# Privacy Policy

Welcome to **HeyGermany** (“we,” “us,” or “our”).  
We are committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy in full compliance with the **General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)** and applicable German data protection laws.

HeyGermany provides a digital service that analyzes educational and professional documents — such as diplomas, transcripts of records, licenses, and language certificates — to assess your qualification level and recognition chances in Germany. If you choose to join our Talent Pool, we also help connect you with potential employers through anonymized professional profiles.

Your trust and data security are extremely important to us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share your information and what rights you have.

----------

**Data Controller**
HeyGermany  
Katharina Schultz-Ebert  
Rheinstr. 9  
12159 Berlin  
Germany  
Email: info@hey-germany.de

----------

**What Data We Collect**
We collect and process the following categories of data when you use our platform:

**a. Personal Identification Data**
Name, email address, country of residency and country of education

**b. Educational and Professional Documents**
Diplomas, transcripts of records, professional licenses, language certificates, and other qualification-related documents you upload

**c. Analytical and Assessment Data**
Information derived from our analysis, such as German reference profession, qualification level, recognition potential

**d. Optional Talent Pool Data**
If you voluntarily join our Talent Pool, we create an anonymized professional profile based on your qualifications (e.g., degree level, country of qualification, years of experience, and language proficiency).  
We never share data that can personally identify you (such as name, email, or contact details) with employers.

**e. Technical Usage Data**
IP address, device type, browser information, and general usage statistics (collected via cookies and analytics tools)

----------

**Purpose and Legal Basis for Processing**
We process your data for the following purposes and based on the legal grounds set out in Article 6 of the GDPR:


| **Purpose** | **Legal Basis** |
|-------------|-----------------|
| To analyze your educational and professional documents and provide you with a qualification assessment | Art. 6(1)(b) – Performance of a contract |
| To inform you about your recognition chances in Germany | Art. 6(1)(b) – Performance of a contract |
| To improve and develop our algorithms and platform (using anonymized data only) | Art. 6(1)(f) – Legitimate interests |
| To create and share anonymized professional profiles with potential employers (if you join the Talent Pool) | Art. 6(1)(a) – Consent |
| To comply with legal obligations (e.g., data security, record keeping) | Art. 6(1)(c) – Legal obligation |

----------

**Data Retention**
We only store your personal data as long as necessary for the purposes described above or as required by law.
-   Uploaded documents and related analysis results are stored for 2 years  after your last activity or until you delete your account.
-   If you join the Talent Pool, your anonymized profile will remain active until you withdraw your consent or delete your profile.
-   After this period, all personal data will be securely deleted or permanently anonymized.

You may request deletion of your data at any time by contacting info@hey-germany.de.

----------

**Data Sharing and Disclosure**
We do not sell or commercially share your personal data.

We may share your information with:
-   Trusted service providers (e.g., secure cloud storage, data processors) who operate under strict data protection agreements.
-   Potential employers, but only in anonymized form and only if you have explicitly consented to join the Talent Pool.

No personal information that could identify you (such as name, contact details, or document copies) will ever be shared with employers or third parties without your consent.

If we transfer data outside the EU/EEA (for example, through cloud hosting providers), we ensure compliance with GDPR safeguards, such as Standard Contractual Clauses or adequacy decisions.

----------

**Your Rights Under GDPR**
You have the following rights regarding your personal data:
-   **Access:** Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
-   **Rectification:** Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
-   **Erasure:** Request deletion of your personal data (“right to be forgotten”).
-   **Restriction:** Request limitation of how your data is processed.
-   **Portability:** Request a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used format.
-   **Objection:** Object to processing based on legitimate interests.
-   **Withdraw Consent:** Withdraw your consent at any time (e.g., leaving the Talent Pool).

To exercise your rights, contact us at info@hey-germany.de. We will respond within 14 days.

----------

**Data Security**
We apply industry-standard technical and organizational security measures to protect your data, including:
-   End-to-end encryption during upload and storage
-   Secure cloud infrastructure hosted in the EU
-   Access control and role-based permissions for staff
-   Regular system monitoring and data backups
-   Continuous security and compliance audits

Your data is treated with strict confidentiality and stored in compliance with European data protection standards.

----------

**Cookies and Analytics**
HeyGermany uses cookies and similar technologies to ensure platform functionality and improve user experience.  
Essential cookies are required for the platform to operate. Analytical cookies are only used with your consent.

You can manage or withdraw your cookie consent in your browser settings at any time.

----------

**Changes to This Policy**
We may update this Privacy Policy occasionally to reflect legal, technical, or business developments. The latest version will always be available at www.hey-germany.com/privacy-policy

If significant changes occur, we will notify you by email or within your user account.

----------

**Contact Us**
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact our data protection team:

HeyGermany  
Katharina Schultz-Ebert  
Rheinstr. 9  
12159 Berlin  
Germany  
Email: info@hey-germany.de
