Applying for recognition of a foreign professional qualification as a career qualification for employment as a state civil servant

• Regulation on the recognition of European professional qualifications as career qualifications
• §§ Sections 13, 16, 25 of the Lower Saxony Civil Service Act (NBG)
• § 4 NLVO (Lower Saxony Career Regulation) in conjunction with §§ 20, 35 - 42 NLVO
• §§ Sections 1,3,5,9,13 of the Lower Saxony Administrative Costs Act (NVwKostG)
• § 1 General Fee Schedule (AllGO) in conjunction with No. 18.3 Annex to the AllGO
• Annex 1 Ordinance on training and examinations for fire department careers (APVO-Feu)
• German Social Accident Insurance Accident Prevention Regulations 49 "Fire brigade"

• Application for recognition
• Proof of citizenship
• Curriculum vitae
• Proof of qualification or training (e.g. training certificates, diplomas, degree certificates)
• Certificate of authorization to practice the profession (certificate from the home country or country of qualification stating which profession the professional qualifications entitle the holder to practice there)
• Proof of personal aptitude (certificate or document from the home country or country of qualification stating that no criminal offenses, serious professional misconduct or other circumstances calling into question the qualification are known)
• A statement as to whether recognition has been applied for from another authority in the Federal Republic of Germany and how the decision was reached
• If applicable, proof of activities carried out
• If applicable, proof of skills acquired through lifelong learning
• Special features of the fire department:
  • Proof that the applicant meets the physical and health requirements of the fire department
  • Proof of practical firefighting activities and their duration
  • Proof of rescue service training and activities, if applicable
  • Proof of driving license

Further documents on request from the authorities

• You must have EU/EEA/CH citizenship or citizenship of a country to which Germany and the European Union are obliged under treaty law to treat its nationals equally with regard to the recognition of professional qualifications.
• You must not have any serious professional misconduct, criminal offenses or comparable weighty reasons.
• Your professional qualification must not differ significantly (deficit) from the requirements in Lower Saxony.

If there is a deficit, this must be compensated for by an adaptation period and/or an aptitude test.

If you wish to have your professional qualification recognized, you must do the following:

• You submit an application for recognition of the foreign professional qualification as a career qualification in the state service.
• The competent authority will check whether your nationality allows recognition and whether your qualification can be assigned to a career in a specific field of the state.
• If there is a qualification deficit that cannot be compensated for, an aptitude test or an adaptation period must be completed.
• The decision on the application is made in writing. Upon successful completion of the recognition procedure, the career qualification for the respective entry level of the career group is acquired. It is possible for the career qualification to be recognized only for certain tasks of a career and for the transfer of certain promotion offices to be excluded (partial access). Partial access is not possible for careers in the police specialization.
• If the requirements are not met, you will receive a decision with instructions on how to appeal against the decision.

You can apply for an advertised position with the notice of recognition.

A confirmation of receipt will be issued within two weeks. The time it takes for the application to be finally processed depends on the amount of checking required in each individual case.

You can take legal action before the competent administrative court.

Responsible:Lower Saxony Ministry of the Interior and Sport

• There are many advisory services. You can find these on the Recognition in Germany portal.
• Ask an IQ advice center for personal advice on this procedure and your qualifications. The advisors will also help you with your documents before you submit your application. The advice is free of charge.
• You can also call the hotline of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. The hotline will answer your questions on the subject of "Working and living in Germany".
• If you are abroad: You can also contact the Central Service Center for Professional Recognition (ZSBA) via the hotline. This offers you in-depth advice and support in the recognition procedure and provides location advice.