Process
Nine steps, realistically 12 to 18 months. We tell you in advance what is needed from you and when — and give you a time window rather than a fixed date.
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Initial conversation
We clarify pay, accommodation and timing. If something does not fit, we say so straight away — before any effort is spent.
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Letter of intent
You state, without obligation, how many positions you want to fill and in which trade. Only then does the search in Accra begin.
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Candidate proposals
You are introduced to candidates who suit the trade and whose German and documents have been checked.
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Video conversation and selection
You meet the candidates in person before making a decision.
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Training contract and chamber registration
We prepare the paperwork, you sign, the chamber registers it.
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Approval by the employment agency
The agency checks whether pay and conditions match those of German apprentices. Whether German applicants might also be available is not examined.
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Accelerated procedure
You initiate it at the immigration office; it costs €411 and shortens processing to about two months. Optional, but almost always worthwhile.
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Visa procedure in Accra
Now it is with the embassy. For the first four weeks they generally give no status updates — this is normal and not a bad sign. We accompany the procedure, but at this point we cannot speed it up.
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Arrival and start of training
Registration, bank account, health insurance, vocational school. After that we stay available for six months — for you and for the apprentice.
When you pay
Our fee falls due in four instalments once the training is running — nothing before that, and no advance. The final instalment is only due once you keep the apprentice on after they qualify. Independently of that, the €411 fee for the accelerated procedure arises on your side (step 7); it is paid to the immigration office, not to us. Details are on the Costs page.
What to be prepared for
| What can happen | What we do about it |
|---|---|
| The visa is refused because the cost of living is not covered | We settle pay and accommodation in the initial conversation — before any effort is spent |
| Verification of a document drags on for months | Our partner obtains documents from the correct register from the outset, so it does not come to that |
| The procedure takes longer than planned | We start with enough lead time and use the accelerated procedure |
| The apprentice drops out | They have six months to find a new position — we help with that |