Recognition of your qualification

anabin, the ZAB statement, which Berlin body decides, and nursing.

Start here

The federal portal anerkennung-in-deutschland.de has a free "Recognition Finder" that tells you which body is responsible for your profession, and a hotline. This is the cheapest way to find out what your qualification is worth in Germany before you spend money.

University degrees: anabin

The KMK database anabin evaluates foreign universities and degrees. Your university should be rated H+ and your degree listed as "entspricht" or "gleichwertig". If not, you need a ZAB Statement of Comparability. For a Chinese degree, keep both the graduation certificate (毕业证书) and the degree certificate (学位证书).

ZAB Statement of Comparability

• Fee €200 for the first application, €100 for each further one. Normally about 3 months; faster for Blue Card and fast-track cases.
• Whether the ZAB asks for CHSI or CDGDC verification reports for Chinese degrees in every case is not confirmed; check its document list.

Which body decides, by profession

Regulated versus non-regulated

Regulated professions – nurses, doctors, teachers and similar – always need full German recognition before you may work in them. Non-regulated professions do not always: see the experience route on Skilled worker.

Nurses from China

There is no government recruitment programme for China comparable to Triple Win. The route exists all the same: recognition with a deficit notice, German B1 and a qualification measure (§ 16d), or a job with recognition, B2 and the licence assurance. See Other routes.

Recognition files need notarised copies with apostille and usually a translation; bodies can be stricter than the Embassy about translators. Ask before you pay. See Documents from China.