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New Destatis figures show that last year, more foreign vocational qualifications were recognised than in previous years,. Especially against the backdrop of demographic change and the corona crisis, Germany is dependent on skilled workers from abroad.

In 2022, as in previous years, the medical regulated professions will predominate in the recognition procedures for foreign professional qualifications in Germany. For the regulated professions, the rate of positive recognition ranges between 35 and 65 percent, except of the profession of the profession of geriatric nurse, which has a low success rate of 19 percent. The highest rate of decisions of full equivalence for the non-regulated professions was issued for cook, at 81 percent. This is immediately followed by the professions of restaurant specialist, industrial electricians, specialist for metal technology, and electrical systems technician with over 60 percent.

Applicants from Portugal and Spain have the highest chances of positive ruling since their recognition rate stands at about 95% in Germany. The success rate of those from Czech Republic, Austria and Greece is over 90%. Those from Hungary and Slovakia received a positive ruling in over 85% of the cases.

The notification indicates the extent to which a foreign qualification corresponds to its German counterpart. Find out what partial, full or no equivalence mean.

The success rate differs depending on the country, in which the applicants were trained. Recognition rates tend to be higher in the geographically and culturally closer countries than in the more remote countries.

The rate of full equivalencies varies by profession. The success rate of positive recognition for the regulated professions is between 35 and 70 percent, except for the profession of general care and pediatric nurse, which has a low success rate of 24 percent. Furthermore, the proportion of decisions of full equivalence for the non-regulated occupation of cook is the highest at 86 percent. This is immediately followed by the occupations of elec-trician, industrial electrician, and metal technology specialist with over 70 percent.

In this section you will find answers to frequently asked questions about professional recognition. The section is focused on the perspective of companies accompanying the recognition process.