Boost for foreign workers
For once in recent times, good news for internationals in Germany! The Federal Statistical Office's 2023 report shows a 25% rise in the recognition of foreign professional qualifications. In numbers, 65,300 international qualifications were approved last year, up from 52,300 in 2022. A spokesperson from the Federal Statistical Office told The European Correspondent that the rise in approvals is partially due to an increase in applications, suggesting that more internationals want to move to Germany and work in the jobs they're trained in.
Most applicants from European countries held qualifications from Türkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ukraine. 56% of the recognised qualifications were for nurses and doctors, followed by engineers and teachers. Among many domains, Germany’s medical sector is experiencing significant labour shortages, which the government attempts to offset by bringing in people from abroad.
 | Constanze Sendler If you're an international who's been thinking about moving to Germany, maybe this is your sign to do so. What does the rise in approved foreign qualifications actually mean? In short, if you trained as a doctor in, say, Sarajevo, you're now more likely to be able to practise as a doctor when you move to Berlin. In the past, many with foreign qualifications ended up working in unrelated fields – a frustrating experience for individuals and a missed opportunity for Germany to benefit from a skilled workforce. Applicants often face practical challenges, such as lengthy visa processes, high fees for a recognition procedure, and language barriers. Germany’s attractiveness to international workers previously dropped in international comparisons. Following the lead of countries like the Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal, Germany now plans to reduce taxes for foreign workers by 2025. It’s encouraging that Germany is stepping up its skilled migration policy but the Schengen border controls introduced last week complicate the picture – German borders are closed for some and wide open for others. |
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