Recognition of foreign qualifications enables those who have completed their training abroad to work in their profession in Germany. The recognition process takes place at the so-called "recognition offices "("Anerkennungsstelle"). However, foreign qualifications occasionally do not meet all the necessary criteria for full recognition. When that is the case, you can attend a qualification programme in Germany, such as a technical training course or a job-related German course. To participate in qualification programmes in Germany, you need a corresponding entry visa and must later apply for a residence permit in accordance with §16d Residence Act in Germany.
Good to know: If you would like to have your qualifications recognised in order to work in Germany, you can also apply for a residence permit in accordance with Section 16d (3) Residence Act. To do so, you must prove the job in question is a qualified job. (There are individual exceptions or exemptions for church work or care-related professions).
You can also obtain a residence permit if you wish to undergo a so-called “Qualifikationsanalyse” (qualification analysis) or take part in an examination in Germany. This type of residence permit is issued for a maximum of 6 months. You will usually also need A2 (CEFR) language skills, depending on your qualifications. In addition, you must be able to prove that you have already been invited to a ‘qualification analysis’.
First, you have to submit your foreign professional qualification from your home country to a competent authority. If the competent authority decides that a further qualification is necessary for the recognition and you can prove sufficient knowledge of German (A2), you can obtain the qualification required in Germany.
You can find a competent authority to recognise your qualifications at anerkennung-in-deutschland.de. You can also seek advice in advance. Under “Beratung im Ausland“, you will find local addresses for some countries. Alternatively, you can use the make-it-in-Germany contact form or the “Working and Living in Germany” hotline on +49 30 1815 1111 for information. The employees speak German and English and can be reached Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. CET. Please note that a call abroad usually costs money.
You can learn more about recognition in our chapter “Recognition of foreign professional qualifications”.
If you need a visa to enter Germany, you must apply at the German embassy/consulate in your country of residence or a neighbouring country.
Please note that your visa application can take several months to process.
If you do not need a visa to enter Germany, report to the Immigration Office at your new place of residence after your entry. There, you can apply for a residence permit to have your foreign professional qualifications recognised.
Whether you need a visa depends on your country of origin. On auswaertiges-amt.de, you will find a list of countries whose citizens need an entry visa to come to Germany.
In our chapter “National Visa”, you will find a list of all documents third-country nationals need for a national visa.
For a visa for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications, you will also need the following documents:
- Proof from the relevant recognition office that a further qualification is necessary.
- Certificate of the foreign professional qualification or university degree
- Registration for the corresponding qualification programme.
- Proof of your German language skills. In principle, you need at least A2.
- Proof that your livelihood is secured through your own means for the duration of the qualification programme. You can prove it either in the form of a blocked account with at least €1,027 per month (as of 2024) in it or by submitting a “declaration of commitment”. You can find out more in our chapter on “Declaration of Commitment for a National Visa”.
If you would like to complete the qualification programme as part of an employment, you will also need:
- your employment contract
and
- a letter from your employer stating that you will complete the qualification as part of your work.
Good to know: The blocked account (“Sperrkonto”) is one of the ways of proving that you have sufficient financial resources. If you attend a qualifying programme in Germany to have your professional qualifications fully recognised, you are obliged to pay and keep a certain minimum amount in the account. In 2024, the minimum amount is €1,027 for each month you stay here. This money will remain blocked in the account until you arrive in Germany. Another special feature of the blocked account is that you cannot withdraw or transfer unlimited amounts of money. You may withdraw a maximum of €1,027 per month (unless you have deposited more than the required minimum amount).
After entering the country, you must report to the Immigration Office at your new place of residence within three months and apply for a residence permit. To do so, you must submit the documents mentioned above as well as, in principle, a police registration certificate and a rental agreement. The authorities will check your papers and then decide whether you can receive a residence permit.
A residence permit issued for participation in additional qualifying programmes is generally valid for up to 24 months. It can be extended by a maximum of 12 months if your qualification programme ends later than expected, for instance, because you have to retake an exam.
Important: After entering Germany, you must have your visa converted into a residence permit. It is best to do so in good time, as the visa is often not valid for long, and the Immigration Office often take a long time to issue an appointment.
In addition to your qualification measure, you can work for up to 20 hours a week. If you already have a specific job offer from a company for a job in your profession, you can also work for this company for more than 20 hours per week. However, the Federal Employment Agency must first give its approval. To do so, you must present the job offer there - the employees of the Federal Employment Agency will check the job offer and then issue you with a work permit for that specific job. You can find the address of the Federal Employment Agency in your area at arbeitsagentur.de.
After successfully finishing the qualification measure, if you have already found a suitable job, vocational training programme or university programme, you can apply for a residence permit as a skilled worker or trainee or student. You can do so directly at the Immigration Office responsible for you.
Please note: You must report to the Immigration Office in good time and submit the relevant applications before your residence permit expires!
If you have not yet found a job, you can apply for a residence permit to look for a job according to §20 Residence Act. You can apply for it directly at the Immigration Office responsible for you.
You can learn more about recognition in our chapter “Recognition of foreign professional qualifications”. To find out more about job hunting, check out our chapter “Job Hunting and Application”.
Recognition of foreign certificates
If you have obtained your school or vocational qualification outside Germany, you can have it recognised here. Unlike vocational qualifications, your university/school qualifications may already be recognised: you can check the official portal Anabin to see whether your school, university, and degree are listed as recognised. You can read more about this in ‘How can I find out whether my qualification is categorically recognised?‘
In the recognition process, your degree is compared with a similar German degree. When your qualification is verified as an equivalent to the corresponding German degree, your diploma is "recognised", and you will have better chances in the job market.
All people with foreign qualifications have the right to this recognition process- it does not matter what residence status or nationality you have.
Please note: People who are still abroad sometimes have to provide relevant documents (e.g., training place, job offer) to prove that they intend to pursue vocational training or employment in Germany. If that is the case, you can also have your professional qualifications recognised in Germany.
*This information page has been updated with the support of the IQ Network NRW.
Employment Contract
Searching for the proper job can be tedious- but it is fabulous when you finally get a "yes" from a company you like. Before you sign the contract and start to work, you should examine the proposed employment agreement thoroughly.
National Visa Type D
All citizens of so-called "third countries" (non-EU countries) need a visa to stay in Germany for more than three months or work here. That means only citizens of the EU countries and Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and the US do not require a visa to enter Germany. The long-stay visa most foreign citizens need to obtain is called the "National Visa Type D".
Most people from third countries also require a visa for shorter visits. You can find out more about it in our chapter "Visitor Visa".
- The information on this page has been reviewed and verified by our consulting lawyer, Astrid Meyerhöfer.
Dual Vocational Training
If you want to find a job in Germany, a good alternative to studying at university is taking part in a vocational training programme. There are approximately 330 different jobs you can qualify for with vocational training. These training programmes usually last between one and three-and-a-half years. They are either school-based and take place solely in a classroom (“schulische Ausbildung”) or combine classes with practical training in an establishment or company (“Duale Ausbildung”). In this chapter, you can read about the dual vocational training. For more information about the school-based vocational training programs, please refer to the chapter “School-based Vocational Training”.
Upon completion of a vocational training programme, you become a skilled employee (“qualifizeierte Fachkraft”). Skilled employees are in demand in Germany and earn more money for their work compared to unskilled workers. So, completing a vocational training programme may constitute an important step towards building a career in Germany.
School-based Vocational training
If you want to find a job in Germany, a good alternative to studying at university is taking part in a vocational training programme. These training programmes usually last between one and three-and-a-half years. They are either school-based and take place solely in a classroom (“schulische Ausbildung”) or combine classes with practical training in an establishment or company (“Duale Ausbildung”). This chapter provides you with detailed information and useful links on school-based vocational training. To find out more about dual vocational training programmes, check our chapter “Dual Vocational Training”.
Upon completion of a vocational training programme, you become a skilled worker (“qualifizeierte Fachkraft”). Skilled worker are in demand in Germany and earn more money for their work compared to unskilled workers. So, completing a vocational training programme may constitute an important step towards building a career in Germany.
University Application
Regardless of whether you want to stay in Germany or not, studying at a German university can open up many opportunities for your future professional life. Entering university, however, is not always easy. You have to meet some requirements and observe many deadlines and regulations. Here you can find out if and what you can study in Germany and how to apply for a degree. Furthermore, you will learn if you can continue the studies you have already started abroad in Germany.
Job Hunting and Application
The job market in Germany has numerous rules and regulations. In addition, you must meet some requirements to get a job. Many employers choose their employees mainly based on their certificates or degrees in the desired field. But even without the relevant certificates, you still have a chance to find a job.
Here you will learn about the steps you need to take to start your first job in Germany and the ways you can increase your chances of finding your dream job.
Here are two essential points you need to consider in advance:
- German is spoken in most companies in Germany. In some cases, English will do; but for most jobs, you need to be able to communicate in German. There are many ways to learn German or to improve your proficiency. Find out more in our chapters on "Language".
- You need a work permit before you can start to work in Germany. For migrants, the work permit is directly linked to the residence permit. You can find out more about this in our chapter "Migration to Germany". If you have fled to Germany, whether you can work or not depends on your current residence status. You can find out more in our chapter "Work Permit for Refugees".
Here you can find the German embassy in your country.
Here you can find helful tips on how to have your professional certificates recognised in Germany.
Here you can search for your local Employment Agency ("Arbeitsagentur").
Here are some tips (in several languages) on how to enter the German job market.
Which professional qualifications are to be recognised in Germany? Learn more on the website of Make it in Germany.
Netzwerk IQ can help you have your professional certificates recognised in Germany.