational training or apprenticeship and is a great way to start your career in Germany. It’s a profession-related education that includes theory and practice lessons simultaneously.
‘Ausbildung’ is another term for ‘Lehre’ or ‘Berufsausbildung’ in German. It is a vocational training program (also called: apprenticeship) to prepare career starters in various professions with excellent job perspectives in Germany. There are only a few requirements to start an Ausbildung in Germany.
Which professions can I learn in an Ausbildung?
Ausbildung (also called “vocational training”) is a formal educational qualification in the area of blue collar professions like sales person, painter, carpenter, nurse, butcher, or car mechanic. Currently there are more than 320 professions for which you can do an apprenticeship. You can find our full list here.
Can I apply for Ausbildung as a non-German?
Yes, foreigners from all countries are eligible to apply for an Ausbildung (apprenticeship) in Germany. German language requirements are at level B1 minimum. Please test here online for free if you fulfill all criteria.
How does Ausbildung work in Germany?
Almost all skilled blue collar professions in Germany can only be practiced if the workers have previously successfully completed a vocational training: for example, bricklayers, bakers, merchants, nurses or electricians. In most countries of the world, there is no comparable qualification to the German vocational training system. The PTU offered in Russia, Ukraine or Belarus, for example, has neither the corresponding contents nor the length and quality of the German training.
Important to understand is that the students in the vocational training are employees of a company where they work approximately 50% of their time in order to learn. During the other 50% they receive a training in a vocational school. The company pays all schooling fees for the apprentices. Hence candidates must be employed by a company – only then they can start the training. This is why also international candidates need to apply first and succeed in a selection process.
What can I do after Ausbildung in Germany?
Having successfully finished an apprenticeship (‘Ausbildung’), skilled workers can legally and indefinitely work in many German companies. Also it is easily possible to obtain further qualifications in this profession (e.g. master craftsman, Bachelor professional or Master professional).
Even studies at university are possible – often with support of German companies (dual studies). Another option is to become self-employed in Germany. Finally it is possible or return to the home country and to work here with the foreign qualification as an outstanding expert working on German level of business.
Ausbildung for non-EU nationals in Germany
How do I start a Ausbildung in Germany?
Applicants for an apprenticeship program can apply directly in German companies. If you want to go sure to fulfill the high formal demands of an application in Germany you might use the free services of Life-in-Germany.de and reach a high number of companies with your application.
How much do I earn in an apprenticeship in Germany?
During your training you will receive a training allowance from your employer. The monthly remuneration ranges from at least approximately €600 gross in the first training year to at least €900 gross or more in the third training year. For some apprenticeship positions German employers pay even more than €1,200 per month.
The amount of the monthly allowance depends to a large extent on your employer and your curriculum vitae. Employers often offer additional support such as free local transport tickets or financial support for your accommodation. Life-in-Germany.de or your employer will inform you about the specific conditions during the application process.
How long is an apprenticeship in Germany?
An apprenticeship in Germany lasts between 2 and 4 years, depending on the profession. There are shorter training programs available and training programs that take a longer time. If you already have some qualifications in the area of the profession it might be shorter for you. You will learn your profession to 50% within the company by practical work and to 50% in a special vocational school.
Lessons will be held in German only – therefore you need German skills on level B1 of the GER. During the training in Germany, you will be employed by a German company with a German contract providing the same rights and obligations as for German nationals.
Can my family join me for an apprenticeship?
Life-in-Germany.de offers apprenticeships in cooperation with German companies and educational institutions / vocational schools. We find the right apprenticeship for trainees from abroad throughout Germany and at the desired location. Also we accompany you through the application process. In case you have kids or a spouse we will do our best to make an apprenticeship possible together with your family. In this regard we will try to find a job or a place for apprenticeship for your partner.
Questions and answers about Ausbildung for non-EU:
- Is ausbildung paid in Germany?Yes. You will receive a monthly salary from your employer of about 700-1.200 Euros. This is enough to cover a basic standard of living in Germany. After successful completion of your ausbildung you will earn somewhere between 1.800 to 3.800 Euros per month. Ausbildung is free of charge – you pay no fees!
- What is vocational training in Germany?A ‘vocational training in Germany’ is just another term for ‘Ausbildung in Germany’. It means the same. A vocational training/ausbildung is a training of 2-3 years to become a skilled worker. In Germany, this training has a high reputation and offers good career and salary options!
- How much do you get paid in Germany?Germany has a minimum salary of over 10 Euros per hour. With a standard work time of 40 hour per week you can make a minimum of 1.600 Euro gross per month. In most cases this is enough to provide a basic standard of living. Nowadays a high share of the employees in Germany earn more than the minimum salary providing them even better conditions of living.
- Does Ausbildung in Germany guarantee a job?Looking at the current high demand of skilled workers in Germany there are very good job opportunities after the Ausbildung. The high demand for skilled workers in Germany will most probably prevail for many upcoming years. However job opportunities always also depend from the marks achieved during the Ausbildung, and from personal skills and engagement inter alia.
- Who can do an Ausbildung in Germany?Any foreigner regardless of the age, speaking German on level B1 at least and having finished 9 or 10 years school education.
- Which degree do I acquire with an apprenticeship in Germany?As a rule, a certificate as ‘skilled worker’ is awarded as degree. This degree offers excellent career opportunities in Germany and worldwide. The skilled worker qualification enables you to apply for a permanent residence permit in Germany, provided that some other requirements are met.
Further information on Ausbildung for non-EU
Which is the maximum age for an apprenticeship in Germany?
There is no age limit for an apprenticeship in Germany. In some professions – e.g. nursing care – applicants over 40 years of age are not rare. However, you should note that as a foreigner you will learn at the vocational school together with German students who are usually between 16 and 25 years old.
Which German language skills do I need?
You must speak German at least at level B1 at the beginning of the training. However you can apply already when you have a A2 command of German. For nursing care training you will need B2 level of German.
Which language certificates do I need for an apprenticeship?
As an applicant from abroad you in most cases need to proof your German language fluency by a document. However there is no requirement for a specific certificate by a selected institution like Goethe. Applicants can apply with certificates from all institutions – including local language schools abroad or teachers from abroad. However these documents need to be valid and based on an assessment of your achievements. Additionally you might need to proof your command of German in interviews and during visa application.
Visa for seeking the Ausbildung in Germany
It’s not necessary to seek a training place in your home country. If you want to come to Germany to find an Ausbildung, you can do it!
No more months-long searches for a place and Skype interviews; get to know your future employer and school personally. Furthermore, you can also work up to 10 hours per week during this time.
Requirements for an apprenticeship Seeker visa:
- School leaving diploma
- German language level B2
- Maximum age 25
- Financial proof of 600-700 EUR for a month
- Health insurance
- Proof of accommodation
*if you are already residing in Germany, it’s not necessary to provide proof of German language proficiency. It is not a requirement for the Ausbildung program but might be a requirement for the Ausbildung visa.
Apply for an Ausbildung Visa
After you have received a place for vocational training, you will need to apply for a visa to be able to come to Germany and do your training.
However, citizens of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, and the United States of America can travel to Germany without a visa and apply for a residency permit after arrival.
The visa or residence permit application can be made either from your home country or from Germany if an applicant is already residing here. Therefore, you need to have some prior German visa besides the tourist one.
This can be all types of visas (residence permits), with exceptions for only tourism purposes and learning German.
You should submit your application with all the required documents. Including:
- Passport
- Ausbildung contract
- *Language certificate for nurses
As I mentioned before, it’s an employer who is responsible for checking your language sufficiency. There is no language requirement for the Ausbildung visa. Nevertheless, applicants for nursing Ausbildung are obligated to have at least a B2 German language certificate.
This rule was introduced on 1 January 2020 and took place in March 2020. All foreigners who want to do vocational training in the healthcare field will need to prove their language skills in order to get a visa.
There are also conditions that must be met when you apply for an Ausbildung visa, some of them similar to the Ausbildung Seeker visa:
- To have a signed contract with a vocational school or the employer
- To provide financial proof: salary during the Ausbildung, funds on the banking account, or a letter of commitment from a German resident
The visa costs 100 EUR.
With a residence permit for Ausbildung, foreign trainees can work an additional 10 hours per week; this can be a student part-time job or such.
Furthermore, all your documents must be translated into German by the official interpreter. You can order online all kinds of translations by using this platform.
Although non-EU citizens will face another obstacle when applying for a German visa for Ausbildung. Applicants for some occupations/programs will go through the approval of the Federal Employment Agency. If they don’t approve it, one won’t receive a visa.
What are the most demanded jobs in Germany in 2022? Read in this article.
Approval of the Federal Employment Agency
Before granting approval, the Federal Employment Agency will check whether the Ausbilding place has other potential candidates from Germany and the EU.
In Germany, it is called Vorranprüfung. Consequently, people from the EU don’t need to undergo such approval, and they also don’t need a visa.
However, the proof is only necessary for dual Ausbildung programs and not educational ones. During the dual Ausbildung, a student will get paid, and during the latter, not.
Dual programs include most of the practice-orientated professions, including salesperson, mechatronic technician, clerk, and industrial clerk.
The educational programs are all medical professions, including nurses, educators, speech therapists, physical therapists as well as machine operators, technical assistants for computer science, and others.
Although nurses and senior care belong to the educational Ausbildung programs, they are the exceptions; such occupations don’t require proof from the Federal Employment Agency.
This is because they fall into a Positive list of professions in high demand and in shortage in Germany. You can see the entire list of occupations for which you can receive a visa without the Federal Employment Agency’s approval.
Read more about Ausbildung in Germany.
There is also an exception for graduates of German schools abroad who wish to complete an Ausbildung in Germany. They may be granted a residence permit without the approval of the Federal Employment Agency.
Where to find a suitable Ausbildung?
On this platform you can get more information on the following vacancies for Ausbildung:
- Auszubildende (m/w/d) Zahnmedizinische Fachangestellte in München
- Auszubildende (m/w/d) Zahnmedizinische Fachangestellte in Köln
- Auszubildende (m/w/d) Restaurantfachmann / Restaurantfachfrau in Sankt Englmar
- Auszubildende (m/w/d) Zahnmedizinische Fachangestellte in Berlin Zehlendorf
- Auszubildende (m/w/d) Verkäufer/in in Bocholt
- Auszubildende (m/w/d) Fleischer/in in Bocholt
- Auszubildende (m/w/d) Fleischfachverkäufer/in in Bocholt
- Azubi (m/w/d) Restaurantfachmann / Restaurantfachfrau in Sundern
- Azubi (m/w/d) Restaurantfachmann / Restaurantfachfrau in Bad Elster
- Azubi (m/w/d) Koch im Raum Ulm/Memmingen
