Welder in Germany: salary, recognition and route

What you do in this job

You work in workshops, halls and on assembly sites, for example in metal and steel construction, plant construction or pipeline construction.

Welder pay – by federal state

The figures come from the Entgeltatlas (pay atlas) of the Federal Employment Agency: median gross monthly pay of employees in full-time work, reference date 31.12.2025, across all age groups and industries. Half earn more than the median, half earn less. Your pay depends on the employer, collective agreement, experience and region; after tax and social insurance, less is left as net pay.

Work out your net pay: income tax calculator of the Federal Ministry of Finance (in German)

Companies see your occupation, experience, German level and preferred region in your profile – and contact you with a specific job and location. Create a profile →

Recognition of your qualification

In Germany, welder is not a training occupation of its own with a chamber examination: as a rule, training as a certified welder (Geprüfte/r Schweißer/in) under the guidelines of the DVS (German Welding Society) is required; its duration varies. Depending on the job, you must prove your skills with certificates under the standards and guidelines of the DVS; repeat tests may also be needed. Professional recognition exists only for a German occupation, the so-called reference occupation; which one fits your training and which body is responsible is shown by the Recognition Finder on anerkennung-in-deutschland.de.

Your route to Germany – depending on where you come from

• From the EU or the EEA You do not need a visa or a residence permit and may work as an employee in Germany. If you live here, you still register your address.
• From Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia Under the Western Balkans rule, any employment is possible with the approval of the Federal Employment Agency, even without a skilled-worker qualification. The approval is given with a priority check (whether Germans or foreigners with priority are available for the job). The number of approvals per year is limited, and the first approval is only given if you apply at the German mission abroad in your country.
• From Andorra, Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, the United Kingdom or the USA The Federal Employment Agency can approve any employment – regardless of where the employer is based – with a priority check.
• From other countries: via a recognised vocational qualification For the skilled-worker route with vocational training, what counts is a vocational qualification of at least two years that is recognised by the state or regulated in a comparable way, and whose equivalence with a German occupation has been established. Which German reference occupation fits and who is responsible is shown by the Recognition Finder.
• From other countries: with work experience, without recognition Possible if, within the last five years, you have gained at least two years of work experience and hold a vocational qualification recognised by the state in your country that took at least two years of training. You also need pay at the statutory minimum level or pay under a collective agreement, and the approval of the Federal Employment Agency.
• Who applies? You apply for the visa yourself at the German mission abroad. There is no visa application run by the employer, as in some other countries: the company provides the job offer or employment contract and fills in the “Declaration of employment relationship” (Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis).

Which German do you need?

For skilled workers with vocational training, the law sets no fixed language level. The German mission abroad checks whether your knowledge fits the job and describes this in different ways – ask there. Which German an employer expects in daily work is stated in the job ad or settled in the interview.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a welder earn in Germany?

According to the Entgeltatlas of the Federal Employment Agency, the median gross monthly pay for full-time work is €3,843 (reference date 31.12.2025). The middle half earns between €3,209 and €4,607. Values differ by federal state – the table above shows them.

Is my welding certificate enough for a visa?

For the route as a skilled worker with vocational training, what counts is a vocational qualification of at least two years that is recognised by the state or regulated in a comparable way, and whose equivalence has been established. Whether your training qualifies is shown by the Recognition Finder. Without such a finding, the route with work experience remains if you hold a vocational qualification recognised by the state in your country that took at least two years of training.

Can I work as a welder in Germany without German?

For skilled workers with vocational training or a degree, the law sets no fixed language level; the German mission abroad checks case by case whether your knowledge fits the job. Whether an employer hires you without German is the employer's own decision.

Related occupations

• Metalworker (structural)
• Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning installer
• Industrial mechanic

More on this

• Recognition of qualifications
• Arrival & daily life

Sources

• BERUFENET – Schweißer/in
• Entgeltatlas – Schweißer/in
• § 18a AufenthG – Fachkräfte mit Berufsausbildung
• § 6 BeschV – Berufserfahrung
• § 2a FreizügG/EU – EU- und EWR-Bürger
• § 26 BeschV – Westbalkan und weitere Staaten
• Anerkennung in Deutschland – Anerkennungs-Finder

Last checked: 9 October 2026