Attention: In the case of foreign degrees, a professional recognition procedure is often not required for the so-called minimum staff value in North Rhine-Westphalian childcare facilities. Find out more here.

If you want to work in a state-regulated profession (e.g. "state-recognized childcare worker"), you can find out more here.E.g. "state-recognized educator"), you must undergo a professional recognition procedure and have your qualification recognized.

The Recognition Finder provides information on all the steps you need to take to have your profession recognized in Germany (in German and English).

If a recognition procedure is successfully completed, you are entitled to work in the so-called minimum staffing level in North Rhine-Westphalian childcare facilities in accordance with Section 4 (1) PersVO or in the case of childcare workers and social assistants in accordance with Section 6 (1). In the event of partial recognition, deployment is possible in accordance with § 4 (4). In the case of a deficit notice in accordance with Section 10 of the Professional Qualifications Assessment Act NRW from a professional recognition procedure for one of the professions listed in Section 4 (1), it is possible to work on supplementary hours parallel to the adaptation course

Local jurisdiction of the district governments

State-recognized childhood educator, social pedagogue, social worker, curative educator:
The local jurisdiction depends on the place of residence or place of future employment.

State-recognized educators, curative education nurses and state-certified childcare workers, social assistants:
Local jurisdiction depends on the country in which the professional qualification was obtained.

• Bezirksregierung Arnsberg: Poland, Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic
• Bezirksregierung Detmold: Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, states of the former USSR
• Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf: Greece, Austria, Switzerland, Turkey and former Yugoslavia
• . Yugoslavia
• District government of Cologne: Belgium, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain
• District government of Münster: Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and all non-European countries

Addresses of district governments:

District government of Arnsberg
Seibertzstr. 1
59821 Arnsberg
Tel: 02931 / 82 - 0
www.bezreg-arnsberg.nrw.de

Childhood Education and Social Work (Department 24)
Erzieher/in (Dezernat 48)

Bezirksregierung Detmold
Leopoldstr. 15
32754 Detmold
Tel.: 05231 / 71 - 0
www.bezreg-detmold.nrw.de

Kindheitspädagogik und Soziale Arbeit (Dezernat 24)
Erzieher/in (Dezernat 48)

Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf
Cecilienallee 2
40474 Düsseldorf
Tel.: 0211 / 475 - 0
www.brd.nrw.de

Childhood Education and Social Work (Department 24)
Erzieher/in (Dezernat 48)

Bezirksregierung Köln
Zeughausstr. 2-10
50667 Köln
Tel.: 0221 / 147 - 0
www.bezreg-koeln.nrw.de

Childhood Education and Social Work (Dezernat 24)
Erzieher/in (Dezernat 48)

Bezirksregierung Münster
Domplatz 1-3
48143 Münster
Tel.: 0251 / 411 - 0
www.bezreg-muenster.nrw.de

Childhood Education and Social Work (Department 24)
Educator (Department 48)

You can also find more information on the recognition procedures on the websites of the district governments.

• IQ network: The "Integration through Qualification (IQ)" funding program has been working since 2005 to improve the labour market opportunities for people with a migration background. It supports people of foreign origin throughout Germany, e.g. by providing advice and qualifications for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications or with advice on labor and social law issues.
  www.netzwerk-iq.de

• Zentrale Servicestelle Berufsanerkennung (ZSBA) der Bundesregierung: The ZSBA advises on the recognition of foreign professional qualifications, taking into account the associated residence law provisions, and guides you through the recognition process.
  www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de

• NRW funding program "Perspektiven im Erwerbsleben" (PiE) (formerly "Beratung zur beruflichen Entwicklung (BBE)") with the integral component "Fachberatung zur Anerkennung im Ausland erworbener Berufsqualifikationen" (FBA) and the portal "Weiterbildungsberatung in NRW". With this program, the state of NRW supports people in professional change processes.
  www.weiterbildungsberatung.nrw

You can also easily find out which authority is responsible for your recognition procedure using the Recognition Finder on the "Recognition in Germany" information portal:

www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de