If you would like to work in Germany but your professional qualifications have not yet been fully recognized, you may, under certain conditions, obtain a residence permit to participate in a qualification program.
To do so, a so-called recognition procedure must have been carried out, in which it was determined that qualification measures are necessary to compensate for significant differences between the foreign qualification and German training in order to
- recognition of your professional qualification (determination of equivalence to a domestic professional qualification) or
- granting of a license to practice a profession (access to the profession).
Qualification measures include adaptation and compensation measures in both theoretical and practical forms, for example:
- Internships in a company
- theoretical courses
- Combinations of both
- Exam preparation courses
- Language courses
- Taking an exam
The residence permit for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications is temporary. It is issued for up to 24 months and can be extended for a maximum of 3 years.
You must have language skills appropriate to the qualification program, typically at the A2 level. In some cases, lower language proficiency may be sufficient if, for example, further language acquisition is part of the qualification program.
If your qualification program takes place primarily in a company, the Federal Employment Agency must generally approve it.
With your residence permit to practice foreign professional qualifications, you may engage in employment unrelated to the qualification program for up to 20 hours per week.
The immigration office responsible for the applicant's place of residence
