# Electrician (Elektroniker)

> Electrician (Elektroniker) Ausbildung guide: 3.5-year program, trainee pay €950 - €1,250/month, German B1/B2 needed, and the Section 16a visa path for non-EU applicants.

Electrician (Elektroniker) is a 3.5-year Ausbildung paying €950 - €1,250 a month during training, with B1/B2 German as the practical requirement. 3.5 years across energy, building systems, and automation. About €950 to €1,250 a month.

## What you will do

- Installing and maintaining electrical systems in buildings
- Wiring, control cabinets, and building automation (smart home, KNX)
- Energy systems: photovoltaics, charging infrastructure, heat pumps
- Fault diagnosis, testing, and safety inspections

## Requirements

Hauptschulabschluss or Mittlere Reife with solid math and physics. B1/B2 German; safety instructions and wiring diagrams are in German. Good color vision matters for wire identification. Craft businesses (Handwerk) hire most trainees.

## Why this trade is popular with international applicants

The energy transition is an electrician hiring boom: heat pumps, solar, EV chargers, and building automation all need Elektroniker. Small craft businesses across Germany hire constantly, and the trade is on shortage lists, which helps non-EU visa cases.

## The visa path

This trade qualifies for the Section 16a training residence permit (B1 German, signed training contract, up to 20h/week side work). Full walkthrough on the [Ausbildung hub](/ausbildung-in-germany/).

## Frequently asked questions
### How long is the Electrician (Elektroniker) Ausbildung?

3.5 years, split between company training and Berufsschule.

### What is the trainee pay?

Typical range across regions and company sizes. Energy and automation employers, and tariff-bound craft businesses, pay toward the top of the range.

### What German level is needed?

Practical standard: B1/B2. The visa requires B1 minimum for qualified training.

### Can non-EU citizens apply?

Yes, via the Section 16a training residence permit with a signed contract and B1 German.

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