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Ausbildung Pay 2027: Minimum Amounts and Visa Requirements
The minimum training pay for an Ausbildung starting in Germany in 2027 is now set: €764 a month in the first year. In this article I cover the amounts by year, the subsistence requirement for the visa and what you should check before you sign a contract.
Hamza Çakın · IR - Law / Consultant
An Ausbildung is Germany’s dual vocational training system: theory at a vocational school combined with work at a company. You are paid throughout (Ausbildungsvergütung). That pay has a legal minimum, and it is updated every year.
What is the minimum training pay?
The Mindestausbildungsvergütung is the legal floor set by the Vocational Training Act (Berufsbildungsgesetz). The amount depends on the year your training starts, and that year’s table applies for the whole programme. In the second, third and fourth years, 18, 35 and 40 percent are added to the first-year amount. Companies bound by a collective agreement pay the rate in that agreement.
2026 and 2027 amounts
| Training year | Starting in 2026 | Starting in 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | €724 | €764 |
| Year 2 | €854 | €902 |
| Year 3 | €977 | €1,031 |
| Year 4 | €1,014 | €1,070 |
Gross monthly amounts. 2027 values: BIBB, 7 October 2026 (published in the Federal Law Gazette). The 2026 values for years 2 to 4 are our calculation using the statutory increases.
The number that really matters for the visa: subsistence
This is the point applicants most often miss. According to Make it in Germany’s 2026 figures, for a company-based Ausbildung the visa expects training pay of at least €1,048 gross (€822 net). If your pay is lower, you need to cover the gap with a blocked account (Sperrkonto) or a formal obligation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung). For school-based training, at least €959 net per month must be shown.
So if you sign with a company that pays only the legal minimum, you may still need to show extra funds for the visa in 2027. Check the pay from this angle before you sign.
Other visa requirements
- German: generally B1. Exceptions are possible if the training provider assessed your level itself or you attend a preparatory course.
- Federal Employment Agency approval: required for company-based training; it checks that you are hired on the same terms as German trainees. The authorities handle this, not you.
- Side job: up to 20 hours a week, independent of your training.
- Visa to search for a training place: under 35, B1 German and €1,091 a month in secured funds let you search in Germany for up to nine months.
After the training
Graduates can get a permit to look for work for up to 18 months. Once you work as a skilled worker, training completed in Germany cuts the wait for permanent residence to two years. Details are in our permanent residence article.
Our assessment
The 2027 increase is good news, but for the visa the decisive figure is the subsistence requirement, not the legal minimum. Subsistence amounts can change every year, so check the current figure when you apply in 2027. Better-paid sectors, such as some industrial and healthcare professions, need less extra funding here.
Frequently asked questions
Does the statutory minimum wage (Mindestlohn) apply to an Ausbildung?
No. Trainees have their own floor, the minimum training pay.
Are the amounts gross?
Yes, the amounts in the table are gross monthly figures.
Is there an age limit for an Ausbildung?
Make it in Germany names no age limit for the Ausbildung visa. The visa to search for a training place has a limit of 35.
You can see which professions and pay levels are open to you on our Ausbildung page, or work it out with us in a free consultation.
Last updated: October 2026 · Sources: BIBB · Berufsbildungsgesetz § 17 · Make it in Germany
This article is for general information and is not legal advice; amounts are based on official sources at the date of publication.