Qualification and employment for migrants
Depending on their citizenship, the purpose of their stay in Germany and the type of employment, foreign employees have to comply with certain legal rulings when taking up employment.
Citizens of EU member states can invoke the European principle of free movement of labour and do not need a work permit. Transition rulings for a work permit requirement only apply until 30 June 2015 for Croatian citizens.
To take up employment, citizens of other countries need a residence title allowing them access to employment or gainful occupation. You can apply to the Aliens’ Office for a residence title. The legal principles for access to the job market are specified in the Residence Act and the Employment Ordinance.
You will find detailed information about work permits on the website of the Central Foreign and Specialist Employment Agency (ZAV) .
Information on the extended RESQUE PLUS project.
Hotline Living and working in Germany
By calling +49 30 1815-1111 immigrants and those interested in immigration who are skilled workers, students and apprentices can receive personal advice about the following topics in German or English
- Looking for a job, work and career
- Recognition of foreign vocational qualifications
- Entry and residency
- Learning German
The hotline can be contacted Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 15:00 CET.
You can find further information on the page Make it in Germany.
Recognition of foreign qualifications
Recognition Act for Foreign Professional and Vocational Qualifications
The Act on the Improvement of Verification and Recognition of Professional and Vocational Qualifications Obtained Abroad (“Recognition Act”) has been in effect since 1 April 2012.
Through this Act, immigrants with foreign professional and vocational qualifications now have for the first time a right to an assessment of the equivalence of their qualifications, irrespective of their residence status or land of origin.
Further information at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research [Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung]: http://www.bmbf.de/de/15644.php
The first “Report on the Recognition Act” approved by the Federal Government on 2 April 2014 can also be found here.
Information and Advisory Centre for the Job Market in Saxony (IBAS)
Services:
- Advice on possibilities of recognition of foreign qualifications
- Information on appropriate recognition agencies, course of procedures and necessary documents
- Instruction on qualification opportunities and information on vocational alternatives
- Visits by appointment
Contact:
Informations- und Beratungsstelle Arbeitsmarkt Sachsen (IBAS)
Georg-Schumann-Straße 173 (AXIS-Passage)
Aufgang B, Erdgeschoss, Raum B 026
04159 Leipzig
Phone: 0177 4314922 or 0351 43707040
E-Mail: leipzig@exis.de or anerkennung@exis.de
Internet: www.anerkennung-sachsen.de or www.netzwerk-iq-sachsen.de
Procedure for recognition of foreign professional and vocational qualifications
A multilingual brochure from IHK FOSA (Foreign Skills Approval) provides information on the procedure for recognition of foreign professional and vocational qualifications in the fields of industry, commerce, gastronomy and services. In Leipzig, this brochure is available free of charge at the Department for Migration and Integration.
On the internet, it can be downloaded from www.ihk-fosa.de.
The Leipzig Chamber of Trades and Crafts is responsible for the recognition of foreign vocational qualifications in trades and crafts.
Contact:
Contact person: Silke Lorenz
Phone: 0341 2188-363
E-Mail: lorenz.s@hwk-leipzig.de
Internet: www.hwk-leipzig.de/3,0,3712.html
How can I have my qualification recognised?
"Recognition in Germany" is the information portal for the Federal Recognition Act.
The recognition portal provides up-to-the-minute information on legal principles and procedures for professional and vocational recognition.
If you would like to obtain recognition of a professional or vocational qualification obtained abroad, you will find the agency responsible for your request here.
Saxon Professional and Vocational Qualification Verification Act
The Saxon Act for Improvement of the Verification and Recognition of Professional and Vocational Qualifications Obtained Abroad has been in effect since 1 January 2014.
Saxon Professional and Vocational Verification Act in German:
Guide in German, Bulgarian and Rumanian
"Knowledge is Protection" is a manual for Bulgarians and Rumanians who want to live and work in Germany temporarily or permanently.
It contains information to help with finding legal employment in Germany on fair conditions.
Link to the brochure: http://www.faire-mobilitaet.de/informationen/publikationen
Trainee posts with Leipzig City Council: Young people from immigrant families are invited to apply
To implement the resolution of the Council Assembly of 21 May 2008, the City of Leipzig aims to increase the proportion of trainees from immigrant families.
The Leipzig City Council offers trainee posts in many different areas. It would like to expressly encourage young people from immigrant families to apply for a trainee post.
Further information:
Orientation for career opportunities and university courses
The Leipzig Co-ordination Agency for Career and University Orientation opened on 1 March 2013 within the Division for Business and Labour, Department for Employment Policy.
Information, material and appointments relating to the topics
- career orientation while still at school
- training and
- university courses
are available at www.leipzig.de/berufsorientierung.
RESQUE PLUS – Help for refugees and legal immigrants to Germany with obtaining qualifications and employment on the job market.
The second funding period of the “ESF Federal Programme for job market support for legal immigrants to Germany and refugees II” began on 1 January 2011 and lasted until 30 November 2013.
The funding period has been extended until 31 December 2014.
The short RESQUE PLUS film “From Accommodation Centre to Home” can now be seen online.
What is RESQUE PLUS?
- RESQUE PLUS - REfugees Support for QUalification and Employment- PLUS is a joint network now made up of six operating partners (see “network partners”) and active throughout Saxony.
- The Leipzig Job Centre, the Leipzig Employment Agency, the Leipzig Chamber of Trades and Crafts and the Leipzig Chamber of Industry and Commerce are strategic network partners.
- The network aims to integrate legal immigrants to Germany and other refugees into the job market.
For whom is RESQUE PLUS intended?
Refugees belonging to the following groups and having access to the job market:
- Refugees with a residence permit under Section 23 para. 1 of the Residence Act
- Refugees with a permanent settlement permit
- Refugees with a residence permit under Sections 18a, 23a and 25a of the Residence Act
- Persons entitled to asylum with a residence permit under Section 25 para. 1 of the Residence Act
- Convention refugees with a residence permit under Section 25 para. 2 of the Residence Act
- Persons with subsidiary protection, with a residence permit under Section 25 para. 3 of the Residence Act
- Persons with a residence permit under Section 25 para. 5 of the Residence Act
- Asylum seekers
- Persons with exceptional leave to stay
What does RESQUE PLUS offer?
- Advice on integration into the job market
- Assessment of skills
- Career orientation
- Preparation and implementation of individual qualification and integration plans
- Agency services for training and employment
- Agency services for the “Job-Related Teaching of German Programme” (ESF-BAMF programme)
- Support from social pedagogues, interlingual experts, job market coaches
- Training courses for multipliers and institutions on intercultural receptivity
- Sensitisation of appropriate job market players
- Business mediation
Further information is available at www.projekt-resque.de.