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An offer from the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training

Your recognition procedure as Agent in marketing communication (m/f)
in Berlin

  • The profession of Agent in marketing communication (m/f) is not regulated in Germany.
  • You can apply for recognition of your professional qualification.
  • Recognition has many advantages.
  • There are also ways of working in Germany without recognition. You will find this under “My other options”.

Quick-Info

This procedure is called: Equivalence assessment (in German: Gleichwertigkeitsfeststellung (BQFG)).

You are not required to provide evidence of knowledge of German. However, knowledge of German is important for your job applications and your work.

  • One month at the latest following receipt of your application by the competent authority: The competent authority will notify you of receipt of the documents. They will inform you if documents are missing. The procedure begins when the documents are complete.
  • After 3 months at the latest you will receive notice containing the result. In specific cases the competent authority may extend the procedure.

It may be possible for costs to be paid via financial support. You can apply for financial support if you live in Germany and before you submit your application.


Documents for my application

  • Application form from the competent authority

  • Proof of identity (e.g. passport or personal identification)

  • Marriage certificate (if your name has changed through marriage)

  • Curriculum vitae

  • Evidence of your professional qualification (e.g. certificates, certificate of entitlement)

  • Evidence of your professional experience in this profession (e.g. employment references)

  • Evidence of your other qualifications (e.g. continuing vocational training, seminars)

  • Intention to start work: You may have to prove that you want to work in Germany.

  • Information about an application for recognition already submitted. In this case state to which authority you applied.

Do you no longer have all of the necessary documents for the application? If so, you can provide evidence of your professional qualification for example by means of an oral examination or a work sample. This procedure is called skills analysis.

The competent authority will inform you as to which documents you must produce as originals or submit as copies. Some copies must be officially certified. We recommend that you do not send originals by post.

You must submit your documents in German. Sworn or authorised translators must prepare the translations. Contact the competent authority to find out whether they also accept translations from abroad.


My steps to recognition

You may also apply if you are not yet living in Germany.

  • You can send the application by post to the competent authority. Do not send originals.
  • You may be able to send the application via email. Ask your competent authority before you do. Later on in the recognition procedure, you may be required to submit original copies or certified copies of the documents.
  • You are sometimes able to apply online. Later on in the recognition procedure, you may be required to submit original copies or certified copies of the documents. Use the federal state internet portal for the online application. You will then leave our information page. To the internet portal Berlin

Tip: Your local Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) will advise you before making the application. The advice is important for the procedure to be successful. Please make use of this offer! Further information can be found below at "Info and links".

The competent authority receives the application. After one month at the latest, it will confirm that the application has arrived. Once the competent authority has received all the documents from you, it processes your application.

The competent authority carries out an equivalence assessment: It compares your professional qualification with the German professional qualification. As part of this, the competent authority takes into account your professional experience, other certificates and other qualifications.

The equivalence assesment takes a maximum of 3 months. In specific cases the competent authority may extend the procedure. At the end, the competent authority sends you a notice containing the result.

Outcome: Recognition

Your professional qualification and the German professional qualification are equivalent. Your professional qualification is recognised. Professionally you have the same rights as a person with the German professional qualification.

Outcome: Partial recognition

Part of your professional qualification is equivalent. There are substantial differences in another part. You are not able to compensate for these differences with your professional experience and other knowledge of the profession. You receive a notice which describes your professional qualification and the substantial differences in detail. In most cases you are able to complete refresher training and then submit a follow-up application.

Outcome: No recognition

Your professional qualification and the German professional qualification are not equivalent in any area. The differences are too large. You do not receive recognition.

You are able to take legal action against the decision of the competent authority. Details on this procedure can be found in the legal redress advice (German: Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung) at the end of your notice. We recommend that you speak to a counselling centre first before challenging the decision or taking legal action.

Working without recognition or with partial recognition

Do you already live in Germany and are you permitted to work in Germany? If so, you are able to work in the profession even without recognition.

You are not yet living in Germany? There are opportunitites for you to work in Germany without recognition. You can find more information about this under „My other options“.

With partial recognition you are also able to complete refresher training. You are given a certificate as evidence of successful participation. You are then able to submit a follow-up application for recognition. You submit this with the certificate and your other documents to the competent authority. If the professional qualification is then equivalent, you receive recognition.

You are permitted to enter Germany for a refresher training. Please seek advice if you have questions, or find out more about entry e.g. via the hotline Working and Living in Germany

Partial recognition also has benefits: The explanatory comments in your notice enable employers to better understand your professional qualification. Partial recognition also helps you if, for example, you wish to complete further training.


My other options

Do you need recognition in order to work in Germany? You can also apply for recognition after entering the country. For this you need a recognition partnership with your future employer in Germany.

The following requirements apply to a recognition partnership: 

You may also be able to work in a non-regulated profession in Germany without recognition: 

  • This is possible, for example, with completed training and professional experience. What's also important is how much you earn, whether you have a contract of employment, whether you speak German and how old you are. We recommend that you complete the Quick-Check here, this will provide all the information: Make-it-in-Germany.com.
  • This is possible, for example, with a higher education qualification: Find out whether it is comparable to a German higher education qualification. There are two ways of checking this. 
  • anabin database: You will find universities in the database. Your university must be recognised in the database (H+). AND your higher education qualification must be assessed as equivalent. This then means that your qualification is equivalent to a German higher education qualification. Save as a PDF. This is evidence. Further information and a guide is available at Make-it-in-Germany.com.
  • Statement of Comparability: What if your university or qualification are not in anabin? In this case you can apply to the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) for an individual statement of comparability. The statement of comparability is a document that confirms the equivalence of your higher education qualification with a German higher education qualification.

As an Ethnic German Resettler, you can select between two procedures for vocational recognition:

  • You apply for the procedure described here.
  • You apply for the procedure under Section 10 of the Federal Expellees Act (German: “§10 Bundesvertriebenengesetz, BVFG”).

You can decide this. Your competent authority will advise you.

  • Do you have any questions? Do you need help with the application? Seek advice! You will find your councelling centre one step back under Counselling offers.
  • Do you have questions regarding entry or residence? For more information see Make-it-in-Germany.com.

Further information



last update on: 06.02.2024

The competent authority

Please note: Applications can only be sent by post to IHK FOSA. Applying for recognition by e-mail is currently not possible.

IHK FOSA

Ulmenstraße 52g
90443 Nürnberg

View on Google Maps

Website

The authority is responsible for several federal states. For this reason, there may not be a competent authority close to your selected location.

Please note: Applications can only be sent by post to IHK FOSA. Applying for recognition by e-mail is currently not possible.

IHK FOSA

The authority is responsible for several federal states. For this reason, there may not be a competent authority close to your selected location.


last update on: 06.02.2024

Any questions or feedback?

Do you have a question about the recognition procedure? Or have you noticed any information that could be improved? We're happy to help.