The residence permit for participating in a vocational training program is a temporary residence permit.

If you have not yet completed your vocational training program and your residence permit is about to expire, you can apply for an extension. Reasons for not having completed the vocational training program include, for example, if:

• you have to wait a long time for exams
• you have to retake an exam

The same requirements apply to the extension of the residence permit as to its initial issuance. In particular, you must have sufficient means to support yourself for the duration of your studies.

Your residence permit can be extended for 12 months. In total, your residence permit for the purpose of pursuing qualification measures may not exceed 3 years.

An extension is not possible if the Foreigners’ Registration Office has already ruled this out at the time of issuance or the most recent extension.

With your residence permit, you may engage in employment unrelated to the qualification program for up to 20 hours per week.