Official recognition of foreign qualifications equates professional qualifications with German education and training. Anyone wishing to work in certain regulated fields in Germany must apply for this sort of recognition of foreign degrees or diplomas. Only when this status has been recognised is it possible to work in this profession in Germany.

Whether the recognition of a diploma or a comparable certificate is necessary at all in your individual case depends on two factors:

1. the country of origin
2. the professional group

The most important prerequisite for initiating recognition of foreign qualifications is proof of completed vocational training in the home country. The first step is to find a suitable reference occupation in Germany. There are numerous advice services offered by the federal government for this purpose. Here applicants can get more detailed information on whether their profession is regulated or not. The staff will then provide information on where to start the application process.

If not all documents of the professional qualification are still available, applicants can carry out a so-called quality analysis. This is especially true for typical apprenticeship or master craftsman occupations. This examination can take place in the form of a technical interview or a trial work placement in a company.

For the smooth recognition of foreign degrees, the error-free translation of foreign documents is the basic prerequisite. For this, you will definitely need certified translations of your academic and professional qualifications. The translation for the recognition of foreign degrees can only be carried out by certified translators. This is because they vouch for the correct translation of the documents with their stamp and signature.

At lingoking, we guarantee that the translation will be carried out by a translator sworn in court in Germany. We treat personal data such as your résumé with the utmost care and discretion. And if it has to be particularly quick, we also provide translations by express delivery.

Once all the required documents have been received by the competent office, processing begins and with it the application procedure. Your application will now be checked for completeness and further documents may be requested. If all the documents are complete, they will be processed and a decision will be made after three months at the latest:

Recognition: In the case of recognition, the foreign degree or diploma acquired is deemed equivalent in Germany. In this case, the regulated profession can be entered without further measures.

Rejection: If there are substantial differences between the foreign and the domestic qualification, the application for recognition is rejected. In many cases, recognition can nevertheless be achieved with a compensatory measure or additional qualification.

Recognition of foreign qualifications is a typical official procedure and thus involves costs. As a rule, these are between 200 and 400 euros, but can also exceed this amount. If you work in regulated professions such as medicine or law, these costs may be slightly higher. Here, the processing takes longer due to verification and is therefore more cost-intensive.