Gleichwertigkeit ausländischer Berufsqualifikationen im Bereich der nicht reglementierten Berufsfachschulabschlüsse und Fachschulabschlüsse Feststellung

You have a professional qualification from abroad and would like to work in Germany? You can apply for recognition of your professional qualification at the competent office.

You apply for recognition at the competent office in the federal state in which you would like to work. The procedure for recognition is called: Gleichwertigkeitsfeststellung (BQFG Land). Please note: Your qualification must be state-recognized in the state of your training. Informal or non-formal qualifications cannot be officially recognized in Germany.

There are about 200 vocational school degrees and technical college degrees in Germany. To apply for an equivalence determination, you must identify a German training qualification or continuing education qualification. This German qualification must match your professional qualification. We therefore recommend that you: Get advice before submitting your application!

In Bremen, equivalences can be issued for the following degrees:

• Business economist
• Movement teacher for gymnastics, dance and sports
• Biological-technical assistant
• Chemical-technical assistant
• Specialist for home economics and family care
• Foreign language correspondent
• Technical design assistant - graphics
• Gymnastics and dance teacher
• Curative education nurse
• Information technology assistant
• Commercial assistant - foreign languages
• Commercial assistant - information processing
• Pediatric nurse
• Mathematical-technical assistant
• Nursing assistant - geriatric nursing assistance
• Nursing assistant - special education nursing assistant
• Pharmaceutical-technical assistant
• Physical-technical assistant
• Social pedagogical assistant
• Technician - chemical engineering
• Technician - Electrical Engineering
• Technician - Food technology
• Technician - Mechanical engineering
• Technician - Mechatronics
• Technician - Wind energy technology

In the equivalence assessment, the competent body compares your professional qualification with a specific German professional qualification in the federal state in which you would like 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 will list existing professional qualifications and any professional qualifications that are still missing. The certificate enables employers to better assess your professional qualifications. This can make it easier for you to find a job. For professionals 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 advice centers of the IQ network ("Integration through Qualification").

You can also apply for an equivalence assessment from abroad.

• Proof of identity

  e.g. identity card or passport

• Marriage certificate (if your name has changed due to marriage)
• Information on applications for recognition already submitted

  Indicate the office to which you submitted the application.

• Perhaps: information about an already submitted application for recognition.

  Then indicate the office to which you submitted the application.

• Notes on the documents

  If your documents are not in German, you must submit German translations of your documents. The translations must be made by translators who are publicly appointed or authorized.

  You can submit the documents in written form (mail or e-mail) or in person.

  We advise against sending original documents by mail.

• You have a state-recognized professional qualification from abroad.
• Your professional qualification must match a vocational school diploma or technical school diploma in your federal state.

You submit an application for recognition to the competent body. You can send the application by mail, send it electronically or hand it in personally. You can also submit the application from abroad.

The competent body receives the application. It will confirm to you after a maximum of one month that the application has arrived. When the competent body has received all the documents from you, it will process your application. The competent body then checks: Is your professional qualification equivalent to a specific professional qualification in the chosen federal state? In doing so, the competent body compares the qualifications using certain criteria. Important criteria are the content and duration of the training. The competent body also takes into account your professional experience, your other certificates of competence and qualifications when carrying out the equivalence test.

You will receive a decision 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 the professional qualifications. The differences are listed in your notification. You can use this decision to obtain further qualifications and later submit a new application for an equivalence determination.

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