https://verwaltung.bund.de/leistungsverzeichnis/en/leistung/99150085001000

is a good introduction, but what is equivalent will depend on your branch of ingineering and the qualifications you hold.

https://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/html/de/index.php

ist more help for that.

You will need to understand German to get the best out of that website, although there is some of it in Englsh, and note that the exact process varies by Bundesland - your employer should be able to advise, but the recognition issuing authority will be local, and the details of the process, and the costs are not the same in different places.

Mike.

Hi Will. The Germany LN page is here https://engx.theiet.org/local-networks/z124. You can also use the country filter in the Meet and Connect area to identify community members in Germany that you might like to connect with.

It is also worth checking how much difference being able (or not) to use the title actually means.

E,g, https://howtogermany.com/jobs/job-search/career-information-for-foreign-engineers-in-germany/#:~:text=Use%20of%20the%20title%20%E2%80%9CIngenieur,the%20title%20for%20your%20work.

"Use of the title “Ingenieur”
The professional title for an engineer is protected by law. You may not use the German word “Ingenieur” (e.g. in your résumé) until you have gone through the accreditation process. However, there are only a few special cases where you really need the title for your work. But you may face situations where it is a psychological advantage."

I'd suggest it's worth actually checking with the company you're going to be working for, they'll know the local situation both in their part of Germany and in their particular field (e.g., at a guess, you may find that if they are working on government contracts that it's more of a requirement). This extract does suggest that it may be a bit like Canada where you may need a few tame PEngs in the business to put final signatures on "legal" documents, but the majority of working engineers don't need to worry too much. Or maybe even more extreme like the UK where "Chartered Engineer" is protected by law but only a tiny minority of roles absolutely require it. (Not to say it's not good to have! But there's a difference between good to have and essential.)

Do share here what you find out - I'm sure it'll be useful for others.

I've not done a lot of work in Germany (at least, not for about 35 years), but for the bits I have done it's never even been mentioned.

Thanks,

Andy

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your helpful replies. My main concern is using a protected title without being permitted to and getting into trouble by mistake!

I asked anerkennung-in-deutschland.de for advice and they basically just said yes if I want to use the title I need to apply for recognition of my qualifications. Looking into it in more detail it looks like I have to get German translations of all my documents, so it will take time and money to get this organised. It seems particularly frustrating that if I get EurIng certification that that won't be a quicker way of doing it - the IMechE have a bit of info on this https://nearyou.imeche.org/near-you/Europe/germany/country-information.

I'll see how I get on!

Cheers

Hi Evanna, thanks for the link. I should have been more specific. I have found that local network page, but I was expecting to find a section on EngX for each local network so I could ask in that section and know I was already asking people in Germany. Are there EngX sections for each LN?

That's a very good page on the IMechE website (except unfortunately hasn't been updated since Brexit completion) - it's a great shame that the IET doesn't have one like it!!!!!!

The way I read it is slightly different, what comes across to me is emphasised in these paragraphs:

"For most employers, whether or not a “foreign” engineer has the right to use this title is immaterial. If, as a foreign engineer, you have not sought official approval to use the title, but are employed as an engineer, this indicates that it is not a requirement for your employer.

For most IMechE members working in Germany, either you already have the lawful right to use the title, or it is not required by your employer."

In other words, their advice is that it's your employer's problem, not yours. Which makes perfect sense, it's your employer who are giving you your job title. If you're in employment then you're not calling yourself an engineer, your employer is. Of course it would be very different if you were a freelance engineer / consultant engineer, I'd imagine then that you would need to be very careful. 

Not to say that it's not worth pursuing, particularly if you may want to change employer in Germany or indeed work for a long period there at some point.

As before, do let us know if you find out any more and / or how your application goes. 

Hi Andy,

Actually I will be working as a consultant, freelancer, via my UK company, so this is the main reason I want to get this right.

Cheers

Ah...ok, that makes sense! 

When I work in Canada I very definitely use my job title "Principal Consultant". It proved to be very useful avoiding the dreaded "Engineer" title...it means I can't sign certain documents but also saves me having to retake half of my degree! (Which one of my colleagues, who has a Doctorate, is having to...)