Applying for recognition of vocational and technical school qualifications with a foreign professional qualification
Procedure
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 submit the application from abroad.
The competent body receives the application. After a maximum of one month, it will confirm that the application has been received. Once the competent office has received all the documents from you, it will process your application. The competent authority will then check: Is your professional qualification equivalent to a specific professional qualification in the selected federal state? The competent body will compare the qualifications using certain criteria. Important criteria are the content and duration of the training. The competent body will also take your professional experience, your other certificates of competence and qualifications into account when assessing equivalence.
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 the professional qualifications. The differences are listed in your notification. You can use this decision to gain further qualifications and later submit a new application for equivalence assessment.
If your professional qualification is not equivalent at all, you will not receive recognition.
Legal bases
- Bremisches Berufsqualifikationsfeststellungsgesetz (BremBQFG)
- Verordnung über die Berufsfachschule für sozialpädagogische Assistenz
- Verordnung über die Berufsfachschule für Pflegeassistenz
- Verordnung über die Berufsfachschule für Assistenten
- Verordnung über die Berufsfachschule für Fremdsprachen in Wirtschaft und Verwaltung
- Verordnung über die Berufsfachschule für Hauswirtschaft und Familienpflege
- Verordnung über die Berufsfachschule für Kinderpflege
- Verordnung über die Fachschule für Technik
- Verordnung über die Fachschule für Personenbezogene Dienstleistungen
More information
Further advisory services
There are many other advisory services. You can find these on the Recognition in Germany portal.
Ask an IQ advice center for personal advice on this procedure and your qualification. The advisors will also help you with your documents before you submit your application. The advice is free of charge.
You can also call the hotline of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. The hotline will answer your questions on the subject of "Working and living in Germany".
Telephone number: +49 30 1815-1111 Office hours: Monday to Friday 08:00 - 18:00 (CET)
If you are abroad: You can also reach the Central Service Center for Professional Recognition (ZSBA) via the hotline. This offers you in-depth advice and support in the recognition procedure and provides location advice.
