Fachkräfte und Auszubildende

Recognition of qualifications

IHK Berlin provides support and advice on the recognition of foreign professional qualifications in occupations covered by the IHK.
You receive:
  • Information on your right to apply and the responsible recognition authority.
  • Guidance on the process through IHK FOSA, costs, duration and the documents you need to submit.
  • Help with the initial assessment of the German reference occupation.
  • Support with filling out the application and a final check of the application documents is possible (only the forms are checked, not their content, the responsible authority may request further documents).
The legal entitlement to establish the equivalence of training acquired abroad to a corresponding German occupation has existed since 01/04/2021 and is based on the Professional Qualifications Assessment Act (BQFG).
IHK FOSA, based in Nuremberg, carries out the recognition procedure as the responsible authority. IHK handles “non-regulated professions”. These are professions that can only be exercised with state authorisation.
Recognition of foreign qualifications can help in gaining employment that corresponds to the formal qualifications. The recognition notice also helps employers better understand the foreign professional qualifications.
A recognition procedure is carried out on the basis of documents. If required documents for a procedure cannot be presented through no fault of your own, the Recognition Act provides the possibility of establishing professional qualifications with the aid of a Skills Analysis (QA). The reasons why the necessary documents cannot be presented must be credible. In the event of a skills analysis the usual application requirements also apply, i.e. it must be professional training completed abroad in a state-recognised occupation.
Which authority is responsible for the recognition procedure depends on the German occupation with which the foreign professional qualification is to be compared. Usually the authority that is responsible for the vocational training of the German profession carries out the recognition procedure.
Are you looking for the right recognition authority?
The Recognition in Germany portal from the Federal Government can help with this.
Try the Recognition Finder now
The Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) is responsible for higher education qualifications. Already recognised higher education qualifications are listed in the anabin database.
ZAB can also issue certificate evaluations. This can describe foreign higher education qualifications and certify the potential use of vocational and academic qualifications. More information on the certificate evaluation for higher education qualifications from Ukraine has been compiled by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs.
Advice in Ukrainian and other languages
Network IQ Berlin offers advice on recognition in all occupations in multiple languages. This includes two possibilities for advice in the Ukrainian language, Club Dialog as well as Arbeit und Leben Berlin-Brandenburg DGB/VHS e. V.
This is how you can contact the advisory centres.