Plumbing and heating technician
At the heart of Germany's energy transition, your trade as a plumbing and heating technician is among the most sought-after in the country.
The profession
The plumbing and heating technician installs and maintains sanitary, heating and air-conditioning systems. They work in particular on heat pumps and renewable heating.
Salary
The entry salary is around 2,840 € per month, and the average with experience reaches about 3,999 € (source: powerus, hero-software, 2025). The guaranteed sector minimum for skilled workers (Mindestlohn Bau) is about 17.34 €/h in 2026, above the general minimum wage, which sets a safe floor.
Employers hiring
SHK and heating firms, as well as climate engineering and building services (TGA), hire plumbing and heating technicians.
Prospects
Prospects are extremely strong: it is one of the most sought-after trades, driven by the energy transition and heat pumps.
Career progression
You can progress to master craftsman (Meister), technician, team leader or energy consultant.
Language level
On site, safety instructions, directions and documentation are in German. B2 is the standard employers expect, and that is the level we aim for.
Diploma recognition
These construction trades are skilled crafts. The master title (Meister) is only required to set up your own business, not to work as an employee. For the skilled-worker visa, recognition of your qualification (Anerkennung) by the chamber of crafts is needed; we have it assessed and start the procedure with you.
Visa
The main routes are the skilled-worker visa with a recognised qualification, the recognition partnership which since March 2024 allows you to enter and work while completing recognition on site (A2 level required), and the Chancenkarte to come and look for a job. The EU Blue Card, reserved for university profiles, does not apply to these trades. We check your eligibility and build the file with you.
Your Karriere Fähre support
We train you in German up to the required level, have your qualification recognised, present your profile to German employers, prepare the visa file and support you all the way to your arrival.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this trade really at the heart of the energy transition ?
- Yes: installing heat pumps and renewable heating places the plumbing and heating technician at the heart of Germany's energy transition.
- Do you need the Meister to be an employee ?
- No: the Meister is only required to set up your own business, not to work as an employee in a company.
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.