Recognition after Brexit

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German: Anerkennungsverfahren
Also: Gleichwertigkeitsfeststellungsverfahren, Gleichwertigkeitsfeststellung, Gleichwertigkeitsprüfung

The competent authority in Germany checks the professional qualification in the recognition procedure. The competent authority checks whether the foreign professional qualification is equivalent to the German reference occupation.

For the recognition procedure, the competent authority requires certificates and other documents relating to the content and duration of the professional qualification. Certificates and other documents relating to professional experience are also important.
 

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German: zuständige Stelle

The “competent authority” implements the recognition procedure. The competent authority can be, for example, a government agency, an office or a Chamber. The Recognition Finder can be used to determine the authority responsible for recognition in Germany.

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German: Profi-Filter

The Profi-Filter is a specific tool on the website of www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de. The Profi-Filter provides particular search functions for these individuals:  

• Experts
• Specialist advisers

This enables these individuals to search specifically for important information. For example:

• Competent authorities
• Professions subject to statutory regulation
• Professions subject to specific regulations
• Occupation groups (based on the standardized national classification of occupations 2010 (KLDB 2010) of the Federal Employment Agency and the Federal Statistical Office.

Many people want use the website to find out about recognition of their professional qualification. For these individuals, the Recognition Finder is better suited for this purpose.

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German: Drittstaat

A description of a country which does not belong to one of the following:

• European Union (EU)
• European Economic Area (EEA)
• Switzerland

For entry to Germany, skilled workers from third countries need a visa.

Immigration

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German: EU-Berufsanerkennungsrichtlinie
Also: Berufsanerkennungsrichtlinie, Anerkennungsrichtlinie

The official name for the EU Recognition Directive is: Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications. The directive regulates the recognition of professional qualifications between countries of the European Union (EU) with respect to regulated professions.

The most important rules are:

• The foreign professional qualification must be equivalent to the German professional qualification.
• The competent authority must take into account professional experience in the recognition procedure.
• Professional experience may compensate for substantial differences between the foreign professional qualification and the German reference occupation.
• Individuals with insufficient professional experience are also able to compensate for substantial differences via compensation measures.

The directive entered into force on 15 October 2005 and was reformed by Directive 2013/55/EU.

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German: Anerkennung
Also: Anerkennung der Berufsqualifikation, Gleichwertigkeitsfeststellung, Gleichwertigkeit

In this case recognition means that a foreign professional qualification is legally equivalent to a German professional qualification. This means that the foreign professional qualification is recognised in Germany. The equivalence is valid for a specific German reference occupation.

There are different types of recognition:

Full recognition

A foreign professional qualification is legally equivalent to the German reference occupation.

Partial recognition

A foreign professional qualification is only partially equivalent to the German reference occupation. The reason for this is that there are substantial differences between the foreign professional qualification and the German professional qualification.

In this case, there are two options in order to still achieve full recognition:

• Successful participation in refresher training
• Successful participation in a compensation measure

No recognition

A foreign professional qualification is not equivalent to the German reference occupation. The reason for this is that the differences between the foreign professional qualification and the German reference occupation are too great.

Recognition must be requested by means of an application for recognition. This then begins the recognition procedure.
 

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German:  Professional qualification

Professional qualifications are qualifications for which evidence of training is provided by means of evidence of formal qualifications or qualification certificates These lead to a clearly defined profession. Evidence of a professional qualification may also be provided by professional experience gained in Germany or abroad.

These are examples of professional qualifications:

• Vocational qualification
• Advanced vocational education and training
• Approbation or authorisation to practise a profession
• Authorisation to use the designation of occupation

The recognition procedure exists for professional qualifications from abroad. This checks the equivalence of the vocational qualification.
Recognition procedures for higher education qualifications exist only for higher education qualifications leading to a regulated profession. For example: Dentist
There is no recognition procedure for higher education qualifications which do not lead to a regulated profession. The statement of comparability exists for these higher education qualifications. This is the case, for example, for geologists.