Anerkennung ausländischer Berufsabschlüsse

Professional qualifications acquired abroad can be recognized in Schleswig-Holstein under certain conditions.

You can apply for recognition and assessment of your professional qualification acquired abroad by the competent authority in the country in which you live if you have not yet submitted such an application to any other authority in Germany. The recognition and assessment of foreign professional qualifications is based on various legal bases. Examples are

• The recognition or equivalence of professional qualifications of applicants who are entitled under the Federal Expellees Act is based on the Federal Expellees Act.
  
• The recognition and assessment of professional qualifications of EU nationals obtained in a member state of the European Union is based on the EU Recognition Directives.
  
• The recognition of professional qualifications as a German assistant profession or as a German technical college qualification is regulated in some countries in the corresponding school regulations.

All copies submitted must be officially certified. The certification of copies can be carried out by any official (seal-bearing) office (e.g. registration offices, health insurance companies, employment agency, schools). Do not submit any original documents.

Fees may be charged for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications. Information on this can be obtained from the relevant chamber.

The recognition of professional qualifications of persons entitled under the Federal Expellees Act (e.g. ethnic German repatriates) is free of charge, provided the application is submitted within three years of the date of permanent residence in Germany.

Have a "europass Mobility" issued to you. All qualifications acquired abroad are documented in the passport.

Further information on the recognition of foreign educational qualifications / vocational qualifications / professional qualifications can be found on the websites of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

To the chamber responsible for vocational training. This can be

• the Chamber of Skilled Crafts (HWK) for vocational training in occupations under the Crafts Code,
• the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) for vocational training in non-trade occupations,
• the Chamber of Agriculture for vocational training in agricultural and rural domestic science professions,
• the Chamber of Lawyers, Patent Attorneys and Notaries as well as the Notary's Office for the vocational training of specialists in the field of law,
• the Chamber of Auditors and the Chamber of Tax Consultants for the vocational training of professionals in the field of auditing and tax consultancy,
• the Chambers of Physicians, Dentists, Veterinarians and Pharmacists for the vocational training of healthcare professionals.

Other responsibilities, e.g. for bodies in the public sector, churches and other religious communities, are regulated in Sections 72 - 75 of the Federal Training Act (BBiG).