Residence permit; application for in-company training and further training and school-based vocational training

A residence permit can be issued for in-company or school-based vocational training in Germany.

You can apply for a residence permit for vocational training in Germany. Entry is usually preceded by applying for the relevant visa at the relevant German diplomatic mission abroad and entering the country.

The training can be either in-company or school-based.

If in-company training is planned, the training can be preceded by attending a German language course to prepare for the vocational training, in particular attending a vocational German language course in accordance with the German Language Support Ordinance.

You can also apply for a residence permit for school-based vocational training if it leads to a state-recognized vocational qualification.

Further information on vocational training in Germany can be found on the "Make it in Germany" website (see "Further links").

The residence permit entitles you to work up to 20 hours per week independently of your vocational training.

• In the case of in-company vocational training: Declaration of employment (see under "Forms")
• The documents to be submitted may vary considerably.

  Please enquire at your local immigration office. However, the following documents are usually required:

  • valid passport
  • current biometric photograph (frontal view)
  • Proof of secure means of subsistence
  • Proof of sufficient living space
  • Proof of health insurance cover
  • Proof of purpose of residence, e.g. employer's certificate or employment contract, marriage certificate
  • Further documents if necessary

The approval of the Federal Employment Agency is required for in-company vocational training.

For school-based training, the course must lead to a state-recognized vocational qualification in accordance with federal or state regulations and must not be aimed primarily at nationals of one country.

In the case of qualified vocational training (at least two years), proof of sufficient German language skills (level B1) is required if the language skills required for the specific qualified vocational training have neither been tested by the educational institution nor are to be acquired through a preparatory German language course. The training company can confirm that the existing German language skills can be considered sufficient for the specific training.

It is not a prerequisite that the vocational training is qualified vocational training (at least two years). However, it should be noted that a new residence permit cannot usually be issued after the end of the vocational training, as only qualified vocational training qualifies you as a skilled worker. An exception applies to trained nursing assistants (care assistants).

You must be able to support yourself during your stay for vocational training. As a rule, proof must be provided that at least EUR 903 per month (year 2024) is available. This can be ensured by the training allowance. In the case of school-based vocational training or if there is a difference, the required amount can be proven by means of a part-time job (see above), a blocked account or the submission of a declaration of commitment (see link under "Related topics").

Administrative court action

Many foreigners authorities already offer an online application procedure. If an online procedure is available, it will be displayed in the BayernPortal under "Online procedure" if you have entered your place of residence under "Select location".

If your foreigners authority does not offer an online procedure, please contact the foreigners authority by e-mail or speak to them in person.

Any change of training company or training course in Germany must be applied for in good time at the Foreigners' Registration Office.

The processing time may vary. If necessary, please enquire at the responsible foreigners authority.

100 EUR

If a foreign professional qualification already exists, a so-called recognition procedure can be carried out to check whether it is equivalent to German professional training. If this is the case, it may no longer be necessary to complete vocational training and a residence permit as a skilled worker can be applied for. A recognition procedure can be applied for either as part of a recognition partnership in Germany or before entering the country from abroad. If the recognition procedure shows that the foreign vocational training is only partially equivalent, it is possible to complete compensatory measures in Germany (see the description of services "Residence permit; gainful employment in Germany" under "Related topics").