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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.

Recognition as a recruitment strategy: The Horst Busch Elektro-Technik GmbH in Hamburg specifically recruits skilled workers who have obtained their professional qualifications abroad. This Hamburg-based electrical company does not only facilitate the professional recognition of employees who hold foreign qualifications – it also covers the associated costs of the recognition process. They are feeling confident: given the shortage of qualified personnel in this field, this investment will pay off in no time.

The share of those granted full equivalence in the health and sales sector stands at more than 75%. The success rate in the law and administration sector is, on the contrary, extremely low due to significant differences in the law and administration systems among the countries.

In terms of individual professions the recognition rate in Germany diverges widely. On the one hand, over 90% of master bricklayers and master concrete workers receive full equivalence. Only slightly below this figure is the success rate of applicants who wish to have their license to practice as a dentist or veterinarian recognized.

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.

As in 2020, the most frequent applications come from Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is fol-lowed by the Philippines, Serbia, and Syria. The positive recognition rate in 2021 for Latvia with 94 percent is the highest. It is closely followed by the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, and Hungary, which also have positive recognition rates of over at 90 percent.

In terms of individual professions, the recognition rate in Germany diverges widely. 100% of applicants who wish to work as controller receive full equivalence. In most professions, the share of those granted full equivalence varies from 40% to 80%.