Recognition partnership
Updated:
With a recognition partnership, you can work after arriving in Germany and complete the recognition procedure with the support of your employer. The visa and residence permit are initially issued for 1 year. An extension to 3 years is possible.
Prerequisites
- at least 2 years of training
- state-recognized in the country of origin
You can prove your qualification with the following documents:
- positive information on the professional qualification from the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) or
- digital certificate evaluation for your university degree from the ZAB or positive evaluation of the degree in the anabin database
German language skills of at least level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) must be demonstrated.
The recognition partnership agreement must be concluded with a suitable employer. This means that the employer must already have experience with vocational training or post-qualification. Suitability is checked by the competent authority in the visa procedure.
The recognition partnership includes a concrete job offer, usually for qualified employment (no simple auxiliary activities).
Exception: In regulated professions (e.g. nursing, medicine), auxiliary activities are possible until a license to practice is obtained.
Recognition already started?
If you have already started a recognition procedure before entering Germany and have a (partial) recognition decision that also includes company compensation measures, you can also conclude a recognition partnership.
