Overview
- The Abgeordnetenhaus, which voted Thursday, passed the measure 128–16 with 5 abstentions as CDU, SPD, Greens and the Left backed it and AfD opposed.
- The levy will apply from 2028 to companies with at least 10 employees whose apprentice share falls below 4.6 percent, requiring payments into a fund of at least €75 million a year.
- The new fund will pay for additional training places and cover full apprentice wages, reducing hiring costs for firms that add positions.
- The CDU supported the bill under protest, with several members abstaining and others warning in statements about higher costs, more paperwork and risks to Berlin’s business climate.
- Industry and startup groups, including IHK, UVB, VBKI, Bitkom and the Startup Association, argue the scheme ignores unfilled openings and could face court tests, while a sunset clause ends the law if Berlin adds over 2,000 extra apprentices three years in a row.