Apprenticeship
How does the German training system work? Where can I obtain support when searching for a training program or job?
In-company training (also known as ‘dual training’) is the most common form of vocational training in Germany. Training is provided both in a company and at a part-time vocational school. There are more than 320 training occupations.
The BerufeNavi internet portal provides support to young people on their path towards training. BerufeNavi offers a high-quality compilation of verified links to online information about career orientation and finding a training place. An introduction to the site and a user’s guide in Ukrainian and Russian is here: www.berufenavi.de
The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) has dedicated a web page to information for Ukrainian refugees (in German): BIBB / Schwerpunkt: Ukraine
The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs provides information about work and social benefits: www.bmas.de
The local employment office can help you find suitable job opportunities: www.arbeitsagentur.de
Am I allowed to undertake in-company vocational training in Germany?
Yes, if you have a residence permit under Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz). You are entitled to do so as soon as you have been issued a provisional residence document. This document issued by the foreigners authority must contain the text “gainful employment permitted” (“Erwerbstätigkeit erlaubt”). This also allows you to undertake in-company vocational training. Please note: your residence permit is valid for a shorter period than the length of the vocational training programme. Nonetheless, you can conclude a training contract and it can be officially recorded as a training relationship.
Your local employment agency (Agentur für Arbeit) can help you with career orientation and advise you on choosing and finding a vocational training programme. If you are registered with a jobcentre, it can help you to find a vocational training place and offer you targeted support before and during your vocational training programme. In addition, the Federal Employment Agency can help you with the cost of living via the vocational training grant (Berufsausbildungsbeihilfe); this is also possible during a prior pre-vocational training programme. You can find further information from the Federal Employment Agency about vocational training here:
- Education in Germany (in English)
You can also attend a job-related language course before or during in-company vocational training. Further information can be found here:
Later – if the requirement are met – you can also apply for a residence permit for the purpose of vocational training (Section 16a of the Residence Act) from the foreigners authority. As part of this process, the Federal Employment Agency carries out a labour-market priority test (Vorrangprüfung), but normally there will not be a suitable, preferential candidate available, given that it is a matter of continuing an existing training relationship. This will enable you to complete the in-company vocational training programme and subsequently apply to the foreigners authority for a residence permit as a skilled worker (Section 18a of the Residence Act).