Changing or quitting your apprenticeship on a training residence permit (§ 16a Residence Act)

If you hold a residence permit for vocational training (Aufenthaltserlaubnis zur Berufsausbildung) under Section 16a of the Residence Act (§ 16a AufenthG) and want to change your training company or training direction, you need the prior consent of the responsible foreigners authority (Ausländerbehörde). Dropping out must be reported to the authority; when the training officially ends, the purpose of your stay ends too. Your next residence option depends on your circumstances. 145

Who needs this

• People with a residence permit for in-company vocational training under § 16a AufenthG who want to change their training or end it without a qualification. The visa and the residence permit are tied to the training place and company. 15
• The permit allows work unrelated to the training for up to 20 hours per week. This does not replace consent for a change of company or occupation. 15
• First find out whether the problem is the company or the occupation. For problems with your training, the chambers' training advisory service (Ausbildungsberatung of the IHK, HWK or LWK) can help; for a new direction, the employment agency offers free careers advice (Berufsberatung). 3

Step by step

1. Decide whether you want to change your training company, your training direction, or both. A conversation with your trainer can help to sort out problems with tasks, working hours or how people treat each other. 3
2. If you want to switch, find a new training place and present the new training contract to the responsible foreigners authority. A change of company or direction needs its prior consent, even a change of occupation within the same company; your residence permit is then adjusted. Do not make the switch before consent is given. 45
3. If you drop out, inform the foreigners authority without delay. The company also has a duty to report it. When the training officially ends, your stay is no longer lawful unless another route applies. 45
4. Discuss your next option with the authority: if your permit is to be withdrawn, revoked or shortened for reasons that are not your fault, you must first be given up to six months to look for another training place; according to the IHK zu Rostock, your living costs must be covered, and no separate change of permit is needed. 15
5. Alternatively, a residence permit to look for a training place may be possible if you are under 35, can support yourself, have a school-leaving qualification that gives access to higher education, and have sufficient German. It is issued for up to nine months. Other residence permits are possible if you meet their requirements. 25

Documents

• For a change of company or training direction, present a new training contract. The foreigners authority adjusts your residence permit after giving consent. 5
• If your training is extended, for example because you retake the final exam, report this to the foreigners authority and present the extended training contract; your residence permit must be adjusted. 45

Cost and time

• The search period of up to six months applies only in the case described above. It is not a general search period for every dropout. 1
• A residence permit to look for a training place is issued for up to nine months. 2
• Careers advice from the employment agency is free. 3

Deadlines

• Get the foreigners authority's consent before changing company or direction. Report a dropout without delay. 5
• The company must report an early dropout to the responsible foreigners authority within four weeks of learning about it. 4

City by city

• Munich: The IHK für München und Oberbayern reminds companies that even a change of occupation within the same company must be approved by the foreigners authority and entered in the residence permit. Only then may the trainee continue working. 4
• Rostock: The overview published by the IHK zu Rostock for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern requires the prior consent of the regional foreigners authority and a new training contract for a change of company or direction. 5
• Münster: For applying for or extending a residence permit during in-company training, the city charges a fee of up to 100 euros and requires an appointment. If gross training pay is below 1,050 euros a month, you need a formal declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung) or a blocked account (Sperrkonto); proof of German at B1 level is also required. Even if training ends without a qualification, a change of residence purpose may be possible, but not for temporary employment under the Employment Ordinance (Beschäftigungsverordnung). 7