A Filipino welder does not need a license to work in Germany, but the skilled-worker visa needs your vocational qualification to be recognized as equivalent to German training. Many employers also ask for specific welding certificates.
This guide explains the steps in plain words, using official German and Philippine sources. Each point links to its source so you can check it yourself. This is general guidance, not legal or immigration advice.
Recognition: a visa step, not a license
Welding is not a licensed profession in Germany, so no practice license is needed. For a skilled-worker visa, the German immigration authority (BAMF) requires proof of a vocational qualification equivalent to German vocational training, whether the job is regulated or not. The recognition office is the chamber of crafts (HWK) for skilled trades and the IHK FOSA for industrial occupations. On top of this, employers often require specific welding qualifications (for example EN or ISO welder certificates) for the role, so confirm with the specific employer.
German language
BAMF asks for German skills that match the intended occupation and gives no single level. No official body sets a German level for this job. We recommend at least A2 as a practical baseline for applications and daily work; that is our own guidance, not a legal requirement.
Routes a welder can use
Qualified employment (skilled-worker visa)
For the visa, Germany needs proof of a completed vocational qualification that is equivalent to German vocational training, whether or not the job itself is regulated. The recognition office is the IHK FOSA for commercial and industrial occupations and the chamber of crafts (HWK) for skilled trades. You also need a matching job. The law sets no minimum salary of its own; pay must be comparable to that of a German employee. If you are 45 or older when you first apply, the salary must be at least EUR 55,770 a year (2026) unless you can show adequate old-age provision.
Experienced-worker route
For people with strong practical experience but no formal German recognition, in a job that is not a regulated profession. You need at least 2 years of relevant skilled-level experience within the last 5 years, a concrete job offer, and a salary of at least EUR 45,630 a year in 2026 (EUR 55,770 if you are 45 or older, unless you can show adequate pension provision).
Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)
A job-search visa for people without a job offer yet, valid for up to one year, with trial work or side work of up to 20 hours a week. You need at least 2 years of state-recognized vocational training or a recognized degree, plus German at A1 or English at B2. With a fully recognized qualification you need no points. Otherwise you need at least 6 of 15 points, and partial recognition of your qualification is worth 4 of them. You must show financial proof of EUR 1,091 a month, EUR 13,092 for a year.
Training in Germany (Ausbildung)
You can also train for the job in Germany (see our Ausbildung guide). You need a specific training place, and German at level B1 for qualified vocational training or A2 as a rule for other training; either can be replaced at entry by enrolling in a preparatory German course. For the first year you must prove at least EUR 822 net (EUR 1,048 gross) a month for company-based training, for example with a blocked account.
Where do I start?
- Open the Recognition Finder and check how your welding qualification is compared.
- Ask the chamber of crafts or the IHK FOSA about recognition as equivalent.
- Ask employers which welding certificates they need for the role.
- Start German now; A2 is a sensible first target.
- Complete PEOS and secure your OEC before you travel.
The Philippine side: OEC and PEOS
Filipinos who leave to work abroad also need papers from the Philippine government, separate from the German visa.
- Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). It is your exit clearance at Philippine immigration and exempts you from travel tax and the airport terminal fee. The Philippine Embassy in Berlin, through MWO-Berlin, helps with OEC and employment-contract verification for Germany.
- Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar (PEOS), a free online DMW seminar. If this is your first time working abroad, you must complete it before you can get your OEC. Workers who have worked abroad before do not need it.
Want to know exactly where you stand? Answer a few questions and get a free roadmap that shows what you already meet, what is missing and your next steps as a welder.
More guides: how to work in Germany from the Philippines, German visa types for Filipinos and the German level you need.
Official sources
- BAMF: skilled workers with vocational training
- Recognition Finder (Anerkennung in Deutschland)
- § 18a AufenthG: skilled workers with vocational training
- § 19c AufenthG: experienced-worker route
- Federal Employment Agency: experienced workers
- § 20b AufenthG: Opportunity Card points
- German Federal Foreign Office: Opportunity Card visa information
- Philippine Embassy Berlin: Overseas Employment Certificate
- DMW: Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar (PEOS)
Last checked: September 20, 2026. This is general guidance, not legal or immigration advice. Figures change, so confirm them on the official pages.