Foreign specialists will be helped to find work in Germany
On the one hand, as Deutsche Welle notes, Germany needs qualified specialists. On the other hand, a foreigner from outside the EU who would like to get a job at a German company finds it difficult to understand how to proceed. Should they have their diploma recognized? What documents are required? Where should they be sent? Do they need to take a language exam?
There are many questions. And with the entry into force of a new law in March 2020, which will make it easier for foreign specialists to access the German labor market, even more people will want to obtain information.
That is why it was decided to open a central service center in Bonn (Zentrale Servicestelle Berufsanerkennung), which should serve as a navigator for those who connect their professional path with Germany. The official opening took place on February 17 in the presence of German Labor Minister Hubertus Heil and German Education Minister Anja Karliczek. But the service center has been providing its services since the beginning of the month. What kind of support can be obtained here?
It is important to note that even under the new law, only foreign specialists with a diploma – either higher or secondary vocational education – will be able to find employment in Germany. For many professions, qualifications obtained abroad must be recognized by the relevant German authority. An application for document review can be submitted without being in Germany.
There are currently 1,400 such authorities across the country. Which one to contact depends on the profession and the future place of residence and work. The address can be found on the website Anerkennung in Deutschland.de. However, not all professions are in the database, and even for those listed, the information is not always complete.
In addition, there are many small advisory services in Germany at government agencies, public and church organizations that help with orientation. Basic information about employment opportunities, vacancies, and language requirements is also available on the website Make it in Germany.
The new central service center, established at the Federal Employment Agency in Bonn, consolidates important information. It is intended to relieve other authorities and make the process of recognizing qualifications faster, more transparent, and more uniform.
The service center employs about three dozen staff. From Monday to Friday, via chat, contact form, or phone, they provide individual consultations: they help assess the chances of having qualifications recognized, compile a package of documents together with the applicant, conduct a preliminary review, and send the application to the relevant authority that decides on diploma recognition. The service center staff themselves are not authorized to make such decisions, but they promise to guide applicants through the bureaucratic jungle.
The first inquiries are already coming in. For example, one of the center's employees is reviewing an application from an auto mechanic from Albania; nearby, two colleagues are chatting online with applicants from Mexico and India. They note that the question of what chances there are for employment in Germany is the most frequently asked during initial contact.
The service center is ready to provide informational support to the applicant all the way up to their arrival in Germany, and will also offer visa support and assistance in finding a suitable further training opportunity if the diploma can only be partially recognized. The service center's contact details are listed on the Make it in Germany website.