Erlaubnis zum Führen der Berufsbezeichnung Sozialpädagogin/Sozialarbeiterin oder Sozialpädagoge/Sozialarbeiter bei Berufsqualifikation aus dem Ausland Erteilung

You would like to work permanently in Germany as a social pedagogue/social worker? Then you need to have your foreign professional qualification recognized.

The profession of social pedagogue or social worker is regulated in Germany. This means: You have to prove a certain qualification to be allowed to work in the profession. If you have a foreign professional qualification as a social pedagogue or social worker, you can work in this profession in the chosen federal state under certain conditions. To do this, you must submit an application with all the necessary documents to the Senatorische Behörde für Kinder und Bildung- Referat 31.

In the recognition procedure, the office compares your professional qualification from abroad with the professional qualification in the chosen federal state and makes an equivalence determination. You will receive feedback after your application has been reviewed. If your professional qualification is equivalent and you meet the other requirements, you will receive state recognition. Then you may use the professional title "state-approved social worker".

If you lack professional qualifications for recognition, the notice will state the essential differences. You can then take a compensatory measure.

• Request
• Resume
• Proof of identity (identity card or passport)

• Equivalence of your professional qualification
• You must be authorized to practice the profession in the country of training.

For the state recognition you still have to fulfill the other requirements. These are mostly:

• Personal suitability: you are reliable for the work as a social pedagog:in or social worker:in and have no criminal record.
• Health suitability: You are mentally and physically able to work in the profession.
• You have German language skills at the required level C1.

You can submit the application to the Senatorial Authority for Children and Education- Unit 31. You must submit all the necessary documents in the original or in the form of certified copies to the competent office. The competent office will then check:

Is your professional qualification equivalent to the professional qualification in your federal state?

For the comparison, the content of the training and the duration of the training are important, for example. The competent body also takes into account your professional experience, other certificates of competence and qualifications.

The competent body then checks the other requirements. If your professional qualification is equivalent and you meet all other requirements, you will receive state recognition. You may then use the professional title "state-approved social worker" or "state-approved social worker".

If the competent authority cannot determine equivalence, you will receive a notice with an explanation of the essential differences. To compensate for substantial differences, you can take a compensatory measure.

If you successfully complete the compensatory measure and meet the other requirements, you will receive state recognition.