Recognition

More and more international professionals want to work in Germany. In order to make this happen, they need to clarify whether their professional qualifications are recognised here. This official recognition is required by law for regulated professions such as doctors, nurses, teachers, pharmacists and certain skilled trades. 

Recognition, also referred to as equivalence assessment, is used to officially compare a qualification obtained abroad with a German qualification. The aim of this administrative process is to enable classification. You can find out how this process works here.

Recognition process

The recognition process is a multi-stage process. The first step is to find the appropriate authority. This varies depending on the profession you are looking to become recognised in. Once you have found a suitable one, you need to submit a number of documents, such as training certificates, employment references, a CV and any necessary translations. As soon as the authorities have all necessary documents, they will compare your professional training with the corresponding German training. This will result in one of three outcomes: 

1 Full recognition: The foreign professional qualification is equivalent to the German qualification and is fully recognised. Congratulations, you can start applying for jobs in Germany immediately.

2 Partial recognition: Your qualification is partially equivalent to the German one, but significant differences have been identified. You will receive a list of the missing skills with suggestions on how to compensate for them. For full recognition, so-called compensatory measures (Ausgleichsmaßnahmen) such as adaptation courses, further training and knowledge tests (Kenntnisprüfungen) are recommended, which subsequently establish equivalence of professional qualifications.

3 No recognition: The foreign professional qualification is not sufficiently equivalent and cannot be recognised. However, this does not mean the end of your dream of working in Germany. The decision will contain a recommendation for compensatory measures. After successfully completing these measures, you will receive full qualification.

Duration and costs

Provided all documents are complete, the recognition process takes around three to four months. The costs of the process are usually borne by the applicant, but under certain circumstances they may also be covered by the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit). The amount of the costs depends on the authority and the complexity of the process, but averages around €600.

Recognition as the key to a successful career in Germany

The recognition of your professionaly qualification in Germany opens the door to the German labour market. Even if the process seems complex, there are many advisory services you can count on for support.