Submitting an application
All persons who have acquired a state recognised foreign vocational qualification and would like to practise this profession in Germany are entitled to submit an application. Persons having acquired informal or non-formal qualifications, e.g. qualifications achieved only by professional experience, are not eligible to apply for recognition.
Applicants who are not resident in Germany or within the EU/EEA/Switzerland or who are not nationals of the specified countries must also provide evidence that they wish to pursue the profession they have learned. Documents suitable for this purpose could be: employment contract, contact with employers in Germany, entry visa or applying for an entry visa (in case employment contract exists).
Submitting an application is possible regardless of nationality and residential status, it is also possible to apply from abroard.
Important information
Form of the application
Send us your documents as color copies, preferably in A4 format. Please do not send us any originals without being asked (except for the application form). We accept no liability for these. Incomplete, illegible copies cannot be considered in the procedure.
Immigration of skilled workers
Please find out whether a recognition procedure is a precondition for immigration to Germany in your case. This is often the case if you want to work in Germany. Further information is provided by the portal "Make It In Germany".
Application and documents
You must send an application to the IHK FOSA in order to have your foreign professional qualification verified.
You can find the application form here:
IHK FOSA Application Form including overview documents to be attached
Application for Foreign Professional Qualifications Equivalence including overview documents to be attached
Specification of the German reference qualification
The German reference qualification, with which the foreign qualification is to be compared, must be entered in the application. Below you will find a list of IHK professions, for which IHK FOSA is the competent body. Help in determining the German reference occupation is provided by the portal BERUFENET of the Federal Employment Agency with, among other things, brief descriptions of occupational profiles and fields of activity. In the event of uncertainties regarding the reference profession, advice from the local Chamber of Industry and Commerce or other advice centers is recommended.
Choice: List of IHK professions
Liste mit allen Ausbildungsberufen und Fortbildungs- abschlüssen in Zuständigkeit der IHK FOSA
From partial equivalence to full recognition
In the case of partial equivalence, you can offset the differences by attending adaption measures (practical training, work experience, training courses) in order to compensate missing skills. Thereafter it is possible to submit a subsequent application within five years to get a full recognition of professional qualifications.
If you have a partial recognition of your qualification, contact please your regional Chamber of Industry and Commerce or another recognition counseling in order to find out what kind of compensation measures you can attend. You can also get some Information from the IHK FOSA.
IHK FOSA Follow up Application including overview documents to be attached
IHK FOSA Follow-up Application
Follow-up application including overview documents to be attached
Samples power of attorney (german only)
Please note that we may accept only the german version of the power of attorney
Power of attorney for individuals
Power of attorney for employer
Note on the use of the samples power of attorney:
These samples have been prepared with the greatest care, but do not claim to be complete or correct. They are to be understood as an assistance in regrads to the formulation and are only intended to provide a suggestion as to how the typical interests between the parties can be properly balanced. However, this does not release the user from the obligation to carefully examine the document on his or her own responsibility. The samples power of attorney are a non-binding suggestion for a possible arrangement. The use of the template is at your own risk. If you require a customized power of attorney, you should seek professional advice.
Translations
Translations will only be accepted from translators who are publically appointed or sworn. You will find a list of German translators at www.justiz-dolmetscher.de.
The IHK FOSA can waive the requirement for translations where, e.g. an employee has a command of the language himself/herself.
Please send the completely filled in application form together with all documents to be submitted as per page 7 of the application form to IHK FOSA - please send files by e-mail only in PDF format to info@ihk-fosa.de.