Fachinformatiker Anwendungsentwicklung: Ausbildung in Germany
Train in Germany in application development, a paid three-year Ausbildung, qualifying and in strong demand on the market.
The profession
The Fachinformatiker Anwendungsentwicklung designs, programs and maintains software and applications. You work from client or internal-team requirements, develop the code, test and document.
Salary
During the Ausbildung, the 2025 legal minimum allowance is about 682 € (year 1), 805 € (year 2) and 921 € (year 3) per month; industry employers pay considerably more (often 1,050 to 1,200 €). After graduation, the entry salary is around 2,800 to 3,500 € gross per month (source: Gehalt.de, jobs-regional.de, 2025).
Duration and path
The Ausbildung lasts three years, alternating between the company and the vocational school (Berufsschule), reducible to two and a half years with prior qualification. It ends with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) examination.
Employers hiring
Software vendors, IT service companies, industry and the Mittelstand hire developers trained in Germany. Big names include SAP, Siemens, Bosch, Deutsche Telekom and many mid-sized companies.
Prospects
Software development is one of the most in-demand fields in Germany, with a lasting shortage of qualified staff (source: Bitkom, 2025). Prospects are solid and durable.
Career progression
After a few years, you can specialise (web, mobile, back-end development), move into project management, or pursue a higher qualification (Fachwirt, computer-science studies).
Language level
The vocational school, the exam and the workplace are all in German. B2 is the standard needed to succeed; that is the level our language training targets.
Recognition and access
For an Ausbildung, no diploma recognition is required: you train directly in Germany. You need an Ausbildung contract, the expected German level and, generally, a secondary-school leaving certificate.
Visa
Entry is via the vocational-training (Ausbildung) visa. After graduation, you switch to a skilled-worker residence permit to work in Germany. We check your eligibility and prepare the file with you.
Your Karriere Fähre support
We train you in German up to the required level, find the company and the Ausbildung contract, prepare the visa file and support you all the way to your arrival in Germany.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need to know how to code already?
- No, the Ausbildung starts from the basics. An aptitude for logic and mathematics helps, but the company and school train you step by step.
- How does it differ from Systemintegration?
- Anwendungsentwicklung focuses on software development; Systemintegration deals with networks, servers and IT infrastructure.
Indicative gross ranges from public German sources (StepStone, Gehalt.de, Federal Employment Agency, Bitkom, IHK). Salary portals differ and update their data; real figures depend on region, employer, collective agreement and experience. Visa rules change: always check your case with the competent German authorities.