As of: February 22, 2024, 2:00 p.m
By: Giorgia Grimaldi
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Press
Split
Experts are calling for more speed in the professional recognition of skilled workers from abroad.
Although the skilled immigration reform comes into force, many construction sites remain.
“We need more acceptance,” said Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Hubertus Heil on February 20th at a conference in Berlin.
The Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) and the German Federation of Trade Unions (DGB) have invited people to the event “Desires and Reality of the German Immigration Society”.
In the opening speech, the SPD politician explains how urgently Germany needs to catch up with labor migration.
The reform of the Skilled Immigration Act has been gradually coming into force since November 2023.
While many changes, such as the Naturalization Act, will only become reality in the coming weeks, some innovations regarding the recognition of foreign professional qualifications are already in effect.
The Bundestag will discuss how this got started on Thursday, February 22nd.
Hubertus Heil, Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs © Political-Moments/IMAGO
“German arrogance” when it comes to recognizing foreign qualifications
Two days earlier, Heil came up with clear words: “We cannot afford this lameness!” Compared to other countries that also recruit skilled workers from third countries, Germany is at a competitive disadvantage due to the large number of construction sites.
These included bureaucratic hurdles, language barriers, overburdened authorities and slow digitalization.
“The duration of professional recognition is a problem,” complains Heil and also speaks of “German arrogance” towards foreign qualifications.
According to studies by the Institute for Labor Market and Occupational Research, there will be a shortage of seven million skilled workers in Germany by 2035.
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Immigration law expert on recognition: “An unmanageable patchwork quilt”
Bettina Offer, an immigration lawyer, can explain why the recognition process takes so long.
Due to federal responsibilities and 1,500 different recognition bodies, Germany is “an unmanageable patchwork quilt”.
Depending on the profession, which body is responsible is regulated by various federal and state laws.
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Jan Krüger, head of the education department at the DGB, reports that recognition often takes more time than skilled workers are legally allowed to stay in Germany.
Either the procedure is successful, “and the person can work professionally in Germany”.
Or, and this is the more likely case, the procedure ends with “partial equivalence”.
This means: Only part of the training is recognized.
The rest has to be made up.
More on the topic: Expert explains how refugees can be successfully integrated into the labor market
Brazilian lawyer about arriving in Germany as a specialist
“It’s now getting complicated,” explains Krüger.
Because now skilled workers need a “compensatory measure”.
But how does the person finance their living during this time?
Where does she get this compensatory measure and how long does it take?
“And is that compatible with the deadlines that were set for the qualification analysis?” asks Krüger and answers: “Most of the time not.”
Bruno*, a Brazilian lawyer who came to Germany in 2017 and
told his story
to BuzzFeed News Deutschland , an
IPPEN.MEDIA
portal , is familiar with this procedure.
Despite ten years of study and several years of professional experience, he was only recognized with a state examination - not enough to be allowed to practice as a lawyer in Germany.
If he wants to stay in his industry, there is only one option: a two-year retraining course to become a legal assistant.
There are many fates like Bruno's, especially in the so-called regulated professions.
Specific legal and administrative regulations specifically determine whether and how the profession may be practiced.
In addition to legal advice, this particularly affects the sectors of health, medicine and nursing, engineering, construction, education and teaching - precisely the professions in which Germany is already experiencing an acute shortage of skilled workers.
Experts are calling for further measures for skilled immigration
This will come to an end from March: Anyone who takes part in a compensation measure in Germany will be allowed to stay for up to three years and have a secondary job of up to 20 hours a week.
In the future, entry and entry into the job market should also be possible with a low level of German (A1) or with a B2 level of English.
In addition to an academic degree, practical professional experience can also qualify for non-regulated professions in the future.
Nevertheless, the experts would like to see adjustments, such as standardized documents and requirements, as well as more staff who are better trained in intercultural interaction.
The tenor of the event is clear: It must be clear to everyone that Germany needs foreign skilled workers more than skilled workers in Germany.
*Bruno would like to be referred to by his first name only in this article. His entire name is known to the editors.