Just clicks away from the application

The digitalisation of applications has gathered pace over the last six months: As part of the Online Access Act [Onlinezugangsgesetz, OZG] implementation project “Recognition of foreign professional qualifications”, a number of federal states have now been connected to the digital application service for a range of different professions.

The goal is nationwide digitalisation and in the previous year this process began with the application for recognition (approbation (licence to practise medicine in Germany) and authorisation to practise) as a doctor of medicine. In Saarland , the technology is now also in place and the federal state is connected. This means that applications for recognition can now be made online for this reference occupation in seven federal states.

Online applications have now been extended to include further occupations: In Rhineland-Palatinate general nurses and teachers can submit the application for recognition of their foreign professional qualification online via the joint federal state application service.

December 2023 sees more updates:

In a number of federal states, skilled workers who have trained in or studied for a specialist health occupation can apply digitally for the recognition procedure which is key to their employment in Germany. Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt and Rhineland Palatinate are the first federal states to start with this. The plan is to gradually connect 20 occupations including general nurse, physiotherapist, emergency paramedic, and midwife. Progress is also being made with approbation. Four federal states are now making the standardised application available not just for doctors of medicine but also for dentists and pharmacists. Initial connections are already in place for psychotherapists and vets. In the area of education, the online application for social workers has been added in Saxony-Anhalt.

By the turn of the year, the expectation is that further federal states and occupations will be connected.

Important information regarding responsibility for, and details on, the recognition procedure for German reference occupations is provided in the Recognition Finder in the skilled worker section of “Recognition in Germany”. You can also start the online application here.

You can also find out more about the Online Access Act implementation project in a guest article by Dr. Arne Schüler (in German) (Federal Ministry of Education and Research, BMBF).