The "ProRecognition" project, launched by the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) in autumn 2015 with funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), has established recognition consulting services at eight AHK locations. As part of the project, special consulting offices were set up at German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHK) in Egypt, China-Shanghai, India, Iran, Italy, Morocco, Poland and Vietnam. At these offices, those interested in the recognition process and wishing to work in Germany can obtain advice and information with regards to their specific personal situation. A recognition of qualifications is necessary to be granted a visa or the Blue Card to gain entry to the German labour market. Assistance with the recognition procedure and subsequent evaluations are also available if necessary.

The Federal Recognition Act came into force in 2012. The aim is to improve the assessment and recognition of professional qualifications by simplifying and standardizing procedures for the evaluation of foreign professional or vocational qualifications. Everybody with a professional or vocational qualification has the legal right to assess equivalence in Germany.

The aim of the project is to support the mobility of skilled workers towards Germany and their integration into the German labour market. Reaching skilled workers in their home country and advising them on possibilities of the recognition of their professional or vocational qualifications before moving to Germany is a crucial part in promoting labour migration. People interested in the recognition of their qualifications can contact the advisors at the AHK in their country of origin and receive valuable information on the process and chances of recognition. The recognition advisors are counseling on the recognition of all types of state-approved professional and vocational qualifications by email, phone or personal contact. Also, the recognition advisors can establish contact to the relevant authorities in Germany and offer information on the German labour market due to the interconnected structure of the AHKs abroad and the IHKs (Chambers of Commerce and Industry) in Germany. For instance, a delegation of the Moroccan OFPPT and AHK Morocco visited the IHK FOSA – the national competence centre of the German chambers of industry and commerce for the evaluation and recognition of foreign vocational qualifications – to strengthen the network.

In March 2017, the project celebrated a huge success. The first full equivalence of a vocational qualification was certified. The recipient, who was advised and guided through the process by the recognition consulting service at the AHK Morocco can now come to Germany with a recognized qualification.

To reach professionals interested in working in Germany ProRecognition is amongst others working together with the German Embassies and German Consulates as well as with the Goethe-Institut, offering information sessions for language course participants.

Also, ProRecognition is working together with several project partners involved in the field of labour migration and recognition of qualifications, such as the International Placement Services (ZAV) and Recognition in Germany, an initiative of the BMBF.