Apply for recognition of a foreign professional qualification in a skilled trade or a trade similar to a skilled trade (journeyman's examination)

Submitting an Application
You must submit an application for a determination of equivalence to the competent authority.
You may be able to submit the application electronically. The competent authority will inform you. You can also submit the application along with the required documents in person at the competent authority or send it by mail. Do not send any original documents. 

Equivalency Assessment
The Chamber of Crafts will then compare your professional qualification with the German professional qualification and assess its equivalency. If equivalence or partial equivalence is established, you will receive a fee notice. Once this fee notice has been paid, you will receive the equivalence decision (recognition notice). If your professional qualification is equivalent, it will be recognized. 
Are there significant differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification? If so, your professional qualification will only be partially recognized. You will then receive a notice detailing the differences in your professional qualification. In most cases, you can complete a compensatory measure to address these significant differences.

Compensatory Measures
There are various compensatory measures:

• Adaptation Qualification (APQ)
• Aptitude Test
• Gaining professional experience at a German master craftsman’s workshop

The Chamber of Crafts decides which compensatory measure you must complete. This is stated in your notification.
If you successfully complete the compensatory measure, you will receive a certificate of equivalence.

More information

Legal Remedies:
You may take legal action (such as filing an appeal) against the decision of the competent authority within a specified time limit. The decision will then be reviewed. Details can be found in the information on legal remedies at the end of your decision notice. You should first speak with the competent authority before taking legal action against the decision.

Qualification Analysis
Have you completed formal training but no longer have all the necessary documents for your application? In that case, you may be able to demonstrate your professional qualifications through a qualification analysis. This means you can demonstrate your professional competencies through practical means. The competent authority will provide you with further information. 

Procedure for Late Repatriates
As a late repatriate, you can choose to go through the recognition procedure either under the laws listed here or under the Federal Displaced Persons Act. You can decide this for yourself. The responsible authority will advise you on which procedure is right for you.

• Application for recognition of the foreign professional qualification
• Proof of identity (copy of passport or national ID card—proof of name, date of birth, and place of birth)
• Marriage certificate (if your name has changed due to marriage)
• Detailed curriculum vitae in German on your professional training and, if applicable, on your previous employment
• List of subjects and/or lists of grades (copy of original certificate and officially certified translation)
• Proof of your relevant professional qualifications (e.g. job references, copy of original certificate and officially certified translation)
• Training certificates that you received abroad (copy of the original certificate and officially certified translation)
• Training framework plan or curriculum of the foreign training (copy of the original certificate and officially certified translation)
• Power of attorney in case of representation (must be submitted to the Chamber of Skilled Crafts in the original)
• Other evidence that qualifies you to practice your profession, e.g. certificate of further training (copy of certificate and officially certified translation)
• Are you a national of a third country who does not yet live or work in the EU, the EEA, or Switzerland? If so, you must provide proof of the following:
  
  • You want to work in that profession in Germany.
    
    • Examples of supporting documentation include job applications, invitations to job interviews, or a location note from the Central Service Office for Professional Recognition (ZSBA). 
• Please indicate whether you have already submitted an application for a determination of equivalence to another Chamber of Crafts in Germany
• The Chamber of Crafts will inform you which documents you must submit as simple copies, certified copies, or originals.
  
  • You must submit your documents in German. Translations must be done by publicly appointed or authorized translators.
    You may need to submit additional documents during the recognition process. The Chamber of Crafts will provide you with further information.

The costs generally depend on the amount of work involved.
In addition, other costs may apply (for example, for translations or certifications of your documents).
These costs vary from case to case.

What deadlines must be paid attention to?

There is no deadline.
Sometimes documents are still missing from the application. The responsible agency will then let you know by when you must submit the missing documents.

How long does it take to process

3 months The Chamber of Crafts will confirm within one month that your documents have been received. The Chamber of Crafts will also notify you if any documents are missing. Once all necessary documents have been submitted, the process takes a maximum of 3 months. In individual cases, the process may be extended once.

• § 8 Abs. 1 Nr. 2 Berufsqualifikationsfeststellungsgesetz (BQFG)
• § 4-7 Berufsqualifikationsfeststellungsgesetz (BQFG)
• § 40a Handwerksordnung (HwO)

• Handwerkskammern in Deutschland
• Informationen zur Qualifikationsanalyse
• Informationen zur Anerkennung ausländischer Berufsqualifikationen auf dem Portal Anerkennung in Deutschland
• Finanzielle Hilfen für das Anerkennungsverfahren
• Öffentlich bestellte Übersetzerinnen und Übersetzer in Deutschland
• Verfahren nach dem Bundesvertriebenengesetz