Foreign professional qualification Recognition as a pension consultant

I submit an application to the competent authority. How does that work?

You can also apply if you do not yet live in Germany.

• You can send the application by post to the competent office. Do not send originals!
• Perhaps you can send the application by e-mail. Ask your responsible office beforehand. At a later stage in the recognition procedure, you may need to submit the original documents or the certified copies.
• Sometimes you can apply online. At a later stage in the recognition procedure, you may need to submit the original documents or the certified copies. For the online application, use the Internet portal of the federal state in which you would like to work.

The competent body will process my application. What does that mean?

• The competent authority receives the application. It will confirm to you after one month at the latest that the application has been received. Once the competent body has received all the documents from you, it will process your application.
• The competent authority carries out an equivalence test: it compares your professional qualification with the German professional qualification. In doing so, the competent body shall take into account your professional experience, other qualifications and qualifications.
• The recognition procedure takes a maximum of 4 months. At the end, the competent authority will send you a notification with the result.

The competent authority informs me of the result in a notification. What results are possible?

• Result: Recognition
  • Your professional qualification and the German professional qualification are equivalent. They also meet all other requirements. Your professional qualification will be recognised. You have the same professional rights as a person with the German professional qualification.
• Result: No recognition
  • There are significant differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification. You cannot compensate for these differences with your professional experience and other knowledge in the profession. Therefore, your professional qualification is not equivalent to the German professional qualification. They do not get recognition.
  • In most cases, you can make a compensatory measure. This allows you to compensate for the essential differences.
  • You can take legal action against the decision of the competent authority. Details of this procedure can be found in the information on the right of appeal at the end of your decision. We recommend: Talk to a counselling centre first before you object or sue.

I don't get any recognition. What can I do?

Compensatory measures

• If your professional qualification is not equivalent, you can make a compensatory measure. With a compensatory measure, you can compensate for significant differences. Significant differences are listed in your notification.
• There are several compensatory measures:
  • Adaptation period
  • Suitability test
• The competent authority decides which compensatory measure you need to take. This is stated in your notification.
• If you successfully complete the compensatory measure, you will receive a certificate. You must submit this certificate to the competent authority. The competent body shall examine the certificate. If you then meet all the requirements, your professional qualification will be recognised. Then you have the same professional rights as a person with the German professional qualification.

Jurisdiction lies with the regional and local courts of your place of residence.

• Equivalence of your professional qualification
  Note: Your professional qualification must come from an EU, EEA or Swiss country. Or: Your professional qualification was recognized there.
• Personal suitability
• Liability insurance

• Application form
• Proof of identity (e.g. passport or identity card)
• Curriculum vitae
• Proof of your professional qualification
• Theoretical knowledge: degree certificate, diploma or certificate from the EU, EEA or Switzerland Or: proof of recognition of your professional qualification in the EU, EEA or Switzerland.
• Practical knowledge : proof of 6 months of professional experience in the profession in Germany
• For professional qualifications from third countries recognised in the EU, EEA or Switzerland:
• The profession must be regulated in the State of recognition: certificate of regulation of the profession issued by the competent authority in the State of recognition.
• Certificate from the competent authority attesting to at least 3 years' professional experience in the State of recognition.
• If the profession is not regulated in your country of training: certificate of your regulated education. The certificate must be issued by the competent authority in the country of training.
• If the profession and education are not regulated in your country of training, you must prove that you have worked in the profession for at least one year in the last 10 years.
• Proof of your personal suitability: certificate of good conduct
• If there are insolvency proceedings against you: indication of the judicial authority and file number
• If you have been entered in a register of debtors in the last 3 years prior to the application: indication of the court authority and file number
• If registration or admission as a lawyer has been refused, withdrawn or revoked in the last 3 years prior to application: copy of the decision
• If you have been excluded from the legal profession in the last 3 years prior to the application: copy of the decision
• Proof of professional liability insurance (sum insured of at least 250,000 euros per insured event). You can also submit this proof after the application has been submitted.

• No later than one month after receipt of your application by the competent authority: the competent authority will inform you of the receipt of the documents. It will let you know if documents are missing. The procedure starts when the documents are complete.
• After 3 months at the latest: You will receive a notification with the result. In certain cases, the competent body may prolong the procedure.

Details of this procedure can be found in the information on the right of appeal at the end of your decision. We recommend: Talk to a counselling centre first before you object or sue.

Freedom to provide services

Would you like to offer services in Germany only occasionally and for a short time?

Then you usually don't need recognition. You must meet these requirements:

• You must be established in another EU, EEA or Swiss country.
• You must provide proof of your professional qualifications.
• You must notify or register your activity in writing with the competent authority.

Procedure for ethnic German repatriates

As a ethnic German repatriate, you can choose between 2 procedures for professional recognition:

• You submit an application for the procedure described here.
• You submit an application for the procedure under the Federal Expellees Act (§ 10 BVFG).

That's up to you to decide. Your competent office will advise you.

anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/

07.09.2021

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.