DE Skilled & work Temporary
Germany Recognition Partnership (Sec 16d)
Get your foreign qualification fully recognised after you arrive in Germany.
Official Germany & Europe pageWho this route is for
Skilled workers whose foreign qualification is only partially recognised and who have an employer willing to sign a recognition partnership.
Eligibility requirements
- Foreign vocational/academic qualification with at least partial recognition or a positive assessment
- Job offer from an employer who signs the recognition-partnership agreement
- German language at least A2
- Health insurance and secured livelihood
- May work up to 20 hours/week alongside the recognition process
Requirements reviewed June 2026. They change frequently — confirm the current rules on the official page before relying on them.
Check your points first
Use the free Opportunity Card Points Calculator to see if you're likely to qualify before you start.
Other Germany & Europe routes
Germany Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte, Sec 20a)
TemporaryPoints-based job-search visa — come to Germany with no job offer.
EU Blue Card (Sec 18g)
TemporaryThe EU's flagship permit for university graduates with a German job offer.
Skilled Worker Visa (Sec 18a / 18b)
TemporaryWork permit for graduates and vocationally trained workers with a job offer.
Germany Intra-Corporate Transfer (ICT) Card (Sec 19 / 19b)
TemporaryTransfer within your multinational employer to a German branch.