Germany Ausbildung from the UAE: Vocational Training as a Visa Route

Fatima
Germany Ausbildung from the UAE: vocational training as a visa route

Germany admits people from outside the EU to train for a skilled occupation, and the visa that covers it (Section 16a of the Residence Act) asks for a training contract, German at B1 and a modest monthly income floor rather than a degree or a high salary. The companion visa for looking for a training place has become more usable since the Skilled Immigration Act: the age limit rose from 25 to 35, the German requirement fell to B1, and the search period grew from six to nine months. Training usually starts in August or September and applications are made about a year ahead, so planning for the next intake starts now. For UAE residents under 35, or anyone in a hands-on field, it is worth comparing with the Opportunity Card and the EU Blue Card before committing to either.

At a glance

  • Ausbildung is Germany’s dual vocational training: paid work in a company plus vocational school, usually starting in August or September, with applications made about a year ahead.
  • Visa for vocational training (Section 16a): training contract, German at B1 as a rule, and an allowance of at least €822 net (€1,048 gross) a month for in-company training as at 2026; school-based training needs €959 net a month from a blocked account, scholarship or sponsor.
  • Visa to look for a training place (Section 17): under 35, B1 German, a school-leaving certificate giving access to higher education, and a blocked account (the federal fact sheet quotes €1,091 a month). Up to nine months, with side work and trial work allowed.
  • After finishing: up to 18 months to find qualified work, then a skilled-worker residence permit; a settlement permit can be granted after two years on that permit, subject to conditions such as pension contributions and German language skills.
  • From the UAE: applications go to the German Consulate General in Dubai via the online Consular Services Portal; Goethe-Institut Gulf Region runs German exams in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

What Ausbildung actually is

Ausbildung is the German word for vocational training. The federal portal make-it-in-germany.com describes two main forms. Dual vocational training, common in the skilled crafts, trades and industry, combines attendance at a vocational school with practical training in a company, and apprentices receive a monthly allowance. School-based training takes place full-time at a vocational school and is generally unpaid, except in healthcare, where the practical phases are longer and trainees are paid throughout. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) adds that German is spoken in the company and at the vocational school, and the examinations are held in German.

The federal portal’s FAQ lists the fields where qualified workers currently have good chances on the German labour market: medicine, education, transport, IT, crafts and trades, construction, green jobs, and the hotel and gastronomy industry. Nursing, one of its featured training profiles, asks for German at B1 or B2 depending on the federal state.

Two visas: training in hand, or searching for it

The route splits at the start depending on whether you already hold a signed training contract. It is the first question we ask, because it decides which visa you file.

Requirement Visa for vocational training (Section 16a) Visa to look for a training place (Section 17)
Training contract Required Not yet; the stay is for the search
Age No age limit stated Under 35
German B1 as a rule, unless the training company confirms it has assessed your German as sufficient B1 (CEFR)
Education Academic or high-school certificate School-leaving certificate permitting access to higher education in Germany or where it was obtained
Funds (as at 2026) In-company: allowance of at least €822 net / €1,048 gross a month. School-based: €959 net a month via blocked account, scholarship or Declaration of Commitment Blocked account of at least €1,091 a month (the federal fact sheet, dated January 2025, quotes this figure; it is also the 2026 amount used for the Opportunity Card), or scholarship or Declaration of Commitment
Length Duration of the training Up to nine months
Work alongside Side employment up to 20 hours a week Side employment up to 20 hours a week, plus trial work of up to two weeks (ten working days)

Federal Employment Agency approval for the training is usually obtained as part of the visa procedure. If the nine-month search ends without a contract, the person must usually leave Germany, and re-entry for the same purpose is only possible after spending at least as long abroad as the previous stay.

Money during training

Germany has a minimum training allowance, and the actual amount depends on the profession, the region, the company and the year of training. Social security contributions come off the gross figure; most trainees pay no income tax because their income sits below the tax-free basic allowance.

For the visa, the figure to plan around is the 2026 floor: €822 net or €1,048 gross a month for in-company training. If your contract pays less than €822 net (in-company) or €959 net (school-based), the Dubai consulate requires the gap to be covered by a blocked account or a formal obligation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung). The visa fee is €75 and the residence permit after arrival can cost up to €100. The training permit also includes attendance at a German language course, in particular a work-related German course. The ministry’s 2026 guide notes that in some programmes B1 is not sufficient and accompanying language courses are required, and that BAMF is piloting vocational language courses designed for apprentices.

After the training: employment, then settlement

Companies often keep their apprentices on with a permanent contract. With a job offer you apply for a new residence permit for work; without one, you can obtain a permit to look for work for up to 18 months, during which any gainful employment is allowed (12 months, extendable once by six, for assistant or auxiliary training in a healthcare or nursing profession). The foreigners authority appointment must be booked before the training ends, and the job must be qualified employment.

The skilled-worker residence permit that follows (Section 18a) is issued for up to four years. The Skilled Immigration Act pages add a specific settlement provision: people who completed vocational training or a degree in Germany can be granted a settlement permit after only two years of holding a residence permit for qualified employment, against three years for skilled workers who trained abroad. BAMF’s settling-in page confirms the two-year rule.

Who this suits, and who should look elsewhere

In our Dubai office, Ausbildung is usually the right first question for two groups: applicants under 35 who finished secondary school with a certificate that qualifies them for university and are prepared to reach B1 German, and career changers who would rather earn a German qualification in a shortage field such as nursing or the trades than rely on a qualification earned elsewhere.

A degree holder with several years of experience and a recognised qualification is usually better served by the Opportunity Card, which allows a job search of up to 12 months with a blocked account of €1,091 net a month, or by the EU Blue Card once a job offer exists. The 2026 Blue Card thresholds are €50,700 in general and €45,934.20 in shortage occupations, with settlement after 27 months, or 21 months with B1 German. A mid-career professional earning well in the UAE will find the training allowance a steep drop. Anyone over 35 without a contract cannot use the search visa; the only way in is a signed contract from a German company. Our Opportunity Card page and Germany overview set out the alternatives.

From the UAE: what this means for you

The German Consulate General in Dubai handles vocational training visas for people whose habitual residence is in the UAE, meaning a UAE residency permit (Emirates ID) issued at least six months before the application date. The consulate’s Section 16a leaflet, dated 20 January 2025, sends applicants first to the online Consular Services Portal, then lists the documents to prepare.

The Dubai document set

  • Signed VIDEX national visa form printed with the barcode page; separate forms per applicant, plus a minors’ authorisation for anyone under 18.
  • Original passport (valid at least one year, issued within ten years, two consecutive blank pages) with copies of the data page, UAE residence visa and Emirates ID; two biometric photos, 3.5 x 4.5 cm, under six months old.
  • Training contract (Ausbildungsvertrag) showing the allowance, and the training plan (Ausbildungsplan); proof of funds for any gap below €822 net (in-company) or €959 net (school-based).
  • Academic or high-school certificate; CV; motivation letter; Federal Employment Agency pre-approval if the employer obtained one (optional, original, under three months old).
  • German at B1, or confirmation of a preparatory language course, or written confirmation from the school or employer that your German was checked and is sufficient.
  • Incoming medical insurance or public or private health insurance valid in Germany; travel insurance is not accepted, and proof is due on the interview day.

German exams and timing

The Goethe-Institut Gulf Region administers exams from A1 to C1 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Because training usually begins in August or September and the federal portal advises applying a year ahead, a realistic sequence from Dubai is German study now, applications to German companies through the following autumn and winter, the visa file in spring, and travel in late summer.

After arrival

Register your address with the local registration office (Meldebehörde) within two weeks of moving in, then apply at the foreigners authority (Ausländerbehörde) for the electronic residence permit before the entry visa expires.

Frequently asked questions

Can I do an Ausbildung in Germany if I am over 35?

The age limit of 35 applies only to the visa to look for a training place. The visa for vocational training, which requires a signed contract, has no age limit stated on the federal fact sheet or the Dubai leaflet, so over 35 the route is to secure the contract from the UAE first.

Do I need a blocked account if my training is paid?

Only if the allowance falls below the 2026 floor of €822 net (€1,048 gross) a month for in-company training. School-based training is generally unpaid, so €959 net a month must be shown from a blocked account, scholarship or sponsor.

Is B1 German always enough?

B1 is the rule for the visa, and the training company can confirm sufficient German in place of a certificate. Some programmes ask for more: nursing lists B1 or B2 depending on the federal state, and the training permit includes access to vocational German courses for that reason.

What to do next

If you are weighing Ausbildung against the Opportunity Card or the Blue Card, start with a free eligibility assessment, call us on 04 357 7796, or book a 20-minute review through our contact page. We will check your school certificate and German level against the current rules and say which German route fits. You can also verify our consultants’ registrations and browse our other guides. We do not promise outcomes; the decision rests with the German authorities on the file you submit.

Sources

Cover photo: Wolfgang Weiser via Pexels

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