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Permission to use the professional title of veterinary medical-technical assistant with professional qualification from the EU/EEA/Switzerland Issue

Service Description

The profession of veterinary medical-technical assistant is regulated in Germany. This means that in order to work as a veterinary medical-technical assistant in Germany, you need a state license. With this permit, you can use the job title "veterinary medical technical assistant" and work in the profession.

If you have a professional qualification from the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you can also obtain a state permit from the competent authority in Germany.

In order to obtain the permit, you must have your foreign professional qualification recognized.

On January 1, 2023, the training of professions in medical technology was reformed in Germany. The new law on professions in medical technology applies. The profession on this basis is called medical technologist for veterinary medicine or medical technologist for veterinary medicine. There is a transitional period for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications on the basis of the old law on technical assistants in medicine. Until 31.12.2026, foreign professional qualifications may still be recognized as veterinary medical technical assistants on a transitional basis. The competent authority will advise you.

In the recognition procedure, the competent body compares your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification and checks the equivalence. The equivalence of the professional qualification is an important prerequisite for the granting of the state permit.

In addition to the equivalence of the professional qualification, you must also meet other requirements for the permit to be issued. Further requirements include, for example, sufficient German language skills and health suitability.

If your professional qualification does not originate from another member state of the European Community or another state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, other regulations apply.

You can also apply for the procedure from abroad.

Process flow

Application

You submit an application to the competent authority for permission to use the professional title "veterinary medical technical assistant". You can submit the application with the documents to the competent authority or send it by post. Do not send originals. Sometimes you can also send the application electronically. The responsible office will inform you.

Examination of equivalence

The competent authority will then check whether you meet all the requirements. An important requirement is the equivalence of your professional qualification. The competent body will compare your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification as a veterinary medical-technical assistant. The professional qualification is equivalent if there are no significant differences between your foreign professional qualification and the German professional qualification.

Possible results of the examination

If your professional qualification is equivalent, your foreign professional qualification will be recognized. The competent authority can confirm the result in writing. You must still meet the other requirements. You will then receive permission to use the professional title "veterinary medical technical assistant".

Are there any significant differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification? You may be able to compensate for the differences through your professional experience, other knowledge or skills (lifelong learning). You must provide evidence of your professional experience. Knowledge and skills must be certified by an authority in the country in which you acquired the knowledge or skills.

However, it may be that the significant differences cannot be compensated for by this knowledge. In this case, your foreign professional qualification will not be recognized. You will then not be allowed to work as a veterinary medical-technical assistant in Germany.

However, the competent authority will tell you the main differences and why you cannot compensate for the main differences with your professional experience.

In most cases, you can take a compensatory measure. This will allow you to compensate for the main differences.

Compensatory measures

There are various compensatory measures:

  • Adaptation course: The adaptation course lasts a maximum of three years.
  • Aptitude test: In the aptitude test, only those areas in which significant differences have been identified are tested. The aptitude test is an interview.

You can choose between an adaptation period or an aptitude test.

If you successfully complete the compensation measure and meet all other requirements, you will receive permission to use the job title "veterinary medical-technical assistant".

Who should I contact?

Please contact the Thuringian State Office for Consumer Protection, Department 22.

Requirements

  • You have a professional qualification as a veterinary medical-technical assistant from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland.
  • You want to work in Thuringia as a veterinary medical-technical assistant.
  • Personal suitability: You are reliable for work as a veterinary medical-technical assistant and have no criminal record.
  • Health suitability: You are mentally and physically fit to work as a veterinary medical technical assistant.
  • You have German language skills at the required level. This is normally language level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Which documents are required?

  • Proof of identity (identity card or passport)
  • Marriage certificate (if your name has changed due to marriage)
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Proof of your professional qualifications (e.g. certificates, professional certificate)
  • Proof of training
  • Proof of your relevant professional experience as a veterinary technical assistant
  • Proof of other relevant knowledge for working as a veterinary technical assistant
  • Perhaps: You come from a third country and do not yet live or work in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland? Then you must provide proof: You want to work in the profession in Thuringia. Proof can be, for example, an application for an entry visa for gainful employment, job applications, invitations to interviews, a business concept or a location note from the Central Service Center for Professional Recognition (ZSBA).
  • Proof of your personal suitability: criminal record extract or certificate of good conduct from your country of origin. The certificate must not be older than 3 months at the time of application.
  • Proof of your health suitability: Medical certificate. The certificate must not be older than 3 months at the time of application.
  • Proof of your German language skills: The language certificate B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is recommended, but may also be submitted later. It is required for practicing the profession on a permanent basis.

All diplomas, certificates and passports/ID cards must be submitted as originals or officially certified copies or officially certified photocopies in accordance with German law. If the documents listed above are not issued in German, translations certified by a publicly appointed and sworn translator under German law must also be enclosed. Translations that deviate from this, e.g. from the country of origin, cannot be recognized.

What are the fees?

Administration Fee: 80,00 - 300,00 EUR
Payment in advance: no
Die Kosten hängen generell von dem Aufwand für die Bearbeitung ab. - Erteilung der Erlaubnis zum Führen der Berufsbezeichnung: 80,00 EUR - Überprüfung der Gleichwertigkeit des Ausbildungsstandes: Mindestens 200,00 EUR bis maximal EUR 300,00 Zusätzlich können weitere Kosten entstehen (z.B. für Übersetzungen, Beglaubigungen oder Ausgleichsmaßnahmen). Diese Kosten sind individuell unterschiedlich.

Processing duration

Processing Time: 4 Months
The responsible office will inform you if any documents are missing. If the documents are complete, the procedure will take a maximum of 4 months.

Legal basis

Applications / forms

Contradiction

What else should I know?

Partial exercise of the profession
It is possible that your professional qualification is very different from the German professional qualification. Recognition is therefore not possible. However, the competent authority can grant you partial access to the profession. With this partial access to the profession, you may work in Thuringia. The following requirements apply for partial access to the profession:

  • The professional qualification has been obtained in another member state, in another contracting state or in a state treated as such.
  • You are allowed to work in the country of training without restriction.
  • The professional qualification from abroad is only part of the German professional qualification.
  • Equivalence with the German professional qualification is not given, the essential differences are too great. In this case, this includes the entire German training as a compensatory measure.

Provision of services

Do you only want to provide services in Germany occasionally and for a short time? Then you usually do not need a state permit. You must fulfill these requirements:

  • You must be established in another member state, in another contracting state or in a state treated as such.
  • You must provide proof of your professional qualification.
  • You must notify the competent authority of your activity in writing.

The competent authority will inform you whether you are permitted to provide services or whether you need to take an aptitude test.


Notification of equivalence

The equivalence assessment (recognition procedure) also takes place during the authorization procedure. You can apply for a separate decision on the result of the examination.


Procedure for ethnic German repatriates

As a late repatriate, you can go through the recognition procedure either in accordance with the laws mentioned here or in accordance with the Federal Expellee Act. You can decide for yourself. The responsible office will advise you which procedure is right for you.

Further Information

Author

Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.

Technically approved by

Thuringian Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Labor and Family

Professionally released on

13.11.2025

Source: Zuständigkeitsfinder Thüringen (Linie6Plus)

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