Do you qualify for Ausbildung?
Answer four questions: age, German level, school certificate, and what interests you. You'll get a ranked field shortlist, what still blocks you, and which of the two visa routes fits.
Your German level
The single biggest factor.
Your school certificate
Which field interests you?
You qualify to apply for Hospitality & Cooking today
From A2 you clear the language bar for 2 of 8 fields. Training pays from day one, at least €724/month in 2026 (§17 BBiG).
What to do now
- 1Apply for Hospitality & Cooking positions from abroad (Bundesagentur für Arbeit job board, company sites, Make it in Germany).
- 2Once a company signs your training contract, book the embassy appointment for the §16a Ausbildung visa.
Your field shortlist, ranked for your profile
Hospitality & Cooking: 3 years, A2 German
ReadyLowest language barrier; some employers take A2 with a language-course commitment.
Stipend by training year
Typical sector figures. The 2026 legal minimum is €724/mo (§17 BBiG).
After training
€2,000–€2,800/mo
typical gross starting salary
Path to staying
After finishing: 12-month permit to find related work → Skilled Worker → PR after 3 years (2 with B1).
Your two visa routes
With a signed contract
Ausbildung (vocational training) visa · §16a AufenthG, no age limit
Apply from home once a company signs your training contract. Interviews happen remotely; this is the standard route.
Search from inside Germany
Visa to search for a training place · §17 Abs. 1 AufenthG, up to 9 months
- ✗ §17 search visa needs B2 German, and you're at A2
- ✗ §17 search visa needs a school certificate qualifying for university entrance (or a German school abroad)
Full requirements, money proof and family rules for both routes: Germany visa checker.
Sources: §17 BBiG minimum pay · §16a AufenthG · BIBB . Stipend ranges are typical sector figures; the €724 minimum and visa rules verified July 2026.
Guide by
Abdullah
Creator of Ankommo · Based in Germany
I moved to Germany and built Ankommo to help others navigate the same process I went through. We offer 1-on-1 video consultations on visas, Ausbildung applications, citizenship requirements and settling in.
Book a 1-on-1 consultation2–3.5 years
Training duration
€724–€1,400
Monthly stipend (2026 legal minimum in year 1: €724)
300+ fields
Recognised occupations
German language requirement
Most Ausbildung positions require B1 German. Some competitive programmes prefer B2. A few roles in hospitality or construction accept A2.
Sometimes enough
Minimum for some hospitality / construction roles
✓ The standard requirement
What most employers and visa officers expect
Competitive edge
Recommended for healthcare and language-heavy roles
How to get Ausbildung in Germany
Learn German to at least B1
Most employers require B1. Start now: Ankommo takes you from A1 to B2 with exam-aligned content.
Get your certificates recognised
Your secondary school qualification may need to be assessed for equivalence in Germany (anabin database or ZAB).
Find an Ausbildung position
Apply via the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit), company websites, or Make it in Germany.
Apply for the Ausbildungsvisum
Once you have a training contract, apply at your local German embassy or consulate with language proof and the signed contract.
Start training and attend Berufsschule
Training splits between your employer and a vocational school. You earn a stipend from day one.
What is Ausbildung?
Ausbildung is Germany's dual vocational training system: you train at a company while attending a vocational school (Berufsschule) for the theory, and you are paid a stipend from day one, with no tuition fees.
Over 300 officially recognised training occupations exist, from IT specialist and mechatronics engineer to nurse, chef, and business administrator. Completing Ausbildung gives you a nationally recognised professional qualification and a strong route to permanent residence.
What we corrected on this page
The Blue Card Claim We Took Off This Page
An earlier version told you an Ausbildung leads to a Blue Card. It doesn’t: the Blue Card wants a degree, or roughly three years of IT experience on the no-degree route, so the line came out, and a salary threshold that was two years stale came out with it. The explorer above now reads the same §16a and §17 rules the visa checker runs, out of one file, so the training visa and the training-place search visa can’t say two different things on two pages. The search visa is the stricter of the two: B2 German, and under 35.
- 8
- training fields, each with its own German requirement and pay range
- €724
- minimum monthly training stipend under §17 BBiG, linked in full
Checked against §17 BBiG and BIBB in July 2026.
Frequently asked questions
- What German level do I need for Ausbildung?
- Most Ausbildung positions require B1 German. Some vocational fields, especially in healthcare and elderly care, may accept A2 with strong practical skills. B2 is recommended for competitive programmes.
- How much do Ausbildung trainees earn in Germany?
- Ausbildung trainees receive a monthly stipend (Ausbildungsvergütung) that varies by sector and year of training. The legal minimum for contracts starting in 2026 is €724 per month in year one, rising each training year. Many sectors pay €900–€1,400, and fields like IT, banking, and public service pay significantly more.
- Can I do Ausbildung in Germany without a degree?
- Yes. Ausbildung is a vocational route that does not require a university degree. You typically need a secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss or Mittlere Reife) and sufficient German language skills.
- How long does Ausbildung last?
- Most Ausbildung programmes last 2 to 3.5 years depending on the field. Training combines practical work at a company with theoretical lessons at a vocational school (Berufsschule).
- Do I need a visa for Ausbildung in Germany?
- Non-EU applicants need an Ausbildungsvisum (§ 16a AufenthG). You apply at the German embassy in your home country with a confirmed training contract, proof of German language skills, and other documents.
Related guides & tools
Germany Study Planner
Includes a full Ausbildung path, your dated application roadmap.
Study in Germany
The university route: free tuition, requirements, and visas.
Working in Germany
What happens after training: contracts, salary, and tax.
Salary Benchmark
What your field pays after you finish training.
Start your German for Ausbildung
B1 German is the key to unlocking Ausbildung in Germany. Start with Ankommo, free to begin.