Before 2024 the biggest obstacle to hiring an Indian welder or CNC operator for Germany was not the visa, it was recognition: months in a chamber queue to compare an ITI certificate with a German Ausbildung. The experience-based route (§6 of the Employment Ordinance, BeschV) removed that gate for non-regulated occupations. This is how it works.
The Three Conditions
- A qualification recognised in India of at least two years' duration — an ITI trade certificate, a diploma, or a degree from a recognised Indian institution
- At least two years of professional experience in the occupation within the last five years
- A salary of at least the FEG floor — around €43,000 gross in 2026 — or a wage set by a collective agreement the employer is bound by
Meet all three, and the German mission can issue a work visa without any German recognition decision. IT specialists have a parallel rule requiring only experience.
Which Occupations Qualify
Anything not regulated by law. In practice: welders, fabricators, CNC and machine operators, mechanics, industrial electricians working under supervision, warehouse and forklift operators, professional drivers (with licence conversion), cooks and kitchen staff, hotel staff, cleaning and facility staff, construction trades such as masons, carpenters, steel fixers and tilers. Nursing, teaching and medicine remain regulated.
Salary Floor: The Detail That Trips Employers
The €43,000 floor is a gross annual figure; hourly-paid roles must be projected to a full year. Many collectively agreed wages in metal, construction and hospitality sit below it — and that is fine, because a binding collective agreement replaces the floor. Employers not bound by an agreement must meet the figure, which in some regions means paying above local norms. We flag this at the scoping stage.
Documents We Prepare in India
- Certificate plus transcript, with sworn translation
- Experience letters stating role, duties, hours and dates, on company letterhead
- Employer registration proof for each past employer where obtainable
- Passport, photographs and the standard visa forms
Why It Matters for Speed
Combined with BA pre-approval and the fast-track procedure, the experience-based route brings most industrial hires from India to Germany in three to four months. Recognition can still be pursued later for pay-grade or Opportunity Card purposes.
Proving Experience
Experience letters carry the weight in this route, and German missions have become strict about them. Each letter should be on company letterhead, state the exact role, the dates, the hours and the main duties, and be signed by an authorised person with contact details. Where a former employer has closed, payslips, provident-fund statements or Gulf labour-card records serve as supporting evidence. We build the experience file to this standard before any filing.
Age and the Salary Floor
Workers over 45 face a higher salary requirement or must show adequate pension provision under the FEG. For most trade hires this is not a constraint, but it should be checked at scoping for senior supervisors and specialists.
Next Step
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