I also work in IT -- to get my residency, I had to bring both copies and the original of my college diploma. Not sure how much they bend the rules on that. It w

I also work in IT -- to get my residency, I had to bring both copies and the original of my college diploma. Not sure how much they bend the rules on that. It was listed by the Ausländerbehörde as a required document. In general, Germany is really into "qualifications." You'll meet people who are addressed as Mr. Dr. Professor. Your competition by Germans will mostly have at least an MSc -- so that's what your certifications and experience will have to compete with. (Edited to add: I came from the US. It's probably different for EU citizens).