Importance of Naturalization as an apprentice
In order to understand how Naturalization can work as an apprentice, it is important to understand the significance of Naturalization itself and why it is worth taking the step as an apprentice and opting for an apprenticeship, especially as a foreigner.
This means the Naturalization
For most foreigners, Naturalization represents the final step in their integration in Germany with the aim of obtaining a German passport and becoming a German citizen. With the Naturalization , the applicant testifies that he or she meets all the requirements according to § 10 StAG. Fulfilling these conditions ultimately leads to obtaining German citizenship.
With the Naturalization, which also requires a successfully completed integration test and a signed declaration of loyalty, you show the German state and German law how serious you are about building your own life in Germany and integrating yourself into German society.
The advantages of the German passport
With a German passport, you have more freedom than before. Not only can you travel to over 190 countries without a visa, you have the same rights as any German citizen and any EU citizen. A German passport also makes it easier to apply for a loan, for example to buy a house or start your own business.
German citizenship is the citizenship that is in the top 3 most valuable citizenships in the internationally recognized Henley Passport Ranking. The ranking proves how highly regarded the German passport is internationally.
Naturalization during the training?
Naturalization requirement for an apprentice
As with any Naturalization , there are certain requirements that must be met for the Naturalization of a trainee. Without these conditions, which apply to all applicants according to § 10 StAG, the Naturalization will not be granted. It is therefore important for you as a trainee to check carefully whether you meet these requirements. Nothing is more annoying than putting a lot of work into an application for Naturalization and then suddenly realizing that certain core requirements are not met.
Duration of stay and status
It is important that you have a temporary or permanent legal Residence permit residence permit and that you have resided in Germany for at least 8 years with this legal Residence permit residence permit. A Tolerance permit does not count as a legal Residence permit and accordingly the stay during Tolerance permit is not taken into account when calculating the length of stay.
For a successful naturalization application, it is therefore important to check exactly how long you have been legally resident in Germany and to add up the duration. This ensures that you meet the requirements.
It is possible to become a naturalized citizen after 3, 6 and 7 years. To do so, you must meet certain additional requirements. If you meet the conditions for Naturalization after 3, 6 and 7 years, you no longer need to meet the requirement for Naturalization after 8 years.
Command of the German language at B1 level
The minimum requirement for language skills is essential for Naturalization . Your language skills must be at least B1 level. If this is not yet the case, you should register for a B1 course. If you have successfully completed this course and passed a B1 exam, then this is already sufficient for your Naturalization .
If you have language skills at B2 or even C1 or C2 level, it is possible to shorten the duration of your stay and, if all other requirements for Naturalization are met, you can obtain a German passport after just 6 years.
Proof of livelihood
In order to meet the requirements for Naturalization , a forecast must be made regarding your livelihood. This forecast calculates whether you, as the applicant, will be able to support yourself in the coming decades without having to rely on support from the German state. As a trainee, you have an advantage. The criteria are set much lower than for pensioners or older people in general, for example.
Now other facts are added to the forecast decision. How long have you been in training? Another decisive factor is what school-leaving qualification you have previously obtained and with what grades. The better the school-leaving qualification, the length of the semesters of training already completed and the grades in the previous training, the higher the chance that you will receive a positive prognosis decision.
If you have already successfully passed an intermediate examination during your training or are training in an area where there is a shortage of skilled workers, then these are also arguments that are included in the forecast. The decisive factor is the employment history. This employment history is used to predict whether a successful professional career is likely after training. It is therefore important to provide as many arguments as possible to ensure that the employment history is positive.
Even with training, the decisive factor is how much income you can prove. It's a mixture of everything that ultimately makes up the forecast.
Integration and cultural knowledge
In order to pass the Naturalization and obtain a German passport as an apprentice, it is important that you show a willingness to integrate and that you are committed to the German state and its values. A declaration of loyalty is signed for the commitment to the German state. There you declare your commitment to the free, democratic basic order in Germany.
In addition to learning the German language and obtaining the B1 certificate, there is another important proof of integration. You take a naturalization test and prove your knowledge of the culture and the state system in Germany.
During an apprenticeship, you are taught many subjects relating to civics and the legal system in Germany at school. It is therefore possible that you may not have to take an integration test if you can already demonstrate the knowledge gained through your training.
It is important that the course of school education is visible for assessment purposes. If you have attended a school in Germany up to grade 10, this will also be recognized as a substitute for the integration test.
Advantages of a training relationship
By starting an apprenticeship, foreigners show a particular willingness to integrate and make a long-term decision. There are many different professions in which you can start an apprenticeship. Many of these training occupations have one thing in common: they suffer from a shortage of skilled workers.
Career opportunities and integration
Apprentices can choose from various fields such as gastronomy, medicine, crafts, industry, banking and aviation. Different wages are paid during the apprenticeship. In some sectors, such as medicine/nursing, the pay for apprentices has been increased.
The apprenticeships usually last 3 years. Even if these 3 years can be difficult, as you can't make any big financial leaps as an apprentice, it's worth it in the long run. Once you have completed your apprenticeship, you are a specialist in your field and have the opportunity to progress further through further training.
The advantages over integration through employment
A very important advantage of vocational training is that it is recognized as a sign of integration. If you start an apprenticeship in Germany, you will be trained in Germany and help to remedy the shortage of skilled workers. The German state is therefore much more accommodating, as the state itself also benefits.
The greater the shortage of skilled workers and the greater the demand for workers in an industry, the more likely it is that the Foreigners' office will be able to accommodate you when assessing the positive forecast in terms of your livelihood for the Naturalization . In the long term, it is therefore more worthwhile to aim for Naturalization via an apprenticeship than to take the route via a job. The opportunities for advancement during your career are greater and the state is more supportive of an apprentice at Naturalization .
Assistance and takeover by the training provider
It is very advantageous that you can receive help and support from the training provider when it comes to proof and documentation that may be important for Naturalization . If a training provider declares that they are very satisfied with you and will take you on as an employee, and you can present this declaration to the authorities, then there is a very good chance that the prognosis regarding your livelihood for Naturalization will be positive.
These training occupations need personnel
There are training occupations that are in particularly high demand for personnel in Germany, as there are not enough people working in these occupations and the baby boomer generation means that many employees are retiring and there are no new recruits. There is less competition in these training occupations and the chances of getting a training place are higher.
Care and medicine
The nursing and medical professions in Germany have been suffering from a lack of personnel for a long time. Accordingly, people are needed who can enter the profession through training and can be integrated into the professions. Training to become a nurse takes three years in Germany and gives you an insight into nursing, healthcare and geriatric care.
At the end, trainees can decide which area they want to work in after their training. The salary during training has also been increased. Compared to other apprenticeships, apprenticeships in nursing professions pay a higher salary.
The craft sector
The skilled trades sector is constantly struggling with a shortage of skilled workers. Without foreign workers and without people starting an apprenticeship in the various trades, the entire sector faces major problems. Tradespeople are also always needed. There is no shortage of orders and with a well-completed apprenticeship, you have a good opportunity to start a career as a skilled worker in this field with a good salary.
Social professions
An article in the magazine WirtschaftsWoche shows that Germany has the highest shortage of staff in social areas in the whole country. According to the article, Germany needs 20,466 educators and childcare workers, for example.
These areas therefore have a very high shortage of personnel as training occupations and new jobs and positions are always needed. If you are in such an apprenticeship and apply to Naturalization , there is a good chance that you will be recognized for your employment history and receive a positive decision.
Computer science
IT is also an area that suffers from a lack of personnel. Accordingly, the chances of an apprentice getting a job after completing their training are also very high here. It is therefore likely that you will receive a positive decision at the end and that the prognosis for your livelihood will be positive.
These apprenticeships are in demand
There are training occupations that have particularly good prospects and a future and are particularly important. In other training occupations, it is the above-average pay that attracts people at the end of their training.
Apprenticeships that will be in demand in the future
Apprenticeships in demand in Germany include commercial apprenticeships, but also apprenticeships such as electronics technician, mechatronics technician and salesperson. Apprentices are also urgently needed in areas such as gastronomy. These areas will always be current and there will always be prospects and demand for these training occupations. The same applies to the above-mentioned training occupations, which are suffering from a shortage of skilled workers.
Apprenticeships with high salaries
There are apprenticeships where you can earn good money during your training.
At the top of the list, according to an article from the job exchange Indeed: training as an air traffic controller. In the practical part, you earn between 3500 and 5000 euros per month and up to 1150 euros in the academic part. After training, starting salaries of between 6000 and 8500 euros are paid.
The wage for trainees in the care sector has been increased to 1165 euros in the first year of training and 1330 euros in the third year. As a specialist in the care sector, you are paid a starting salary of between 2100 and 3000 euros.
As an IT specialist, trainees receive a salary of 975 euros in the first year of training and up to 1200 euros in the third year. The starting salary is 1500-2500 euros per month.
Procedure of Naturalization for an apprentice
There is a specific procedure for the Naturalization of an apprentice. The procedure is ultimately the same as for any other applicant to Naturalization. The important thing is that the applicant knows exactly which office to contact to find out about the immigration process.
Which authorities are responsible?
To find out exactly which authority is responsible, you need to contact the district office of the district in which you live. In Berlin, for example, the Senate Department for the Interior and Sport and the individual district offices decide on Naturalization. In general, the place where you live is also responsible for and decides on your naturalization procedure.
How does the procedure work?
When an apprentice applies for Naturalization , they follow exactly the same procedure as any other foreigner who wishes to become a naturalized citizen. They must meet all the requirements of § 10 StAG.
There is a difference in one area, namely living expenses. In addition to income, what is important for the prognosis is the type of training being completed, how severe the shortage of personnel is in the selected training area and what grades the trainee already has during the training (interim report, practical assessments). The more arguments you gather, the higher the chance of a positive prognosis.
All other items, such as the naturalization test, the declaration of loyalty, the language certificate and all other documents, are stapled together with the application and the documents relating to education and school-leaving qualifications in a well-structured folder and submitted to the relevant office.
These documents are required for the Naturalization
As an apprentice, you first need proof of legal residence in Germany for 8 years for Naturalization . It is also important that you provide proof of your current Residence permit . Here it is important to check exactly whether the current Residence permit entitles you to Naturalization , if necessary you must change Residence permit . Other documents that are required are the language certificate B1, proof of identity, the signed declaration of loyalty, the integration test and the correctly completed application form for the Naturalization.
The decisive point for a trainee at Naturalization is their livelihood. Here it is essential to present school reports, interim reports from training, practical reports and as many arguments as possible to ensure that the naturalization authority makes a positive prognosis despite the rather low salary. There is no fixed amount for the employment history; the authority's own prognosis is decisive and binding. Of course, you will also need proof of income and proof of the rental agreement with the landlord.
What to look out for as an apprentice at Naturalization
When visiting Naturalization as an apprentice, it is important to check exactly which Residence permit you have and whether you need to change your residence permit. You can find out more about which Residence permit does not entitle you to Naturalization here.
Another very important point are school reports from your school days, certificates from your previous time as an apprentice (interim reports, practical reports and certificates). It is important to convince the naturalization authorities with arguments that you will be able to support yourself in the future after your training without help from the state.
These things help with the Naturalization
There are simple ways to help yourself at Naturalization . There are various ideas for preparing, but also for making complicated situations easier to master during the process. Personal initiative is often the decisive factor and good planning in advance saves a lot of stress and nerves.
Show a willingness to integrate and attend courses
The more outwardly and visibly you show your willingness to integrate into German society, the better. Taking part in language courses is a good way to do this. You receive a certificate and at the same time improve your German and communicate more easily in everyday life. Volunteering is another way to integrate. If you get involved in the voluntary fire department, the food bank or in other ways (translation help for other refugees), this also counts as a willingness to integrate. With proof of this willingness, you can be naturalized after just 6 years if all other requirements are met.
Help through Migrando
The path with legal experts is Naturalization very sensible. From experience, we at Migrando can say that an application to Naturalization is always easier and quicker with a lawyer than without one. The applications to Naturalization are fully substantiated and submitted in one submission. The aim is to make the authorities' work easier and thus speed up the process. When an apprentice applies for Naturalization , the focus is on the prognosis for securing their livelihood, in other cases on other important requirements.
In the future, the large number of applications filed will lead to an ever-increasing number of actions for failure to act. Unfortunately, it cannot be assumed that the authorities will be able to quickly solve the problems associated with the length of naturalization procedures. This makes the role of a lawyer at Naturalization all the more important.
Building a network of contacts
It is always good to build up a network of different contacts. If you ask friends who have already been naturalized, you can find out many important things to look out for. Sharing information with each other can also help to motivate you. The process of Naturalization is not easy and it can take a long time. This makes it all the more important to have people around you who can support you in difficult and complicated situations.
Conclusion and summary
The future of Naturalization in Germany for trainees
The trend shows that there are problems in various areas of training in Germany. These problems are due to a lack of personnel. This shortage of skilled workers can only be overcome if there are more skilled workers in the various sectors. The possibility for an apprentice to be naturalized if he or she does an apprenticeship in sectors that are particularly suffering from a shortage of skilled workers is high.
The trend is that the shortage will increase. In the long term, training will be a better step towards Naturalization in Germany than starting a job. The mere fact that once you have completed your training, you are a specialist and therefore an expert in this field, speaks in favor of training. A career path via direct entry into the profession is more complicated and more difficult.
Summary
As you can see, it is perfectly possible to Naturalization as an apprentice during your training. Here is a recap of the most important points to look out for:
- It is important that you can prove that you have been legally resident for 8 years. If you qualify for exemptions, the duration of residence can be shortened.
- The forecast for securing a livelihood is very important. The more you can show that you will successfully complete an apprenticeship and that this apprenticeship is in urgent need of staff, the better.
- You have to make sure that you have the right Residence permit . The Naturalization does not work with some residence permits
- The more willingness to integrate and evidence you show, the greater the chance of being naturalized as an apprentice.
- Before deciding on an apprenticeship, it makes sense to check whether there is a shortage of skilled workers in this area and whether positions need to be filled. If this is the case, it will be easier to Naturalization during the apprenticeship.
- It is always better to build on your training and take this route to Naturalization . Once you have completed the training, you are a specialist and expert in your field and can also progress further.
Do you still have questions about Naturalization as an apprentice?
FAQ - The most important questions and answers about Naturalization during training
Yes, it is crucial that you collect a lot of arguments that speak in favor of a secure livelihood in the future when proving your livelihood. Points such as a shortage of skilled workers in training, good grades or a passed intermediate examination help here. The naturalization authority must then make a prognosis. Nevertheless, proof of income is also important and decisive.
The exact duration of the work activity (how long you work) is not a decisive criterion. The decisive criterion is whether you have a job with which you can earn a living for yourself and your family in the future without being dependent on the state.
In general, apprenticeships that have a high shortage of skilled workers are worthwhile. This is where you have the best chance of being taken on after successfully completing your training. You then work as a specialist and are an expert in this field. Apprenticeships with a shortage of skilled workers are, for example, in the skilled trades, IT, nursing and in professions in the social sector such as nursery school teachers.
There are no easy apprenticeships. Every apprenticeship has its own characteristics and is difficult or easy in different ways. In general, you can say that training is easier if you enjoy it and are absolutely determined and ambitious.
With a completed apprenticeship, you are a specialist and expert in this field. The opportunities for career advancement are much greater with an apprenticeship and as a specialist than with an entry-level job. The authorities see it as a positive point when calculating your livelihood if you do an apprenticeship in a field that suffers from a shortage of skilled workers. The German state also benefits from this.
Because opting for an apprenticeship shows that you are dealing with the problems in Germany and looking at how you can contribute your manpower in an area that has many vacancies. The aim is to combat the shortage of skilled workers. Various sectors such as care and the skilled trades are extremely dependent on trainees and on new people coming in. If you contribute as a foreigner through an apprenticeship here, it is recognized as special integration.
