Foreign professionals living in Bavaria’s capital can now get same-day, face-to-face advice on how to have their diplomas recognised in Germany. The City of Munich’s Integration Department is holding special open consultation hours today, September 22, with no prior appointment required. Advisors will explain which authority is responsible, what documents are needed and how to tap federal and state funding to cover translation and assessment fees. The initiative responds to a 20 % rise in applications for skills recognition recorded in the first half of 2026, fuelled by the new Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) visa route. Processing backlogs have stretched to an average of 13 weeks, leaving many applicants unable to start work even after receiving residence permits. By offering walk-in triage, Munich hopes to cut duplicate submissions and incomplete files, which account for almost half of all delays. Employers in the tech and healthcare sectors welcome the move. Siemens Healthineers says it currently has 240 foreign hires in onboarding limbo because their nursing or engineering titles have not yet been deemed equivalent. “Every week saved in the recognition process is a week earlier our staff can be on the ward,” HR director Anke Wüst told local media. The counselling day also provides guidance on the new federal Recognition Grant, which reimburses up to €600 in assessment costs, and on language courses targeted at meeting B2-level requirements for regulated professions. Munich plans to repeat the open-door format quarterly and is exploring virtual drop-in rooms using the city’s e-government portal. Other large municipalities, including Frankfurt and Hamburg, are monitoring the pilot with a view to rolling out similar services in 2027.
