Recognition of professional qualifications - General info

If you completed your vocational training outside Germany and are seeking employment in your profession in Germany, you have the option to apply for recognition of your foreign degree with the responsible authorities in Germany.

You must have a foreign vocational certificate for the recognition procedure (regulated professions) as well as for the verification of equivalency (non-regulated professions).

Working experience gained in a foreign country without the corresponding vocational qualifications cannot be recognised or checked for equivalency.For EU information in multiple languages on this topic please refer to Your Europe.

Regulated professions

With regulated professions - i.e. professions that are regulated by state or federal law - your qualifications must be recognized in Germany if you want to practise your profession in Germany.

Please refer to the section on regulated professions for more details on the recognition of regulated professions.

Non-regulated professions

With non-regulated professions a previous recognition of a foreign degree is not necessary to exercise the corresponding profession. However, you have the option to request a certificate of equivalence. A certificate of equivalence from the responsible German authority will increase your chances on the job market.

Please see the section on non-regulated professions for more details on the verification of equivalency (for non-regulated professions).

Apprenticed trades

The PDF file linked below lists all dual education professions in Germany that are not regulated (status 01 August 2015).

Apprenticed trades 2015

If your request was partially or completely denied, you may take legal action. Please see the section on

Judicial remedies / objection proceedings for more details.