Berufsfachschulische und fachschulische Abschlüsse; ausländische Berufsqualifikation anerkennen lassen

You have a professional qualification from abroad and would like to work in Germany? You can apply to the competent authority for recognition of your professional qualification. To do this, contact the responsible office in the federal state in which you would like to work.

You apply for recognition at the competent authority in the federal state in which you would like to work. The procedure for recognition is called: Equivalence Determination (BQFG Land).

Please note: Your degree must be state-recognized in the state of your education. Informal or non-formal qualifications cannot be officially recognised in Germany.

There are around 200 Berufsfachschulabschluss and Fachschulabschluss in Germany.

For the application for equivalence assessment, you must identify a German training qualification or further education qualification. This German degree must match your professional qualification. We therefore recommend that you seek advice before applying!

When determining equivalence, the competent authority compares your professional qualification with a specific professional qualification in the federal state in which you want to work. Important criteria in the comparison are the content and duration of the training.

You will receive a notification of the result of the procedure. The notification mentions existing professional qualifications and any lack of professional qualifications.

The decision enables employers to better assess your professional qualifications. This can make it easier for you to find a job. For skilled workers abroad outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, a recognition procedure is usually a prerequisite for the issuance of a visa.

Initial advice on the application, procedure, costs, duration and possibilities for financial support can be obtained, for example, from the counselling centres of the IQ network ("Integration through Qualification").

You submit the application to the competent authority in the federal state in which you would like to work.

You can also apply for equivalence from abroad.

• Application form of the competent body
• If there is no application form: an informal and signed application
• Proof of identity (passport or identity card)
• Marriage certificate (if your name has changed due to marriage)
• CV with details of school and profession
• Proof of your professional qualifications (e.g. certificates, professional certificates)
• proof of the content and duration of your training,
  e.g. subject list and grade lists
• Proof of your professional experience
• Information about an application for recognition that may have already been submitted. Then indicate to which body you have submitted the application.
• You come from a third country and do not yet live or work in the EU, EEA or Switzerland? Then you must prove that you want to work in the selected federal state (e.g. applications, entry visa for gainful employment, personal declaration).

The competent authority will inform you which documents you must show in the original or hand in as copies. Some copies must be officially certified. We recommend that you do not send originals by post.

You must present your documents in German. The translations must be made by publicly appointed or authorised translators.

If necessary, the competent authority may request additional documents in the course of the recognition procedure. These are, for example, documents on the content and duration of your training (e.g. framework curriculum) or documents on other professional qualifications.

• You have a state-recognised professional qualification from abroad.
• Your professional qualification must match a vocational school diploma or technical college diploma in your federal state.
• You want to work in your chosen federal state.

You may have to pay money for the procedure. The competent authority will inform you of the exact costs.

In addition, additional costs may arise, e.g. for translations or certifications. These costs vary from person to person.

You submit an application for recognition to the competent authority.

You can send the application by post, send it electronically or submit it in person. You can also apply from abroad.

The competent authority receives the application. It will confirm to you after a maximum of one month that the application has been received. Once the competent body has received all the documents from you, it will process your application.

The competent authority then checks: Is your professional qualification equivalent to a specific professional qualification in the selected federal state? In doing so, the competent body compares the qualifications with the help of certain criteria. Important criteria are the content and duration of the training. The competent body shall also take into account your professional experience, other qualifications and qualifications in the equivalence assessment.

You will receive a notification with the result of the procedure. You will receive recognition if your professional qualification and the German professional qualification are equivalent.

Sometimes there are significant differences between professional qualifications. The differences are listed in your notification. With this notification, you can further qualify yourself and later submit a new application for equivalence determination.

If your professional qualification is not equivalent, you will not receive recognition.

 

The competent authority will confirm that your documents have arrived after a maximum of one month. The competent authority will inform you if documents are missing.

If the documents are complete, the procedure takes 3 months. Sometimes the competent body may prolong the procedure.

None.

Sometimes documents are still missing in the procedure. The competent authority will then inform you by when you must submit the documents.

You can take legal action against the decision of the competent authority . The decision will then be reviewed. Details of this procedure can be found in the information on the right of appeal at the end of your decision. We recommend that you first talk to the competent authority before taking legal action against the decision.