Apprentices from abroad: an increasingly important mainstay in the market for vocational training and apprenticeships

More and more foreign nationals are completing an apprenticeship in Germany. The share of apprentices subject to social insurance contributions from countries other than Germany has been growing steadily for several years. While 6.3 percent of apprentices were foreign nationals in October 2013, 10 years later, in October 2023, this figure had risen to 13.2 per cent. 

21 May 2024 | Press release no.20

A consistent decline in the proportion of German citizens in apprenticeship roles subject to social security contributions

The number of German citizens in apprenticeship roles subject to social insurance contributions has been declining continuously for some years. In October 2023, approximately 1.4 million German citizens and 212,000 foreign nationals were in apprenticeship roles subject to social security contributions. Ten years previously, 1.5 million German apprentices and 103,000 foreign nationals were employed in such roles. The increasing number of foreign nationals in apprenticeships subject to social insurance contributions is therefore cushioning the overall trend. Without them, the total number of apprentices – and therefore the potential number of skilled workers available in the future – would continue to fall.

A majority are from third countries

Roughly a quarter of the 213,000 foreign nationals completing apprenticeships, i.e. 49,000, came from another EU country, while 164,000 were from a third country outside the EU. A decade ago, from a total of 1.6 million apprentices, 32,000 were from the EU and 71,000 originated from a third country. This means that the number of apprentices from third countries has more than doubled in the last ten years.

A lesser increase in the number of apprentices from abroad during the pandemic

From 2013 to 2019, there was a large annual increase in the number of foreign apprentices, in some cases by over 20,000 people. From 2020 to 2022, growth was lower due to the pandemic. Recently, however, growth has picked up again, with an increase of 14,000 people between October 2022 and October 2023.

Foreign nationals in apprenticeships subject to social security contributions are often employed in the healthcare and nursing professions

Of the 213,000 foreign nationals completing an apprenticeships, over a quarter chose to work in a healthcare or nursing profession. 68,000 of the apprentices worked in the areas of healthcare, nursing and geriatric care or as medical or dental assistants.

Apprenticeships are an important way of securing skilled labour

The apprentices of today are the skilled workers of tomorrow. Every year, government ministries, public authorities, businesses, trade unions and the Federal Employment Agency work together to promote apprenticeships and vocational training in Germany with the “Summer of Vocational Training”. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz has also supported the “Summer of Vocational Training” with a Video message.