Ausbildung in Austria for Algerians (2026): Full History, the Visa Truth and Real Alternatives

The short answer

Austria has no visa or residence permit called "Ausbildung" or "vocational training" that you can apply for from Algeria. The Austrian apprenticeship (Lehre) exists for foreigners who already live in Austria legally. The Austrian embassy in Algiers is open and issues visas, but there is no category called "Ausbildung".

In this article we tell the whole story:

• What an apprenticeship in Austria is, and why it has a different name.
• How the rules developed from 1969 to today.
• Why the door opened for asylum seekers and then closed in 2018.
• Why every attempt to create an "apprentice residence permit" has failed since 2019.
• The real, legal alternatives an Algerian can use today.

What is an Ausbildung in Austria?

Ausbildung is German for "training". When Algerians say "Ausbildung" they usually mean dual vocational training:

1. You train inside a real company and receive a monthly apprentice wage.
2. You attend a vocational school (Berufsschule).
3. You sit a final exam and earn a professional qualification.

In Austria this system is not called "Ausbildung" but Lehre (or Lehrausbildung), and the trainee is a Lehrling. Its legal basis is the Vocational Training Act (BAG) of 1969.

Apprenticeships in Austria today

• On 31 December 2025 Austria had 102,878 apprentices in 25,168 training companies.
• That is a low point, down 3.4% from 2024, after around 130,000 in 2010.
• The most popular trades among young people: electrical work, car mechanics, installation and building technology, retail, and office work.

The history: apprenticeships and foreigners, 1969 to 2026

To understand why there is no Ausbildung visa today, we have to go back to the laws everything is built on.

1969 and 1975: two laws that decide everything

In 1969 the Vocational Training Act (BAG) set up the Lehre. Six years later, in 1975, came the Foreign Nationals Employment Act (AuslBG).

The second law is the key to the story. It treats a foreign apprentice as a worker: the employer must apply for a work permit, which is only granted if the foreigner already has a right of residence in Austria, and after a labour market test. Immigration lawyer Valentin Neuser of Lansky in Vienna explains that the legislator never anticipated people coming to Austria for the purpose of vocational training.

2011: the Red-White-Red Card... for already-trained workers only

On 1 July 2011 Austria launched the Rot-Weiß-Rot (Red-White-Red) Card, a points system to attract skilled workers. But it was designed for people who have finished their training: graduates, workers in shortage occupations, and university graduates. The Chamber of Commerce (WKO) states clearly that this card is not suitable for apprentices.

2012 to 2018: the one door that opened, then closed

The only exception in history was for asylum seekers. In 2012 a ministerial decree allowed asylum seekers under 25 to start a Lehre in shortage trades. After the 2015 refugee wave the number grew, peaking at 1,553 asylum seekers in apprenticeships in 2018.

Then came the sudden reversal: on 11 September 2018 the decree was withdrawn, and the Interior Ministry announced that apprentices whose asylum applications were rejected would be deported. The government of the day justified this by separating asylum from labour migration, and promised a dedicated residence permit for apprentices.

2019: the promise that never came true

In March 2019 the government presented a draft law to create an apprentice residence permit, "Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Lehrling". But the text was clear: this permit is not a tool for first-time immigration, and would only go to people already holding a "pupil" permit inside Austria. It would never have helped someone coming from Algeria. It still never reached a vote, because the government collapsed in May 2019.

2022 and 2023: nursing opens a window

In 2022 an important change happened quietly: an amendment to the residence law allowed students at nursing schools and nursing-assistant trainees to receive a "pupil" residence permit. In the same year parliament postponed a NEOS proposal for a Red-White-Red Card for apprentices.

In September 2023 the "Pflegelehre" started: dual vocational training as nursing assistant (3 years) and specialist nursing assistant (4 years), first in Lower Austria, Upper Austria and Vorarlberg. But it is a Lehre, so the same residence requirement applies.

2024: the labour minister speaks, the unions say no

In April 2024 Labour Minister Martin Kocher called for a special residence permit for apprentices from outside the EU. The Chamber of Commerce welcomed it as a necessity and reminded everyone that Germany was ahead of Austria. In May 2024 a pilot project for a Red-White-Red Card for apprentices was put forward, but the unions, including vida, rejected it.

2026: same fight, no new law

In September 2026 the Chamber of Commerce was still demanding a pilot project for adult apprentices from third countries, and the unions were still against it. That alone shows the permit has not been created.

The timeline at a glance

Why is there no Ausbildung visa for Austria from Algeria?

Many people say "the Austrian visa is not available in Algeria". The accurate statement is: the visa to go and do an Ausbildung does not exist. Other visas are available.

What is available in Algeria

The Austrian embassy is in El Biar, Algiers. Applications are lodged at VFS Global centres in Algiers and Oran, and booking an appointment online is free.

Source: VFS Global, Austria in Algeria.

The shortcut that does not work

Some young people think: "I'll get a tourist visa, then look for a Lehre there." The Austrian embassy in Algiers answers this itself: a Schengen visa does not give you the right to work, to study, or to apply for a residence permit after you enter Austria.

And even if you find a company that wants to train you, the permit is only granted if the apprentice already has a right of residence in Austria, and after checking that no qualified resident has priority.

Why does it work in Germany?

Because Germany created a residence permit specifically for vocational training: you need a training contract and a language level, then you apply at the German embassy. Austria has not done this yet. That is why most Arabic videos and articles about "Ausbildung" are about Germany, and people wrongly transfer them to Austria because the language is the same.

Extra difficulties every Algerian knows

Even for the visas that are available, the road is not easy. The Schengen refusal rate for Algerians fell from 35% to 31% in 2025, but remains among the highest in the world. And VFS appointments in Algeria are scarce for long periods.

The real alternatives to an Ausbildung in Austria for Algerians

The good news: if your goal is to train and then work in Austria, there are legal doors open today. Choose by your level and situation:

1. Nursing: the closest thing to an Ausbildung in Austria

Since the 2022 amendment, the government portal oesterreich.gv.at states explicitly that students of nursing schools (GuK-Schule), nursing-assistant courses (Pflegeassistenz) and social-care schools are entitled to a "pupil" residence permit. The main requirements:

• A written acceptance from the school.
• A personal application at the embassy in Algeria, before travelling.
• Proof of funds and health insurance.
• Renewal requires academic progress every year.

After graduation, entering the labour market is easier, because holders of an Austrian nursing qualification benefit from easier work permits.

2. University study: the most used route

According to oesterreich.gv.at:

• Students may work up to 20 hours a week with a permit granted without a labour market test.
• After graduating, you can extend your residence by 12 months to look for a job.
• You can then move to the Red-White-Red Card for graduates without a labour market test.

3. A traineeship in Austria for Algerian university students

If you are studying for a bachelor's or master's in Algeria, or graduated less than two years ago, you can do a traineeship at an Austrian company on a long-stay visa of 91 days to 6 months. The company notifies the labour market service AMS at least 3 weeks in advance. This traineeship cannot be extended, but it is real Austrian experience on your CV.

4. The Red-White-Red Card for shortage occupations

This is for people who have already finished their training in Algeria (vocational training, institutes, university) and have experience. According to the Chamber of Commerce, you need completed training in an occupation on that year's shortage list, a job offer, and a minimum points score (55 points). The list changes every year, so check it before any step.

5. Germany: the real Ausbildung

If your dream is dual training with a wage, Germany is the realistic destination: a training contract with a German company, then a visa application through the German embassy's official portal.

Common myths and fake offers

On TikTok, Facebook and many Arabic websites, wrong information spreads. These are the most common claims:

Red flags in any offer

• "Guaranteed Austria Ausbildung visa for a fee": the category does not exist, so the guarantee is a lie.
• Selling VFS appointments: appointments are free online, and journalists have documented a parallel market that resells them.
• An explanation that mentions "section 16a" or the digital.diplo.de portal: that is about Germany, not Austria.
• "Enter on a tourist visa and we will handle the rest": the embassy itself says a Schengen visa does not allow applying for residence after entry.

Frequently asked questions

Read next

• Austria or Germany for Algerian students?
• Residence permit refusals: the mistakes students make in Austria
• Working while studying in Austria as a non-EU student

Sources

• Austrian embassy in Algiers: how to apply for a visa
• VFS Global: Austria in Algeria
• oesterreich.gv.at: pupil residence permit
• oesterreich.gv.at: studying and working for third-country nationals
• WKO: employing foreign apprentices
• WKO: Red-White-Red Card for shortage occupations
• European Commission: traineeship in Austria
• Austrian Parliament: 2019 apprentice permit draft
• WKO: apprentice statistics 2025
• Lansky: immigration for training purposes