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The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) has evaluated the recognition of foreign professional qualifications in 2020. Overall, 5% more foreign vocational qualifications were recognised as fully or partially equivalent in 2020 than in the previous year.

For the regulated professions, the rate of full recognition ranges from 35 to 75 percent, except for veterinarian and nursing professional which has a success rate of 90 percent and 86 percent, respectively. Furthermore, the highest rate of full equivalence was issued for the non-regulated occupation of cook, at 82 percent. This is immediately followed by the occupations of electrical systems technician, specialist for metal technology and industrial electrician with over 70 percent.

More than 65 percent of the recognition procedures for foreign professional qualifications obtained in EU member states end with a full equivalence. The positive recognition rate for Austria and the Czech Republic is the highest as it reaches 93 percent. It is followed by the Netherlands, Switzerland, Hungary, Lithuania, and Latvia.

The rate of full equivalencies varies by profession. For the regulated professions, the rate of full recognition ranges from 25 to 65 percent, with the exception of veterinarian which has a success rate of 80 percent. Furthermore, the highest rate of full equivalence was issued for the non-regulated occupation of cook, at 83 percent. This is immediately followed by the occupations of electrical systems technician, technician for metal technology and hairdresser with over 60 percent.

Since 1 January 2021, the UK is no longer a part of the EU single market or the EU customs union. The EU’s relationship with the UK including recognition procedures has thus fundamentally changed.

The share of applicants granted full equivalence in Germany varies widely by individual professions and by professional groups. The proportion of applicants who received full equivalence is especially high in the sales and healthcare sectors.

In terms of individual professions, the recognition rate in Germany diverges widely. Over 90% of applicants who wish to have their license to practice as a veterinarian, occupational therapist, speech therapist or pharmacist recognized receive full equivalence. In the most professions, the share of those granted full equivalence varies from 50% to 90%.

The success rate of recognition procedures in Germany differs depending on the region where the foreign professional qualification was obtained. It tends to be higher in the regions geographically and culturally close to Germany.