Is the work physical and outdoors?

Yes, bricklaying is a physical trade carried out largely outdoors, on site, in all weathers.

Does bricklaying lead to site foreman?

Yes, with experience and a Polier or Meister qualification, you can move up to site foreman.

Bricklayer (Maurer)

A solid, sought-after building trade at the heart of German shell construction.

The profession

The bricklayer builds walls and structures in brick, block and concrete on shell-construction sites. They read plans and work to precise measurements down to the millimetre.

Salary

In a SOKA-BAU tariff apprenticeship, pay is about 1,080 € (year 1), 1,300 € (year 2, west) and 1,550 € (year 3, west), a little less in the east (source: SOKA-BAU, 2025). The entry salary after the diploma is around 2,600 to 2,670 €/month, the median about 3,100 €, the average about 3,388 €, and over 3,700 € with experience (source: aggregators citing the Entgeltatlas, 2025). In construction, pay follows a binding sector minimum wage (Mindestlohn Bau, skilled level about 17.34 €/h in 2026, above the general minimum), and the SOKA-BAU holiday fund grants 30 paid holiday days, a real selling point.

Duration and path

Training lasts 3 years in the dual system, split between the company and the vocational school (Berufsschule), and ends with the chamber final exam.

Employers hiring

Employers are shell-construction firms (Hochbau), property developers (Bauträger), as well as large groups and the construction Mittelstand.

Prospects

Prospects are very strong: bricklaying is explicitly cited as a shortage occupation by the Federal Employment Agency (source: Federal Employment Agency, 2024).

Career progression

You can progress to team leader (Vorarbeiter), then site foreman (Polier), earn a Meister qualification or become a building technician.

Language level

The vocational school, the exam and the building site all take place in German. B2 is the standard employers expect, and that is the level we aim for.

Recognition and access

For an Ausbildung, no diploma recognition is required: you train directly in Germany and the diploma is recognised nationwide. You need an Ausbildung contract, the expected German level and, generally, a secondary school leaving certificate.

Visa

Entry is via the vocational training visa (Ausbildung). Once you graduate, you switch to a skilled worker permit to work in Germany. We check your eligibility and prepare the application with you.

Your Karriere Fähre support

We train you in German up to the required level, find the company and the Ausbildung contract, prepare the visa application and support you all the way to your arrival.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the work physical and outdoors?: Yes, bricklaying is a physical trade carried out largely outdoors, on site, in all weathers.
Does bricklaying lead to site foreman?: Yes, with experience and a Polier or Meister qualification, you can move up to site foreman.

Indicative gross ranges from public German sources (Federal Employment Agency, Entgeltatlas, Gehalt.de, StepStone, the construction tariff Bau-Hauptgewerbe / SOKA-BAU). In construction, pay often follows the collective agreement and the sector minimum wage, and varies by region, employer and experience. Recognition and visa rules change: always check your case with the competent German authorities.