How to spot a fake Ausbildung agent
Most students do not need an agent. If you use one, these signs tell you to stop before you pay.
Red flags to watch for
If you see even one, stop and check the agency first.
They ask you to pay for the place
For an Ausbildung place, only the German employer may pay the agent. You should never pay for the place.
They want money before a contract
Never pay before you have a signed contract that names your employer.
They cannot name your employer
A real offer names a real German company you can look up.
They do not let you check the offer
Call or email the German employer yourself and ask if the offer is real.
A certificate without an exam
You get a real German language certificate, like Goethe or telc, only after you pass an exam.
They promise you a visa
Only the German government decides on your visa. No agent can promise you one.
They keep your passport
Keep your passport with you. An agent has no reason to keep it.
Saw one of these signs?
Check the agency before you pay. If they already took your money, tell us.
From Nepal or Pakistan? Only Germany’s state job office may find you a nursing place
German law says only Germany’s state job office (the BA) may find jobs or Ausbildung places in Germany for nurses and nursing students from Nepal and Pakistan. A private agent is not allowed to.
If a private agent offers you a nursing place in Germany, say no. Then look them up with our check tool.
What German law says about fees
An Ausbildung and a job have different rules.
For an Ausbildung: you never pay for the place
In Germany, an agent may take money for an Ausbildung place only from the employer, never from the student.
For a job: you usually pay the agent 2,000 euros at most
If an agent finds you a job (not an Ausbildung), German law says you usually pay the agent at most 2,000 euros. Pay only after you sign the job contract.
Nursing places for people from Nepal or Pakistan are different. A private agent may not find them for you at all (see above).
Proof an agent may show you
Some agents show proof. Here is what it means.
From India? Ask for the licence number
In India, an agent who finds jobs abroad must be on the government’s list. Ask for the licence number. Look it up on eMigrate (India’s official list of agents) or with our check tool. A licence does not prove the Ausbildung offer is real. Call or email the German employer yourself.
A German badge is for nurses only
Some agencies show a German badge (a kind of quality sign) called "Faire Anwerbung Pflege". It is only for hiring nurses who have already finished nurse training. A student in Ausbildung is not a nurse yet, so the badge says nothing about an Ausbildung place.
What to do next
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Stop and do not pay
Wait before you send any money or documents.
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Questions students ask
No. In Germany, an agent may take money for an Ausbildung place only from the employer, never from the student.
Ask for the name of your German employer and check it yourself. Never pay before a signed contract. Then type the agency name into our free check tool.
No. Only the German government decides on your visa. No agent can promise you one.
No. You can find open Ausbildung places and apply to German employers yourself. If you use an agent, check them first.
You don’t need an agent. If you use one, check them here first.
Type the agency name and see what we have checked about it.
