Guide
Which authority handles your Anerkennung?
Finding the correct recognition authority is often the first hard stop for people who trained abroad. Germany does not use a single national counter for every qualification. The body that reviews a nursing diploma is rarely the same as the one that assesses an engineer’s university degree or a baker’s vocational certificate.
Start with three questions. Is your occupation regulated in Germany? Was your training academic or vocational? And where do you intend to work — because some professions are handled by state (Land) authorities rather than a federal office.
For many academic qualifications that are not tied to a regulated profession, the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) statement of comparability is the practical starting point. For regulated professions such as nursing, teaching, or certain trades, you usually apply to the competent authority named in the recognition portal for that occupation and federal state.
Bring your original certificates, a structured list of subjects or modules, and any workplace experience letters that show hours and duties. Incomplete module lists are a common reason files stall. If your documents are not in German, plan certified translations early; waiting until after the first authority reply often adds months.
Net Solutions sessions focus on naming the likely authority before you pay for translations you may not need, and on drafting a document checklist that matches that authority’s current form — not a generic “immigration paperwork” pile.