Germany's skilled-worker gap is widening in exactly the places the economy can least afford it: construction sites short of tradespeople, bus and logistics routes short of drivers, hospitals and care homes short of nurses. According to the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (BA), 494,000 vocational training positions were reported in Germany during the 2024/2025 advisory year, with roughly 54,400 left unfilled at the official tracking deadline.
One overlooked way to close that gap is to bring in people from outside the EU to do the vocational training itself — the dual Ausbildung. For employers, it opens up a far bigger talent pool abroad and a steady stream of motivated candidates — you train the skills you need instead of competing for the few already on the market. There are two ways to do it, under two different residence titles: the person either starts their training from scratch (§16a), or they already hold a qualification Germany only partially recognizes and completes the additional training needed for full recognition (§16d).
Key takeaways
- Two routes: §16a is for people who train from scratch. §16d is for people who already hold a qualification that is only partly recognized and need extra training to complete it. Picking the wrong one is the most common reason applications are refused.
- Contract first (§16a): the visa is based on a signed training contract (Ausbildungsvertrag), registered with the local chamber (IHK or HWK). No contract, no visa.
- Partial recognition first (§16d): the visa is based on a Defizitbescheid — a notice of what is still missing — plus enrolment in the training it requires.
- Language: the candidate needs B1 German for §16a, or A2 for §16d (B1 for healthcare and regulated jobs). This usually takes the longest to arrange.
- Timeline: 3 to 9 months depending on the consulate — the long lead time is the main thing to plan around.
- Living costs: the candidate must show they can support themselves — the training salary needs to reach about €939 per month (2026), or a blocked account covers the difference.
- Already recognized: if the qualification is fully recognized, a skilled worker visa is the next step for full-time employment.
Written for HR and people teams hiring into Germany. Reflects current German rules in 2026. General information, not legal or immigration advice — every case has to be reviewed individually.
Can I hire someone outside the EU for a vocational training?
Yes — you can. There are specific residence-permit categories built for exactly this, letting a non-EU candidate enter Germany and start their Ausbildung. This guide walks you through the requirements, timelines, and steps, so you know what's involved before you commit to a candidate.
An Ausbildung is a duale Ausbildung — the trainee splits their time between the employer and a vocational school (Berufsschule).
The two visa options
Both sit in the same “Ausbildung” family of the Residence Act, but they suit two different starting points. Match the route to where the candidate already is.
§16a · Ausbildung visa
Train from scratch
- For candidates without a recognized qualification yet who want to learn the trade in Germany.
- Foundation: signed Ausbildungsvertrag + Ausbildungsplan (IHK/HWK).
- Language: German B1 — or confirmed sufficient by the school/employer.
- Part-time work of up to 20 hours/week alongside the training is generally allowed.
§16d · Recognition visa
Top up a partial recognition
- For candidates who already earned a foreign qualification that Germany doesn't yet fully recognize — the aim is to close that gap to full recognition.
- Foundation: a partial recognition up front — the Defizitbescheid (deficit notice) — plus a training plan and enrolment in the qualification measure.
- Language: German A2 (B1 for regulated/healthcare professions).
- Usually a shorter programme than a full Ausbildung — they're topping up, not starting over.
Rule of thumb: starting the training from scratch → §16a. Already trained abroad but only partially recognized, and topping up to full recognition → §16d.
How to hire an international candidate
This step is no different from hiring locally. Before any visa question comes up, the normal recruiting process comes first:
Source and recruit the candidate
Run a normal hiring process — including sourcing candidates from abroad — then interview and select. This is where the whole route starts.
Put the Ausbildungsvertrag in place
Agree and sign the training contract (Ausbildungsvertrag), setting out the role, the training plan (Ausbildungsplan), and the allowance.
Register the contract with the IHK/HWK
Enter the training contract in the competent chamber's register (Eintragung). This registration is the legal foundation the §16a visa rests on — nothing moves without it.
Once the contract is signed and registered, the visa preparation comes next.
What your candidate needs for the visa
The exact list can differ from one German embassy to the next, but in general the candidate will need:
A valid passport
Issued within the last 10 years, with at least 12 months of validity left.
A German language certificate
B1 for §16a (training from scratch); A2 for §16d (partial recognition) — but B1 for regulated and healthcare professions. This is usually the longest lead item, so start it early.
Proof they can cover living costs
The training allowance has to clear the required monthly minimum — around €939/month as of 2026, updated yearly. Where it falls short, the gap is topped up through a blocked account (Sperrkonto), which takes time to open from abroad.
The visa documents the consulate lists
Everything else is the visa paperwork itself, and the exact list is defined by the local German consulate — it varies by country. Follow their checklist to the letter.
What happens next: the visa process
This is the part we take over for employers. Note that the visa process is separate from the residence-permit process that happens after arrival in Germany — here we're only looking at the visa. The steps run roughly like this:
Eligibility & route confirmation
Confirm §16a vs §16d for the candidate's situation, and secure Federal Employment Agency (BA) pre-approval where it's required.
Document collection & application
Gather the documents the consulate asks for and complete the visa application.
Consulate appointment & waiting for the visa
Book the appointment at the German mission in the candidate's country, attend it, and wait for the visa to be issued.
Arrival in Germany
The candidate travels to Germany to start the Ausbildung.
Timeline and costs
3–9 mo
Varies by consulate and country
B1
German for the §16a route
~€939
Monthly means floor, else prove funds
This is the part to plan around. How long the process takes depends on the consulate — which country the candidate applies in and how busy it is. In some countries it can be around 3 months; in others it can run to 6 or 9. There is no way to speed up a consulate's queue, which makes the long lead time the most important thing to plan for from the start. You can always contact relokate for a projected timeline for a specific country.
On costs: there is a minimum monthly means threshold, set by the authorities and updated each year (around €939 in 2026), that the trainee's income needs to meet. Where the training salary doesn't reach it, the candidate makes up the difference in a blocked account, which has to be presented at the visa appointment.
How relokate helps with the vocational-training visa
You don't have to run this alone. We support you throughout the whole journey — the eligibility check, the visa application and document preparation, Federal Employment Agency (BA) approval, and consulate coordination.
That way you can focus on choosing the right candidate, and we make sure they actually arrive for their Ausbildung on time.
Frequently asked questions
Can I hire a non-EU candidate for vocational training (Ausbildung) in Germany?
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Yes. Non-EU nationals can come to Germany specifically to do a vocational training, on one of two residence titles: §16a for candidates who train from scratch, or §16d for candidates who already hold a foreign qualification Germany only partially recognizes and who complete the additional training needed for full recognition. The employer signs and registers the training contract with the competent chamber (IHK or HWK); the candidate then applies for the visa at their local German consulate.
What are the requirements to hire someone for an Ausbildung in Germany?
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The core requirements are: a signed training contract (Ausbildungsvertrag) registered with the IHK or HWK for §16a — or a Defizitbescheid plus enrolment in a recognition measure for §16d; German at the required level (B1 for §16a, A2 for §16d, and B1 for regulated or healthcare professions); proof the candidate can cover living costs (the training allowance clears roughly €939/month, updated yearly, or a blocked account makes up the difference); a valid passport; and the specific visa documents required by the local German consulate.
What is the difference between §16a and §16d AufenthG?
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§16a is for candidates who train from scratch in Germany — the legal foundation is a signed Ausbildungsvertrag and it typically requires German at B1. §16d is for candidates who already hold a foreign qualification that Germany only partially recognizes and who complete the additional training needed for full recognition — the foundation is a Defizitbescheid plus enrolment in that recognition measure, and it usually requires German at A2 (B1 for regulated or healthcare professions).
What language level is needed for the Ausbildung visa?
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For the §16a route, candidates generally need German at B1, though a school or employer confirmation of sufficient proficiency can apply in some cases. For the §16d recognition route, A2 is the baseline, rising to B1 for regulated and healthcare professions. Reaching the required level is often the longest part of the whole process — start language support early.
What documents are needed for the Ausbildung visa?
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A valid passport, the registered training contract (or, for §16d, a Defizitbescheid plus proof of enrolment in a recognition measure), a German language certificate at the required level, proof of secured living costs (allowance or blocked account), and health insurance — plus the exact document list published by the German consulate in the candidate's country, which varies by location.
How long does it take to hire someone for an Ausbildung in Germany?
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Plan for roughly 3 to 9 months, depending mostly on the consulate. A straightforward case at a quieter mission can run around 3 months; a busy consulate can stretch it to 6 or even 9. The visa steps are confirming eligibility and the route, collecting documents and submitting the application, the consulate appointment and waiting for the visa, and the candidate's arrival in Germany. There is no way to speed up a consulate's queue, so the long lead time is the main thing to plan for.
Does an Ausbildung trainee need to prove they can cover living costs?
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Yes. Either the training allowance (Ausbildungsvergütung) clears the required monthly minimum — around €939/month as of 2026, a figure the authorities update annually — or the candidate proves funds, typically through a blocked account (Sperrkonto). If the allowance falls short, the difference must be covered before the visa is granted.
What is the Ausbildung visa in Germany?
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The Ausbildung visa lets a non-EU national come to Germany to complete a recognized vocational training (a duale Ausbildung), splitting time between an employer and a vocational school. The main route, §16a AufenthG, is for candidates who train from scratch and rests on a signed training contract (Ausbildungsvertrag) registered with the competent chamber (IHK or HWK).
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Check visa eligibility →About the author
Hanna Kovacs
Product Manager, Global Mobility
Professional experience across the US, Hungary, and Germany in product management and operations. Deep expertise in German immigration law and the regulatory landscape for skilled worker migration. At relokate, Hanna owns the product roadmap, drives platform automation, and develops the compliance frameworks and immigration content that HR teams rely on.
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