Route: vocational training (Ausbildung)

Requirements, steps, cost and pay for training in Germany.

Legal basis: § 16a AufenthG (company-based training). The Federal Employment Agency must approve (§ 39). No agent is needed; the German Embassy does not work with agencies.

Requirements

• A training contract with a German company.
• German: the law only requires "sufficient" German. In visa practice embassies usually ask for a B1 certificate, or confirmation from the training company or vocational school, or enrolment in a preparatory German course. Based on other embassies' leaflets; the Jakarta leaflet for § 16a was not available, so confirm with Embassy Jakarta.
• Living costs: at least €1,048 gross (or €822 net) per month for company-based training (embassy leaflets, June 2026). If your training pay is below that, you cover the difference with a blocked account, which must be opened before you apply.
• Indonesian documents with apostille and translation, see Documents. No separate school-certificate recognition step for § 16a; the training company decides what it needs.

Steps

1. Learn German to B1: Learning German.
2. Find a training place with a real employer: Finding a job or training place.
3. Get the apostille (apostille.ahu.go.id) and translations.
4. Open the blocked account if your training pay is below the living-cost figure.
5. Apply for the visa through the Foreign Office online portal (digital.diplo.de) or via the embassy appointment system. Fee €75, not refundable. Processing time in Jakarta: Embassy Jakarta says in many cases about six weeks to three months; its § 16d leaflet says up to twelve weeks.
6. Arrive, register, insurance: After arrival.

Pay and work rules

• Minimum training pay 2026 (BIBB): €724 / 854 / 977 / 1,014 per month in years 1 to 4. Collective agreements may be higher.
• You may work up to 20 hours per week in a side job. If the training ends through no fault of yours, you have up to 6 months to find a new place.
• No age limit in the law; employers may prefer younger applicants (practice, not verified).