Recognition of Overseas Qualifications and Diploma

Here is good news and, in fact, steps now taken were long overdue. The problem is distressing for a lot of non EU people. They have successfully attained qualifications in their home countries. Still, they are barred from working in their respective field here in Germany because their qualifications are not being recognized.

Finally, the government has introduced a bill dealing with that that problem. The draft bill in its full title is called somewhat similar to “law on the improvement of assessing and recognizing qualifications acquired overseas” or in short “Anerkennungsgesetz”. The law’s primary intention is to aim at transparency and see to it that uniform standards and procedures are applied in determining whether a qualification from overseas (e.g. doctors, engineers, pharmacists, teachers, nurses etc.) can be recognized here in Germany (so called equivalence determination). To this effect, the law is later set to provide the applicant with a specific claim against the authority to assess within no more than three months whether the qualification from overseas meets the respective relevant German standards. If the standards are not met, the applicant will be given the opportunity to undergo additional training. The application process will no longer be dependent on the nationality. The draft law already amends laws that deal with job qualifications that are governed by Federal law. The States have also announced to follow suit since access to many jobs are governed by State law.

The draft law is now passed onto the upper law chamber and expected to be enacted later this year.

More detailed information is available at the Ministry’s homepage http://www.bmbf.de/de/15644.php


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