By Brigitte Gisel
In their home countries, they were skilled workers and often earned good salaries. Then war or civil war broke out and they fled. Many refugees now live in Germany and would like to return to their old jobs. But that is not so easy—because the requirements in Germany are different and their diplomas and professional qualifications are not recognized. Recognition counseling services provide experts who help refugees and other migrants get back on their feet professionally in Germany. Anja Gessler is one of them. She is head of recognition and qualification at IN VIA in Ulm. This is a Caritas professional association that specializes in helping women and people with a migration background. Gessler and her team are responsible for all those seeking advice in the administrative district of Tübingen. This covers the triangle between Tübingen, Ulm, and the Lake Constance district.
No comparable professions in Germany
Time and again, people come to her seeking advice who worked in a profession in their home country that does not exist in Germany, says the advisor. „A typical example is the ‘feldscher’,” says Gessler. In Ukraine and other Eastern European countries, a feldscher is a profession that falls between a doctor and a nurse. Feldschers treat wounds, make diagnoses, provide first aid, and ensure basic medical care in rural areas. They have not studied. However, there is nothing comparable in Germany. Without a degree and a license to practice, no one is allowed to work as a doctor here. There are also precise regulations for healthcare and nursing staff.
In such cases, Gessler and her colleagues first look for a reference profession – in this case, that is nursing. They then check whether the requirements for recognition are met – but this is often not the case. However, this does not mean that there are only unskilled jobs available for immigrants: as skilled workers from abroad, they can apply for partial recognition while improving their language skills and gaining practical experience. A recognition qualification offers the possibility of obtaining full recognition by submitting a follow-up application. In this way, even a „feldscher” can become a nursing professional.
Online counseling even in Vietnamese
The counseling process is time-consuming. That is why IN VIA counselors offer regular appointments in 20 locations in the nine cities and districts of the administrative region, including Reutlingen and Tübingen. Upon request, they can also visit job centers, welcome centers, or integration centers. „We are everywhere where immigrants are,” says Gesssler. Interpreters are also available if needed. However, some advisors have exclusive language skills themselves – so a consultation can even take place via video conference in Vietnamese. IN VIA completed 3,000 initial consultations in the Tübingen administrative district last year alone. The 7.75 positions are financed partly by the federal government and partly by the state of Baden-Württemberg. The counseling centers for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications are a joint offering of the „Integration through Qualification (IQ)” support program and the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Social Affairs. The recognition process itself usually takes three to four months.
Those interested in counseling come from all over the world, and sometimes potential skilled workers even contact us from abroad—a consequence of the Skilled Immigration Act. „The demand is currently strongest among refugees from Ukraine,” says Anja Gessler. „In 2023, there was an increase of 120 percent.” Refugees from Turkey and Syria also frequently seek advice. On the other hand, there has been a decline in requests for advice from EU citizens from Croatia and Hungary or from the candidate countries North Macedonia and Bosnia.
Some things are possible even without recognition
Among the refugees from Ukraine who want to work in their profession here, there are a lot of academics, says Gessler, „far more than those with vocational training.” They include economists, engineers, doctors, and social workers. „Many are very well educated,” says the department head. Problems sometimes arise because it is apparently easier to change fields in Ukraine than it is here: one of her clients, for example, first completed a law degree but then worked as a social worker. However, she does not have a professional qualification as a social worker that could be recognized here.
Not all professions require recognition. Those who work in a non-regulated profession—such as an agricultural business manager for rural housekeeping—can do so in Germany without further proof. However, employers often insist on a document proving qualifications. German language skills are usually mandatory. „Employers demand the right level of language skills,” says Gessler. Sometimes this means a B2 level exam or higher, but sometimes basic knowledge is sufficient. „Learn German,” Anja Gessler advises everyone who comes to her for advice. „Language is the key.”
Quick recognition is usually available for skilled trades and professions in the field of industry and commerce. It is more difficult for health care professionals and doctors. Gessler is pleased that „the processes have become simpler.” For example, many diplomas from Ukraine no longer need to be translated but can be uploaded directly for the recognition process.
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