Recognition of your qualification
➜ Full guide for everyone moving to Berlin: Recognition of foreign qualifications (Anerkennung ausländischer Abschlüsse) in Berlin
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The federal portal anerkennung-in-deutschland.de has a free "Recognition Finder" that tells you which body is responsible for your profession. With a recognised qualification you can use the skilled-worker route, which has no quota, instead of the Western Balkans rule.
University degrees: anabin and ZAB
- The KMK database anabin rates foreign universities and degrees. Your university should be rated H+ and your degree listed as "entspricht" or "gleichwertig".
- If not, apply for a ZAB Statement of Comparability: €200 for the first application, €100 for each further one; normally about 3 months.
Which body decides, by profession
| Your profession | Body |
|---|---|
| Commercial, technical and industrial trades (IHK occupations) | IHK FOSA in Nuremberg. Fee €100 to €600. |
| Crafts | Handwerkskammer Berlin |
| Nursing and other health professions | Landesprüfungsamt für Gesundheitsberufe, Berlin. Fees not confirmed. |
| Doctors | LAGeSo Berlin |
| University degrees in general | ZAB (Statement of Comparability) |
Regulated versus non-regulated
Regulated professions – nurses, doctors, teachers and similar – always need full German recognition. Non-regulated professions do not always: see the experience route on Skilled worker. Nurses: see Other routes.
Recognition files need certified copies with apostille (Kosovo: see the special rules) and usually a translation. See Documents.
A question this page does not answer? Contact us. Free orientation only, no legal advice for individual cases.