Social insurance clerk; application for recognition of a foreign qualification (specializing in general health insurance)

The profession of social insurance assistant is not regulated in Germany. Recognition of your qualification is not mandatory for taking up employment, but can be useful to increase your chances in the application process, for example.

The profession of social insurance clerk is not regulated in Germany. In order to be able to work in this profession in Bavaria, recognition of your foreign qualification is therefore not mandatory.

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

However, a recognition procedure can be useful to make your foreign qualification more transparent and easier for the employer to assess. This can increase your chances in the application process.

In accordance with the Professional Qualifications Assessment Act (BQFG), you can apply to the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL) for an assessment of equivalence with the German profession of social insurance clerk specializing in general health insurance if you have successfully completed vocational training abroad which you consider to be equivalent to the German profession of social insurance clerk specializing in general health insurance.

You can apply for an equivalence assessment in accordance with the BQFG if you have successfully completed vocational training abroad.

The LGL will determine equivalence with the German profession of social insurance clerk specializing in general health insurance if

• your foreign vocational training qualifies you for comparable activities and
• your foreign professional qualification does not differ significantly in terms of the skills, knowledge and abilities acquired.
• You may also have to prove that you intend to pursue gainful employment in Germany.

Further information can be found under "Procedure" and "Required documents".

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

Sufficient German language skills are also expected in order to practice your profession.

An appeal against the decision of the competent authority is permitted in the form of an administrative court action. This allows you to take legal action against the decision so that it can be reviewed. Details can be found in the information on legal remedies at the end of your decision. However, you are advised to clarify the disputed issues with the competent authority before lodging an appeal.

You can submit an informal written application for recognition of your foreign professional qualification to the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety.

The first step is to check whether your foreign qualification can be assigned to the domestic reference occupation you have specified (in this case: Social insurance clerk specializing in general health insurance). If necessary, the LGL 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 LGL will check in particular whether your foreign vocational training qualifies you for comparable professional activities to those documented by the corresponding German training certificate and whether there are significant differences between the foreign professional qualification and the corresponding German vocational training with regard to the skills, knowledge and abilities acquired.

Evidence of relevant professional experience (from abroad or from Germany) and other evidence of qualifications (e.g. additional qualifications or further education and training that are not regulated by legal or administrative provisions) are also taken into account.

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

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

The recognition procedure in accordance with the BQFG is generally subject to a fee.

The fees for a corresponding procedure are based on the fee law of the Free State of Bavaria and depend on the individual effort required to carry out the procedure. The fees generally range between EUR 25.00 and EUR 1,000.00. According to Art. 14 of the Bavarian Costs Act, the implementation of the assessment procedure can be made dependent on the payment of an appropriate advance on costs.

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 submitting their application to see if the costs can be covered by the employment agency.

The information portal "Recognition in Germany" (see "Further links"), for example, provides information on other financial support options.

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 Section 10 of the Federal Expellees Act (BVFG).

In contrast to the procedure under the BQFG, no professional experience can be taken into account in this free procedure.

Persons entitled under the BVFG can choose whether to submit an application under the BQFG or the BVFG.

• a tabular list in German of the courses of vocational training or further vocational training completed and the gainful employment pursued

  (e.g. in the form of a curriculum vitae)

• proof of identity

  (e.g. copy or scan of passport or identity card)

• evidence of professional training or vocational education obtained abroad
  • z. e.g. copies or scans of examination certificates, professional certificates
  • each in German translation
  • The translations must be carried out by publicly appointed or authorised translators.
• evidence of relevant professional experience or other evidence of formal qualifications in so far as this is necessary to establish equivalence
  • z. e.g. copies or scans of job references, certificates of participation
  • each in German translation
  • The translations must be done by publicly appointed or authorised translators.
• a statement that no application for equivalence has yet been submitted
• evidence of the intention to pursue a gainful activity in the national territory

  Appropriate documentation may include, for example, proof of application for an entry visa for employment or proof of contact with potential employers.

  Not applicable as a rule,

  • if you are resident in a member state of the EU, a contracting state of the EEA or in Switzerland or
  • if you are a national of one of these states.