Foreign higher education certificates which do not qualify their holders for a regulated profession are not governed by the Federal Government's Recognition Act. Graduates from such programmes can apply for employment on the German labour market directly. However, to improve their career prospects in Germany, they may have their final qualifications assessed by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).
The assessment of the certificates is based on the Lisbon Convention. The Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany have entrusted the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) with this task. The ZAB assesses certificates issued by any country in the world on completion of a higher education programme.
The aim of certificate assessment is to facilitate access to the German labour market. The official assessment document describes the foreign higher education qualifications and the possibilities of using them for professional and academic purposes. The certificate assessment includes a comparison with German certificates: The document states the German final qualifications which compare with the foreign certificate and provides information about the options for continuing studies and the procedure for professional recognition. The procedure of certificate assessment is not equivalent to professional recognition.
A fee of € 200 is charged for issuing the assessment document.
TIPP
On the website of the Informations- und Beratungsstelle Anerkennung Sachsen (IBAS) you will find an information sheet on the evaluation of academic degrees (PDF, 217 KB) at the Central Office for Foreign Education.
ZAB
If you have any questions concerning the EU's Recognition Directive or the Lisbon Convention, please contact the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB). › Access to ZAB. More...

If you have gained professional or vocational qualifications abroad and would like to work in Germany, you have the option of having your foreign qualification recognised and in some cases will need to do so. You will find all the information relevant to the recognition procedure here.
In the recognition procedure, the relevant competent authority will check whether your foreign professional or vocational qualification is equivalent to a German qualification. The equivalence check takes place on the basis of stipulated formal criteria such as content and duration of training. Any relevant occupational experience you may have is also taken into account.

Preconditions for a recognition procedure
You must be able to show that you have completed a professional or vocational qualification which was not obtained in Germany. You must also intend to work in Germany. More...

The Federal Recognition Act does not cover, among other things, school qualifications, higher education entrance qualifications, academic achievements and academic qualifications that lead to non-regulated professions. The following shows what other procedures there are for recognizing these qualifications.

Evaluating University Degrees
Recognition is not required for foreign university degrees which do not lead to a regulated profession. However, you may have your degree evaluated in order to improve your chances of employment. More...

Anyone seeking to have their professional or vocational qualifications recognised must begin by finding the correct competent authority for the recognition procedure. The “Recognition in Germany” portal will point them in the right direction.
Pursuant to the Vocational Qualifications Assessment Law (BQFG), the Chambers are usually responsible for the assessment of equivalence in training occupations in the dual system. In the case of regulated occupations, i.e. professions such as doctor or nurse, responsibility depends on respective vocational and professional law and the provisions of the federal states.
You can use the Recognition Finder  to identify your competent authority. More...

Federal Government’s Recognition Act
The Recognition Act for the procedure to assess professional qualifications came into effect on 1 April 2012. The following tells you what has changed with the law.
More on the Recognition Act

Länder Regulations
Not all occupations in Germany are regulated at federal level. Here you will find up-to-date information on the amendments to Länder legislation.
Further informations on the Länder Regulations

EU Recognition Directive
Do you come from an EU Member State? Here you can find out more about the EU Directive on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications (2005/36/EC).
More on the EU Recognition Directive

The contact points of the "Integration through Qualification (IQ)" funding programme provide information about the procedures of professional recognition and direct persons interested in recognition to the relevant authorities.
Note to persons from abroad who are interested in recognition:
Please contact a counselling service in the federal state where you are planning to work, regardless of whether or not you already live in Germany. More...