Highest demand ever

Recognition activity reached a new high in 2023. Today's press release from the Federal Statistical Office shows the findings from the federal government and federal state recognition statistics for 2023. There were around 62,100 new applications, which is equivalent to a growth of 26 percent compared to the previous year. Just under 13,600 applications (22 percent) were for occupations under federal state jurisdiction, while around 48,500 applications were for federal occupations. 

The BIBB recognition monitoring project is tasked with evaluating the official statistics from the federal government. The team has taken a closer look at the federal professions and arrived at the following findings:

Both applications as well as procedures arriving at a final decision reached a new high in 2023. Recognition activity was once again dominated by demand for recognition of professional qualifications from third countries and those relating to federal medical professions. Marked growth was seen in applications for Turkish and also Tunisian and Indian qualifications. The vast majority of applications were again for nursing professions and for the profession of doctor of medicine.

The majority of professional qualifications which went through the procedure were recognised in most cases. However, for regulated professions, it is also evident that the completion of compensation measures had a major role to play on the path to obtaining full equivalence.

Conclusion: The German labour market desperately needs skilled workers – including skilled workers from abroad. High and rising demand for professional recognition is therefore good news. This not only means growth in the number of recognised qualified skilled workers but also offers greater potential in the future for integrating qualified individuals into the German labour market over the long term. This remains important, in particular in regulated professions such as medical professions, for responding to what is in some cases a pronounced shortage of skilled workers. Recognition is therefore still an essential tool for ensuring the supply of skilled workers. However, there still needs to be a focus – and perhaps all the more so given its importance – on optimisation of the recognition procedure and on driving this forward.

More information

Statistics on the federal act – results in brief

Evaluation of the official statistics on the Federal Recognition Act 2022

Press release from the Federal Statistical Office

Federal Statistical Office analyses of federal and federal state occupations (statistical report)

BIBB: How to optimise professional recognition