The new Recognition Act - uniformity of implementation is essential

Recognising the qualifications of people who come from other countries to Germany, to live, learn and work among us, is in all of our interests. Action to ease the recognition process and increase the transparency of procedures was long overdue. Now the German government has introduced a draft bill to the Bundestag for an "Act to improve the assessment and recognition of foreign vocational and professional qualifications" – or Recognition Act for short.

The Act will bring in amendments to many areas of statute including the Vocational Training Act (Berufsbildungsgesetz - BBiG) and the Crafts and Trades Regulation Code (Handwerksordnung - HwO). It defines a legal right to request assessment of the equivalence of vocational and professional qualifications gained in other countries.

Recognition will be issued by the competent bodies provided that the qualification certifies the competence to carry out comparable occupational activities and no essential differences from the equivalent German qualification are found. This aspect precludes any possibility that the proven quality standards in German vocational education and training could be undermined.

Initially the Act sends out an important signal to people from migrant backgrounds and to potential immigrants. It creates more clarity about procedures and responsibilities in the areas for which the federal government is responsible. But in no way does the Recognition Act regulate entry to Germany or the right to work here. Only people who have legitimate rights of entry and residency and to take up employment in Germany will be helped by the new law.