The German Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz) does not provide for a specific visa category for foreign employees seeking on-the-job training in Germany.

In principle, training is considered a form of employment. Trainees must therefore apply for a residence permit for employment purposes.

Exceptions apply if the duration of the inter-company training will not exceed 90 days within a 12-month period, and if the foreign employee only takes part in in-house training and does not perform any work.

There may also be some privileges for specific occupational groups, such as highly qualified information technology specialists or in the case of employees taking part in an international exchange program of personnel (for more details, see the above chapter on personnel exchange).

In most cases, the consent of the Federal Employment Agency is also needed. Exceptions exist especially if the training is promoted by special programs of the EU, such as Leonardo, Sokrates or TACIS.