Costs of the equivalency review

The procedures for the equivalence examination of foreign professional qualifications is subject to a fee.

The fee depends on

• the fee regulations of the competent body in question,
• the state regulations,
• the amount of work involved in carrying out the procedure,
• the German reference qualification,
• the individual requirements of the applicant.

Thus, the fee varies greatly and it is impossible to make general statements on the scope of costs.

However, the chambers of crafts have agreed nationwide on a fee range of 100€ to 600€.

When are the fees due?

Depending on the competent body, an applicant will be required to pay the fees at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the recognition procedure. The fee schedules usually provide the option of payment in installments.

What other costs may arise?

• In addition to the application fee, applicants must meet the costs for translations and certified copies. Should it prove necessary to provide additional documents evidencing the contents or duration of foreign professional training programs, the overall cost will be higher. If these documents are not available, other processes incurring additional costs for the applicant, such as technical discussions, work samples, theory examinations or expert surveys, may be used instead.
• The recognition procedures under the Skilled Workers Immigration Act mostly include additional costs for the company. The companies must meet the costs of, for example, language courses, intercultural training in the country of origin, translations, notarizations as well as visas and flights. Furthermore, the recruitment agencies for a fee can assist you in finding a suitable skilled worker abroad. The European cooperation network of employment services EURES, the International Placement Services (ZAV) and numerous private recruitment agencies can be of assistance in your search for skilled workers. The fee for this service depends on various factors such as occupation and qualification level of the skilled worker. The fee range for the placement of a skilled worker is between 2,000 and 20,000 euros.
• If you apply for a fast-track procedure, you must additionally pay 411 euros. You should also bear in mind a visa fee of 75 euros.
• Those who are granted only partial equivalence and would like to obtain full equivalence should bear in mind the costs for the adaptation qualification.

Funding options

The following funding options are generally available:

• Financial support for the recognition process (at federal and state level)
• Financial support for the adaptation qualification (at federal and state level)

The fees for the recognition procedure and the adaptation qualifications can be covered in whole or partly by various institutions. However, one has to bear in mind that application for funding has to be submitted before the application for recognition. Currently (as of September 2021) only people who live in Germany receive financial support.

• Financial support for qualification analysis

The qualification analysis can also be funded under certain conditions. The "Qualification Analysis Special Fund" was set up for this purpose. The website “Recognition in Germany” provides the applicants the information on the requirements and application procedure for this fund.