Recognition of Qualifications in Germany: anabin, ZAB and Anerkennung

A regulated profession is one that requires a specific licence to practise: for example doctor, teacher, nursery teacher, nursing professional (Pflegefachkraft), architect. Engineering is regulated if the work requires the title "Ingenieur". For a regulated profession, recognition is mandatory. Most professions in Germany are not regulated, for example IT, economics, marketing. You can work in them without recognition, and an evaluation of your degree gives employers a clear picture.

anabin is a database of the Kultusministerkonferenz (Standing Conference of Education Ministers) where you can check the status of your university and type of degree. On application, the ZAB (Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen, Central Office for Foreign Education) issues a Zeugnisbewertung, a document describing your degree in German terms. It is useful for non-regulated professions and for residence permits: for the Blaue Karte EU and the skilled worker visa you must show that your degree is comparable to a German one, and you can do this via anabin or a ZAB Zeugnisbewertung.

A Zeugnisbewertung costs €208. Processing takes 3 months; in the accelerated skilled worker procedure (beschleunigtes Fachkräfteverfahren) 2 months; for the Blaue Karte EU 2 weeks. The period starts once all documents have been submitted and the fee has been paid; when application volumes are high, processing may take longer.

The responsible authority depends on your profession and the federal state. The Anerkennungs-Finder on anerkennung-in-deutschland.de shows where to submit your documents based on your profession and place of work.

You can apply for recognition before you move. This is a good way to plan your move in advance: the result will be useful for your visa. Usually you need: an overview of your education and experience in German, an identity document, diplomas and proof of work experience (§ 12 BQFG, for regulated professions). The authority may ask for translations.

If you have a vocational qualification in an IHK profession (trade, industry), recognition is handled by IHK FOSA. For skilled crafts, the Handwerkskammer (chamber of crafts) is responsible. You can apply online via the Anerkennungs-Finder.

For professions covered by the federal BQFG, the authority must decide on equivalence within three months of receiving the complete documents; this period can be extended once (§ 6(3) BQFG). Fees depend on the authority. At IHK FOSA, the fee for the recognition procedure is €100 to €600 depending on the workload. A ZAB Zeugnisbewertung costs €208. If you already live in Germany, financial support towards the fee may be available.