For medical professionals, recognition of a diploma in Germany is mandatory
According to the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), their number has grown from 1.8 to 4.3 million people over the past decade. And, as experts predict, against the backdrop of demographic changes in Germany, the importance of these specialists will only increase. Nevertheless, as Deutsche Welle notes, many migrants find it harder to find employment than Germans – even with language skills and similar qualifications and work experience.
The IAB largely attributes this to the lack of recognized educational documents obtained abroad in Germany. IAB researchers studied what advantages the confirmation of professional qualifications in Germany gives to foreigners.
Who Recognizes Diplomas in Germany
In 2012, the procedures for checking and recognizing qualifications obtained in an EU country or outside the EU were standardized in Germany. And in 2020, access to the German labor market was further simplified. To enable as many foreigners as possible to benefit from this, a service was opened in Bonn last year that provides advice and support to specialists. Diploma verification can cost between 100 and 600 euros.
According to the German Federal Statistical Office, in 2019, only for professions requiring state approval at the federal level, about 33,000 foreigners submitted such requests to the relevant authorities. Three-quarters of the applications were from specialists from non-EU countries, mostly medical personnel. In half of the cases, the qualification was fully recognized as equivalent to the German one. Another 10,000 applications were processed at the state level (these professions include, for example, engineers and teachers). A third of the applications were sent from abroad.
Verification of qualifications for compliance with German standards is necessary not only for so-called regulated professions – for example, for doctors, nursing staff, or teachers. Training in skilled trades within the dual system in Germany is more standardized than, say, in English-speaking countries. Therefore, workers and craftsmen also have to confirm their vocational training diploma. "But for other professions as well, recognition of a diploma is an important criterion for employers that helps assess knowledge and skills," note the authors of the IAB study.
With a Recognized Diploma, It's Easier to Find a Job
The researchers analyzed how recognition of a foreign diploma in Germany affects employment chances and salary. To do this, they studied how the situation of migrants changed before, during, and after recognition of their qualifications. These data were compared with data from those who did not apply for recognition or whose diploma was not confirmed.
The first conclusion from the study: recognition of qualifications increases the chances of finding a suitable job within the first month. Already 12 months after receiving a positive response from the authority that reviewed the documents, they were 17 percent higher. After three years, the figure reached 25 percent. This is based on an analysis of data from more than 1,200 people. The researchers explain the positive effect by access to a wider range of job vacancies, including in regulated professions.
Another Bonus – Higher Salary
Recognition of qualifications also has a positive effect on wages, although not as significantly as on employment chances. When comparing salaries, only data from those working full-time were considered. One year after diploma recognition, an average salary increase of eight percent is observed. And within three years, the salary difference compared to the situation before recognition is 20 percent.
The researchers also compared the salary differences between German citizens and specialists with a foreign passport and diploma. This took into account education level, gender, time of moving to Germany, and labor market characteristics in German regions. The results of mathematical modeling showed that in the first years after moving, migrants who have not confirmed their diploma earn on average 39 percent less than Germans.
After 15 years, the difference narrows to 21 percent, but it never disappears until the end of working life. For those planning diploma recognition, the situation in the early years is similar, and their salary is almost a third lower compared to Germans. But soon after recognition of qualifications, the difference disappears. And after years, the salary of foreign specialists is even slightly higher. Thus, the analysts emphasize, employers reward the confirmation of qualifications.
Medical Professionals Benefit the Most
Recognition of a diploma opens access to regulated professions. One year later, the chances of finding a job in one of these increase by 10 percent; after three years, the difference is about 18 percent. The researchers also analyzed data by field of activity. For doctors, veterinarians, pharmacists, and other medical specialists whose qualifications were confirmed by the medical association, the probability of employment increases by 50 percent, and the salary is more than three times higher!
Those who receive a positive response from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (which must be contacted, for example, by a cook or accountant) can expect almost a 26 percent increase in the probability of finding a job, but no significant changes in salary. For craftsmen, the chances are almost 10 percent higher, and the salary is a third higher than before diploma recognition. Interestingly, for non-regulated professions, those who confirm their diploma can expect a salary increase of half, and the chances of finding a job in Germany are 11 percent higher.