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Information on degree’s recognition
Information on degree’s recognition
- This information affects employees with a foreign (non-German) university degree or vocational qualification who want to take up employment in Germany and this employment requires a recognised degree/qualification.
- Even without a comparable foreign qualification it is generally possible to work long-term in Germany (especially in training occupations, as a skilled worker and manager, as researcher or as part of an international staff exchange). Though you have a qualification, it is recommended to get it assessed (e.g., through Anabin).
- What is Anabin: Anabin is a database which has been developed by the „Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany“ (KMK) since 1997. The database provides information on the assessment of foreign educational certificates. The Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) in Bonn is responsible for the data acquisition and administration.
Regulated professions (university degree and vocational qualification)
You can find further information on regulated professions (e.g. doctors, pharmacists, teachers etc.) at the infothek of the Federal Employment Agency and on the portal recognition in Germany.
In order to take up employment in a regulated profession you necessarily have to present a permission to exercise a profession or its assurance. This permission includes the professional legal authority to exercise the profession as well as the permission to use the professional title.
To take up employment here, it is not sufficient to have a degree/qualification which is „gleichwertig“ (equivalent) or „entspricht“ (comparable). Here, it is necessary to complete a procedure to receive the permission to exercise a profession.
If you completed your degree/qualification in a foreign (non-German) country, you can only receive the permission to exercise a profession when your degree/qualification has been assessed as equivalent by the respective authority.
The recognition procedure is implemented by the respective federal states. You can use the recognition finder to identify the respective authority
Thus, when it comes to regulated professions, it is always necessary to proceed a recognition procedure, as it is part of the procedure to receive a permission to exercise a profession.
Proof of qualification
| ☐ | University degree or proof of a completed vocational training |
☐ | AND Proof of recognition of the qualification through assessment (usually the recognition is made together with the decision on the permission to exercise a profession.) |
| ☐ | AND permission to exercise a profession |
Vocational training (non-regulated professions)
To take up employment in a training occupation, the foreign vocational qualification must have been assessed as equivalent to a German training occupation.
The recognition must be documented by an according assessment from a respective recognition authority in Germany.
The recognition procedure is implemented by the respective federal states. You can use the recognition finder to identify the respective authority
If the foreign vocational training has not (yet) been fully assessed, you have the possibility to complete qualification measures in order to achieve full equivalence or to receive the permission to exercise a profession. After successfully completing the qualification measures, you can search up to 12 months for an employment according to this qualification.
Proof of qualification
| ☐ | proof of a completed vocational training | |
☐ | AND Proof of equivalence of the training | You can find further information about the recognition of equivalence of your training here:
|
University degree (non-regulated professions)
In order to enter Germany to take up employment, it is necessary that the foreign university degree is recognised or comparable to a German university degree.
For non-regulated professions, a recognition procedure is not required as the comparability will be determined (Anabin or statement of comparability by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB)).
By using the recognition finder you will find out if your profession belongs to the regulated or non-regulated professions.
For university degrees, the comparability is determined through the data base Anabin. Further instructions on how to use the database Anabin and how to retrieve the required information on your university degree, you will find on the leaflet „Notes on Anabin“
If the comparability cannot be determined through Anabin-evaluation, you have to complete the procedure of statement of comparability at the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).
The issuance of a statement of comparability currently takes 30 - 90 days, in the course of a procedure to receive the „EU Blue Card“, it usually takes 10 working days.
Proof of qualification
| ☐ | University degree | |
☐ | AND Proof of the comparability of your degree Excerpt from data base Anabin Excerpt relating to your university, which must have a „H+“ evaluation
AND Excerpt regarding your specific university degree, which must be assessed as either „comparable“ or „equivalent“. | The university degree does not necessarily have to be related to your university in Anabin but rather from a university rated „H+“ within the state in which you graduated. In case your specific degree or your university is not listed in Anabin, or if your university is not rated „H+“ or your specific degree is not assessed as „comparable“ or „equivalent“: You can apply to get your degree or your university added in Anabin. Therefore, the procedure of statement of comparability has to be initiated through the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB). (Further information here) |
☐ | OR Proof of recognition of the degree through notice of the result of the statement of comparability procedure at the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB), further information here | |
Sources of information:
ZSBA is aimed at skilled workers living abroad who would like to apply for recognition from abroad. The ZSBA offers a non-binding service and does not make decisions about recognition.
Hotline „Working and living in Germany“
The „Working and Living in Germany“ hotline on +49 30 1815 1111 (provided by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) and the Central Placement Office of the German Federal Employment Agency) offers a personal initial consultation on recognition, but also on all questions relating to immigration and integration.
This is the German government’s recognition portal for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications. There, you can particularly find the recognition finder which will identify the respective authority according to your intended place of employment.
The counselling centres of the support programme „integration through qualification (IQ)“ provide information on the procedures for professional recognition and help those who are interested, to find the respective authority. Furthermore, as part of qualification counselling, certain counselling centres can arrange participation in qualification measures. Thereby, applicants can compensate deficits of their training or significant differences.
The CCI FOSA (Foreign Skills Approval) is the nationwide competence centre of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCI) for determining the equivalence of foreign professional qualifications within the area of responsibility of the CCIs. The CCI FOSA accepts applications for recognition and evaluates foreign professional qualifications with corresponding German professional qualifications on its equivalence.
Further links:
German government’s portal (option of counselling via telephone, chat or e-mail)
Information on foreign vocational training systems
Overview by Federal Employment Agency of professions which require a permission to exercise a profession)
Information by Federal Office for Migration and Refugees on healthcare professions