The Service Center for Professional Recognition (ZSBA) started work on 1 February 2020. The ZSBA complements and strengthens existing structures for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications in Germany with a range of advisory services and personal support during the recognition procedure. It primarily intends to help skilled workers who are still abroad and are at the beginning of their job search in Germany.

The Service Center supports the skilled workers in compiling the necessary documents for the competent body, provides information on regional counselling and qualification offers and helps in the search for an employer. This relieves the competent bodies and accelerates the recognition procedure.

The ZSBA is financed for a first phase of four years by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and belongs to the International Placement Services (ZAV) of the Federal Employment Agency in Bonn.

Those interested in working abroad can contact the virtual welcome center by e-mail, telephone or chat (accessible via the official portal for qualified professionals www.make-it-in-germany.com) and will then be advised by advisors from the central service agency on the recognition procedure.

The BQ-Portal is the online work and knowledge sharing platform for the assessment and evaluation of vocational and further training qualifications obtained abroad. It comprises more than 3,500 professional profiles containing comprehensive information on foreign vocational and further training qualifications.