Pathway 04 of 06 · FOR HANDS-ON LEARNERS
Ausbildung
An Ausbildung is 3 to 3.5 years of paid vocational training. You earn a monthly salary, qualify as a recognised professional, and can stay and work in Germany afterwards.
- Processing
- 8–16 weeks
- Embassy fee
- €75
- Permanent residence
- After 2 years of work as a qualified professional
All figures checked against auswaertiges-amt.de · last updated 12 Aug 2026
Requirements
Updated 12 Aug 2026- Training contract with a German company
- B1 German (usually required)
- School leaving certificate recognised
- Health insurance and a valid passport
- Many employers help with housing and German courses during training
Document checklist
Updated 12 Aug 2026- Valid passport (2+ years remaining)
- Training contract (Ausbildungsvertrag)
- School certificates, translated
- CV in German format
- German B1 certificate
- Health insurance confirmation
- Two biometric photos + completed VIDEX form
Step by step
Updated 12 Aug 202601 · 6–12 months
Learn German to B1
Most employers and the embassy require B1 before you start.
02 · 2–6 months
Find an Ausbildung place
Apply directly to companies and vocational schools via portals like Azubiyo.
03 · 1–2 weeks
Sign the training contract
The contract sets your salary, hours and training schedule.
04 · book early
Book the embassy appointment
Accra appointments are the bottleneck, book as soon as the contract is signed.
05 · 1 day
Submit, pay €75, give biometrics
Bring originals and one copy set of everything on the checklist.
06 · 4–16 weeks
Decision, then travel
Arrive in time for your training start date.
What it costs
Updated 12 Aug 2026- Visa fee€75
- German course to B1€200–600
- Document translation, per page€25–40
- Flight, Accra → Frankfurt€550–900
You earn a salary from month one, typically €800–1,200 per month.
Mistakes we see weekly
12 Aug 2026- 1.Skipping German, you need B1
- 2.Unsigned or informal training contracts
- 3.Paying someone for an Ausbildung place
- 4.Booking a flight before the visa is in the passport
Is this your route?
45 minutes to be sure
Bring your degree, CV and any offer. We confirm the route, or point you to the one that fits better.
€25/ 45 min
Information and application support. Not legal advice.
Other routes
Updated 12 Aug 2026Official sourceAlways cross-check with the German Federal Foreign Office: auswaertiges-amt.de