Recognition of Foreign Professional Qualifications

Many companies, craft businesses, hospitals and care facilities depend on experts from abroad. This is why the Federal Government introduced the Recognition Act in 2012 as a new instrument to secure the availability of skilled workers in Germany. The Act has proven effective: nine out of ten skilled professionals with foreign vocational qualifications find gainful employment after a successful recognition procedure.

Before the Recognition Act entered into force, only very few skilled professionals who had come to Germany could have their vocational qualifications assessed. The Recognition Act has changed that and introduces a standardized and transparent procedure for all professions governed by federal law.

This provides the basis for establishing the equivalence of a foreign qualification with a corresponding German qualification. In many cases equivalence is a prerequisite for working in one's profession or starting a business in Germany. This is especially true for regulated professions such as trades that require authorization, for medical doctors, and for nurses or pharmacists.

The Recognition Act improves opportunities for individuals who have gained professional qualifications abroad to practice their learned professions in Germany and thereby assures that these individuals can be better integrated into the labour market.

The amendments of the Skilled Immigration Act with effect from 1 March 2024 will dissociate the immigration of skilled workers from recognition procedures. In the case of non-regulated professions, recognition is now optional under certain conditions. For working in regulated professions, it remains mandatory. Regardless of whether it is mandatory or voluntary, recognition has long-term benefits for skilled professionals, employers and society as a whole.

Federal Law and Länder Responsibilities

Germany's Recognition Act includes the Professional Qualifications Assessment Act (Berufsqualifikationsfeststellungsgesetz - BQFG) under the responsibility of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as well as provisions for the recognition of vocational qualifications in around 60 federal laws and regulations governing regulated professions, such as healthcare professions (Medical Practitioners' Code/BÄO, Nursing Act/KrPflG) and master craftsmen (Trade and Crafts Code/HwO).

The Länder have also adopted their own legislation concerning the professions for which they are responsible (for example teachers, engineers, architects, occupations in social services).

Procedure meets with great appeal

Interest in the recognition procedure has been high. Many consultations have taken place. Thousands of applications for recognition have been made and the majority have been granted full equivalence.

Approximately 52,300 successful recognition procedures were conducted for professions governed by federal and Länder law in 2022 alone. Between 2012 and 2022, almost 365,000 applications for the recognition of qualifications in professions regulated at federal or Länder level were submitted. An additional 229,000 applications were made to the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) by private persons for the assessment of qualifications for academic professions.

Compared to the figures recorded until the end of 2018, applications for recognition of foreign professional qualifications had almost doubled by 2022 (95%).

The number of applications regarding professions governed by federal law has been increasing significantly year-on-year. As a result of the pandemic, the year 2020 proved an exception to this. Just as in 2021, 2022 also saw a new record of 39,312 (2019: around 33,120; 2020: 31,536; 2021: 34,623). At the same time, it was possible to shorten the recognition procedures despite growing numbers of applications. However, there is still room for improvement in this regard. In 2022, full equivalence was granted in 47 per cent of the recognition procedures for federally regulated professions while only two per cent of applications were rejected altogether. The remainder of applications were granted partial equivalence, meaning that applicants can participate in compensatory measures.

The Recognition Act has a positive impact on skilled migration to Germany. There has been an increase in the number of applications submitted directly from abroad. This is a new feature of the Recognition Act that had not been possible before its enactment. In 2022, 48 per cent of applications were submitted from abroad (2021: 41%). The increasing digitalization of recognition procedures is expected to amplify this development.

And the psychological effect of recognition should not be underestimated. In a survey, 84 per cent of skilled professionals stated that professional recognition had been worthwhile for them. Approximately 30 per cent responded that, due to the recognition of their qualifications, they also enjoyed greater acceptance and appreciation. Recognition thus makes an important contribution towards lasting integration.

The high number of visits to the "Recognition in Germany" online portal is also a sign of the great interest in the procedure. More than half of the visitors to the site are located outside Germany. Advisory services centres and the hotline of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees are also reporting a massive rise in numbers of people seeking guidance. However, not every consultation necessarily results in an application for recognition. Many people take the advice to take up training or retraining measures.

Further Information and Guidance

The online portal "Recognition in Germany" and its online tool "Recognition Finder" point the way to the appropriate competent authority and provide important information about the procedure for recognition of foreign professional qualifications. Information is available in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Spanish and Turkish as well as Ukranian. It takes just a few clicks in the "Counselling search" to find the appropriate sources of guidance to meet individual needs. The portal also gives access to an application service which enables users to file their electronic applications for recognition of qualifications in an increasing number of professions directly with the relevant authority.

Persons in low-income brackets can apply for the partial reimbursement of costs incurred for the recognition procedure. Reimbursement is possible for the costs incurred during the recognition procedure, consisting mainly of fees and translation costs, up to a maximum of €600 per person. A model has been piloted to provide financial support during the qualification measures. The aim is to tap the full potential of putting skilled staff with foreign professional qualifications into employment that is commensurate with their skills.

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Further information

Recognition of Foreign Professional Qualifications - BMBF

with Links to helpful online portals, hotline or central funding agency