Wholesale & foreign trade (Kaufmann/-frau für Groß- und Außenhandelsmanagement)
The business-to-business trade profession: purchasing, sales, suppliers and international trade, at the heart of Germany's export economy.
The profession
This clerk buys goods wholesale and resells them to businesses, negotiates with suppliers, manages orders, stock and logistics and, in the foreign-trade specialism, international trade and customs clearance.
Salary
On entry after training, about 2,700 to 3,200 €/month, often 2,900 to 3,100 € on average and up to ~3,300 € in agreement-bound firms (sources: sector data and German salary portals). Technical trade, chemicals and pharma pay above average. Indicative figures.
Duration and path
The training lasts 3 years, alternating company / vocational school, with the IHK exam and a choice of specialism (wholesale or foreign trade).
Employers hiring
Wholesalers and distributors, importers and exporters, industry and technical trade, international groups. As a major exporting nation, Germany has substantial and lasting demand.
Prospects and progression
Progression into purchasing, sales, key-account management, logistics or international business. Qualifications (Handelsfachwirt, Betriebswirt) lead to management.
German level and visa
B2 is the standard; English is an asset for foreign trade. You need an Ausbildung contract and a training visa (§ 16a). We train you to B2 in Douala and handle the paperwork.
Frequently asked questions
- What's the difference from retail?
- Wholesale sells to businesses (B2B), not consumers, with a strong purchasing, logistics and often international dimension.
- Is English required?
- German B2 is essential. English is a real plus for the foreign-trade specialism.
Indicative gross ranges from public German sources (Federal Employment Agency, Entgeltatlas, Gehalt.de, IHK). In retail, pay follows sector collective agreements (Einzelhandel) and the statutory minimum wage, and varies by region, employer and experience. Commerce is a non-regulated field: formal recognition is not always required to work, but may be needed depending on the visa route. Recognition and visa rules change: always check your case with the competent German authorities.