Anyone who wants to work in a profession in Germany often has to have their professional qualifications acquired abroad examined and recognised. The German Recognition Act regulates how this is done. The German Recognition Act includes the federal law
"Professional Qualifications Assessment Act" (BQFG) as well as further regulations on the recognition of professional qualifications in about 60 federal professional laws and ordinances for the regulated professions. These include the health professions with the Federal Medical Order and the Nursing Act as well as all master craftsmen with the Crafts Code. And the individual federal states also have their own laws on recognition for professions that fall within their jurisdiction: these include teachers, engineers, architects and social workers.
For their recognition, the individuals concerned usually have to have the certificates and documents they have submitted translated and authenticated. The competent body for the respective professional qualification decides on which documents must be submitted. The application for recognition for regulated professions and non-regulated professions in the federally regulated area can be applied for electronically and by means of (simple) copies (Sections 5 subsection 2 sentence , 12 subsection 2 sentence 1 BQFG).
As part of the Skilled Immigration Act, the Central Service Point for Professional Recognition (ZSBA) was set up by the Federal Employment Agency and is responsible for the whole of Germany. This is located at the Central Placement Office (ZAV) in Bonn in order to be able to advise applicants from abroad as a central point of contact and to accompany them through the procedure. This offer will initially be tested until 31 December 2023.
Advice and support is available to help people initiate the recognition process. The counselling centres of the "Integration through Qualification (IQ)" programme thus provide information about the recognition procedure and what opportunities there are for starting a career. Counselling is free of charge and available in person, by email or by phone.
If the qualifications acquired abroad are equivalent to the German qualifications required for the respective occupation, then the applicants receive a licence and may work in the profession in Germany.
The recognition examination of foreign professional qualifications is subject to a fee. Low-income earners can also apply for a cost subsidy for the recognition procedure. All costs incurred in the application process are eligible for funding - i.e. primarily fees and translation costs up to a maximum of € 600 per person. The application procedure and the recognition test can take several months.
If equivalence to the German reference occupation is not established in the recognition procedure, i.e. the professional qualification shall not be fully recognised, these gaps can be overcome through "adaptation or compensation measures". For this purpose, entry to Germany is possible for an initial period of 18 months and a maximum of up to 24 months if the language competence corresponds at least to language level A2. In addition, the person is entitled to engage in employment independent of the qualification measure for up to ten hours per week. On the basis of placement agreements between the Federal Employment Agency and the labour administration of the country of origin, entry may be possible even before the recognition procedure commences. This applies primarily to the health and care sector, but also to other professions, and facilitates a period of residence of up to three years. The Competence Centre for Immigration in the funding programme "Integration through Qualification (IQ)" has produced the work aid “Key changes brought about by the Skilled Immigration Act/Toileration Act" concerning all changes to the Skilled Immigration Act, which also deals with these topics.
Recognition of non-regulated professions
For non-regulated professions, a recognition and thus a professional licence is not necessary to work in the profession. With a foreign qualification for a non-regulated profession, you can apply directly to the German labour market or start your own business. In Germany, all professions with dual vocational training, for instance, are not regulated. Nevertheless, even in a non-regulated profession you have a legal entitlement to a recognition procedure. This is because an assessment of foreign qualifications can be useful in order to have better opportunities with employers.