Industrial-technical and commercial professions; applying for recognition of a foreign qualification

You can apply for recognition of an industrial-technical and commercial profession that is not regulated in Bavaria.

Certain industrial-technical and commercial professions are not regulated in Bavaria. Recognition of your qualification is not mandatory for taking up employment, but may be useful. You can apply for recognition at the Bavarian State Office for Schools.

The industrial-technical and commercial professions that are not regulated in Bavaria and for which the Bavarian State Office for Schools checks the equivalence of foreign professional qualifications can be found under "Further links".

In order to be able to work in one of these professions in Bavaria, recognition of your foreign qualification is not mandatory.

It is often possible to take up employment without formal recognition of your foreign qualification. In principle, the respective employer decides whether to hire you.

A recognition procedure can be useful to make your foreign qualification more transparent and easier for the employer to assess.

In accordance with the Bavarian Professional Qualifications Assessment Act (BayBQFG), you can submit an application for equivalence assessment if you have successfully completed vocational training abroad.

• The following documents must be submitted:
  • Signed application form
  • If applicable: Decision on professional recognition (by another competent body).
  • For persons who are not citizens of the EU/EEA/Switzerland or whose place of residence is outside these states: Declaration of intention to work (e.g. proof of application for an entry visa for gainful employment, proof of contact with employer).
  • Proof of identity (ID card or passport, photo page only - serial numbers and photo may be redacted).
  • If applicable: Proof of name change (marriage certificate).
  • if applicable: Spätaussiedlerbescheinigung or Vertriebenenbescheinigung (certificate of expellees)
  • Curriculum vitae in tabular form with detailed information on school education, vocational training, further training and work experience
  • School-leaving certificate from the last general school attended (before entering vocational school) - with translation*.
  • Evidence of foreign professional qualification (diploma, certificate, diploma, etc.) - with translation*.
  • Supplementary documents on professional qualification (e.g. scope and main contents of theoretical subjects taught / scope and main contents of practical training / overview of subjects taught and number of lessons at school (time table)) - with translation*
  • if applicable: Diploma Supplement - with translation*
  • if applicable: Evidence of relevant work experience in the learned profession (e.g. work certificates, work books, letters of reference)
  • if applicable: other proof of qualifications (e.g. additional qualifications acquired, further education/training, retraining)

  *Transcripts:

  All the above-mentioned educational certificates (including proof of professional experience and certificates of competence) must be submitted in the original language as well as in translation into German by a publicly appointed or sworn translator.

  In principle, the submission of the above documents in the form of photocopies or in electronic form (pdf files) is sufficient; in certain cases, the submission of officially certified photocopies or originals is additionally required. You will be notified separately about this if required.

You can apply for an equivalence assessment in accordance with the Bavarian Professional Qualifications Assessment Act (BayBQFG) if you

• have successfully completed vocational training abroad and
• intend to pursue gainful employment in Bavaria

An application can be submitted regardless of nationality and residence status.

Sufficient German language skills are also expected for practicing the profession.

You can apply for recognition of your foreign qualification in writing or electronically via the platform for secure communication at the Certificate Recognition Office of the Bavarian State Office for Schools.

The first step is to check whether your foreign qualification can be assigned to the reference occupation you have specified. If necessary, the State Office for Schools will inform you which other office is responsible for you. In this case, you can withdraw your application free of charge.

As part of the equivalence assessment of your foreign qualification, the State Office for Schools will check in particular whether your foreign qualification qualifies you for comparable professional activities as evidenced by the corresponding Bavarian training certificate and whether there are any significant differences between the foreign qualification and the corresponding Bavarian vocational training.

Evidence of relevant professional experience (from abroad or from Germany) and other evidence of qualifications (e.g. additional qualifications or further education and training) will also be taken into account.

If no significant differences are found, the full equivalence of your foreign qualification can be determined.

If there are significant differences and at the same time comparable qualification contents, the existing qualifications and the differences to the Bavarian qualification will be described in the notification.

The State Office for Schools will confirm receipt of your application within one month and, if necessary, inform you which documents need to be supplemented. If the documents are complete, a decision will be made within three months. In justified cases, this period may be extended appropriately.

The recognition procedure in accordance with the Bavarian Professional Qualifications Assessment Act (BayBQFG) is subject to a fee.

The Bavarian State Office for Schools charges a fee of between EUR 200.00 and EUR 600.00 plus expenses, depending on the work involved, for carrying out the recognition procedure.

Further costs, e.g. for translations and certifications, must be borne by you.

Unemployed and job-seeking applicants should check with their local employment agency or job center before applying to see if the costs can be covered by the employment agency.

The recognition procedure in accordance with the Federal Expellees Act (BVFG) (see special information) is free of charge.

Late repatriates can alternatively submit an application for an equivalence assessment in accordance with the Federal Expellees Act (BVFG).

In contrast to the procedure under the Bavarian Professional Qualifications Assessment Act (BayBQFG), professional experience and/or further education/training cannot be taken into account in this free procedure.

Late repatriates can choose whether to submit an application in accordance with the BayBQFG or the Federal Expellees Act (BVFG).

If an application is submitted in accordance with the BVFG, it must be accompanied by appropriate proof (certificate of ethnic German repatriation / expellee ID).