Vocational Training in Germany: Your Guide to Visa, Insurance, and Daily Life
By: Simon Heinrich – Last updated: 04/2026
You’ve signed a training contract in Germany: Congratulations! That’s a major step. Now it’s time to sort out your visa, insurance, and daily life. This page shows you what matters specifically for apprentices and the order in which to tackle it.
For the complete chronological overview of all steps, see our Roadmap.
On this page you'll find:
- Who is this page for?
- Your priorities as an apprentice
- Training contract and proof of finances
- Getting incoming insurance
- Statutory health insurance
- Opening a bank account
- Your timeline as an apprentice
- Perspective: Staying in Germany after your training
- Key terms for your training life
- Frequently asked questions
Who is this page for?
This overview is for everyone coming to Germany for vocational training:
- Company-based training (dual system: company and vocational school)
- Dual study programmes (university and company)
- School-based training (e.g. nursing, education, physiotherapy)
If you’re coming to Germany for university studies, see Students. If you already have a completed qualification and are coming as a skilled worker, see Professionals.
Your priorities as an apprentice
Tackle these four topics in this order:
1. Training contract and proof of finances (for the visa)
Your signed training contract with salary details serves as proof of finances.
2. Get incoming insurance (for the visa)
Covers the gap between your arrival and the start of your training.
3. Statutory health insurance (from day one of training)
You’ll need statutory health insurance from day one, but you have to choose a provider beforehand.
4. Open a bank account (after arrival)
No German account, no salary.
Training contract and proof of finances
For your visa for vocational training purposes (§ 16a AufenthG), you need a signed training contract. This also serves as your proof of finances. Make sure your salary meets these minimum thresholds:
Minimum thresholds for the visa (as of 2026)
| Training type | Minimum amount |
|---|---|
| School-based training | €959 net per month (approx. €1,215 gross) |
| Company-based training | €855 net per month (approx. €1,085 gross) |
What if my salary is below the threshold?
If your training salary is below the minimum, you’ll need additional proof of finances:
- Formal obligation (Verpflichtungserklärung) by someone in Germany
- Proof of savings
- Letter of financial support from parents
Typical training salary
Depending on the industry and region, salaries usually range from €800 to €1,200 gross in the first year, with increases in subsequent years.
Tip for flat hunting: In expensive cities like Munich, Frankfurt, or Hamburg, finding a flat on an apprentice’s salary can be tough. Consider whether training in a more affordable region makes sense, you’ll find housing more easily, and the slightly lower salary is offset by lower living costs.
Which documents do you need?
For the visa application:
- Signed training contract
- Proof of training salary
- Recognition of foreign school qualifications (if required)
- Proof of German language skills (usually B1)
Getting incoming insurance
For your visa application, you need proof of health insurance. But your regular statutory health insurance only starts when your training begins. The solution: incoming insurance to cover the gap.
What is incoming insurance?
- Travel health insurance specifically for entering Germany
- Covers medical emergencies during the first few weeks
- Accepted by German embassies as proof for the visa
- Much cheaper than full health insurance
Why isn’t my home country insurance enough?
German embassies generally only accept insurance that:
- Is explicitly valid for Germany
- Has a minimum coverage amount
- Covers repatriation and emergency treatment
Most home country policies don’t meet these criteria or can’t prove it.
How long do I need it?
From your arrival until the official start of your training. From your first day of training, you’re covered by social insurance through your employer and therefore automatically have health insurance. You can choose which statutory health insurer you want to be with.
Example:
- Arrival: 15 August
- Training start: 1 September
- Incoming insurance: at least 15 August to 31 August
Build in a buffer in case your training start gets delayed. If you’ve paid for more days than you need, say you signed up for 90 days but switch to statutory insurance after 30, you’ll get the difference refunded.
What to look for:
- Acceptance by German embassies (check explicitly)
- Minimum coverage amount
- Validity from your arrival date
- Flexible duration or easy cancellation
Statutory health insurance
From the first day of your training, you’re subject to social insurance contributions. This means you’re automatically covered for health, pension, care, and unemployment insurance. The contributions are deducted directly from your salary, but you need to choose a health insurer beforehand.
How does it work?
- You choose a statutory health insurer
- You register with them and provide your training company’s details
- The health insurer issues a membership certificate
- You submit this to your employer
- Your employer registers you and handles the contributions
What does it cost?
As an apprentice, you pay the regular contribution rate but your employer covers half. With a training salary of 1,000 Euro gross, approximately 80 Euro is deducted for health and care insurance.
Which health insurer?
All statutory health insurers offer the same basic coverage. Differences exist in:
- Additional benefits (dental cleaning, international coverage, bonus programmes)
- Additional contribution rate (varies slightly between insurers)
- Service and app
→ Our four recommended statutory health insurance providers
When to register?
Before your training starts, ideally before you even arrive in Germany. You’ll need:
- Training contract
- Passport
- German address (registration certificate, if available)
Opening a bank account
Without a German bank account, you won’t get paid. Your employer transfers your training salary to a German account. You’ll also need it for rent, insurance, and everyday life.
Why a German bank account?
- Receive your training salary
- Pay rent and deposit by transfer or direct debit
- Health insurance contributions
- Mobile phone, electricity, internet
- Everyday purchases by card
In Germany, almost everything runs through bank transfers and direct debits.
When to open it?
In the first days after your arrival, as soon as you have a German SIM card and ideally a registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung). Important: Apply before your training starts, so your employer has your IBAN and can pay your salary.
What to look for?
As an apprentice, these points are particularly important:
- No or low account fees: Many banks offer free accounts for apprentices
- Fast availability: Ideally you should recieve your IBAN within a few days
- Good app for easy mobile banking
- SCHUFA reporting: Important for building your long-term credit score
→ Our recommendation for a first bank account in Germany
Important: Choose a bank that reports to SCHUFA. This way, you’ll build a good credit score from the start, which helps later with flat hunting and contracts.
Your timeline as an apprentice
Before the visa
- ☐ Sign training contract (with salary above minimum threshold)
- ☐ Take out incoming insurance
- ☐ Prove German language skills (usually B1)
- ☐ Register with a statutory health insurer
After arrival
- ☐ Submit membership certificate to employer
- ☐ Open bank account and give IBAN to employer
After training starts
- ☐ Check your first payslip
- ☐ Set up standing orders (rent, electricity, mobile phone, etc.)
For all other steps, see the full Roadmap.
Perspective: Staying in Germany after your training
If you successfully complete your training in Germany, you’ll have good prospects in the job market. Skilled workers with German vocational training are in demand. After completion, you can:
- Be taken on permanently by your training company
- Apply to other companies
- Apply for a residence permit for job seeking (up to 12 months)
Tip: Show commitment and a willingness to learn during your training. Many companies take on their apprentices after successful completion. You’ll then receive a permanent employment contract.
Key terms for your training life
| Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Ausbildungsvertrag | Training contract between you and your company; covers duration, salary, and obligations |
| Berufsschule | Vocational school: The educational part of training, usually 1–2 days per week or in blocks |
| Ausbildungsvergütung | Your monthly salary during training |
| IHK / HWK | Chamber of Industry and Commerce / Chamber of Crafts – responsible for exams and training contracts |
| Probezeit | Probation period: During this time, either side can terminate more easily (Usually the first 3–4 months) |
| Gesellenbrief / Facharbeiterbrief | Your certificate after passing the final exam |
| Sozialversicherung | Social insurance: Health-, pension-, care-, and unemployment-contributions deducted from salary |
| Brutto / Netto | Gross = before deductions, Net = what arrives in your account |
| SCHUFA | Credit reporting agency: Affects rental contracts and account openings |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a blocked account as an apprentice?
No. Your training contract with salary details serves as proof of finances, provided the salary exceeds the minimum threshold.
How much money do I actually receive?
With a typical training salary of 1,000 Euro gross, you’ll receive approximately 800 Euro net. Deductions include health, pension, care, and unemployment insurance, plus income tax if applicable.
Do I have to pay taxes?
If your training salary is below the basic tax-free allowance (12,348 Euro per year / 1,029 Euro per month), you don’t pay income tax. For higher salaries, income tax is deducted, which you can partially reclaim through a tax return.
Can I choose my health insurer freely?
Yes. All statutory health insurers are open to you. The basic coverage is the same everywhere; differences exist in additional benefits and service.
What happens if I don’t pass the probation period?
During the probation period (usually 3-4 months), either side can terminate the training relationship without giving reasons. Your residence permit would then be at risk, you’d need to find a new training position or leave the country.
Can I work alongside my training?
In principle yes, but with restrictions. Your training contract takes priority, and the Working Hours Act limits your total working time. Speak to your training company before taking on a side job.
Roadmap per E-Mail
Wenn du deinen Start in Deutschland Schritt für Schritt begleiten lassen möchtest, kannst du unsere Roadmap auch per E-Mail erhalten. Du bekommst in regelmäßigen Abständen Hinweise zu den nächsten typischen To-dos, ergänzende Checklisten und Hinweise zu wichtigen Fristen – abgestimmt auf die Phasen deines Aufenthalts in Deutschland