Migration and recognition of professional qualifications

Skilled crafts occupations are in demand and offer solid career opportunities. Many skilled crafts businesses are open to employing people from diverse cultural backgrounds and value the range of experiences and perspectives they bring.

People with a migration background who want to settle in Germany will sooner or later start a career. The skilled crafts offer good opportunities for starting a career and for vocational training. Skilled crafts occupations are in demand and offer solid career opportunities. Many skilled crafts businesses are open to employing people from diverse cultural backgrounds and value the range of experiences and perspectives they bring.

However, before immigrants can start a career, they need to learn the language, have their vocational qualifications assessed, build professional contacts, and more. Overcoming these challenges takes commitment, willingness to pursue further training, and adaptability. The best way to do this is with hands-on support. Therefore, the Leipzig Chamber of Skilled Crafts supports people with a migration background in achieving their goals in Germany.

Welcome Guides (Willkommenslotsen)

Especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), it can initially be challenging to integrate refugees into day-to-day operations. Where can businesses find suitable applicants for their apprenticeships? How can migrants be prepared for vocational training?

The “Welcome Guides” project supports skilled crafts businesses free of charge with integration and with building a welcoming culture. Companies can obtain advice on legal frameworks, possible administrative steps, and funding and support programmes. The Welcome Guides also advise on language support, residence status and qualification needs. Even after a vacancy has been successfully filled, the Guides remain available as contacts.

Target group

Skilled crafts businesses that are open and want to attract new apprentices and skilled workers. Employers receive individual support for matching with refugees.

Criteria

Member businesses of the Leipzig Chamber of Skilled Crafts
Migrants with access to the labour market

Drawing up requirement profiles for apprentices or employees together with companies
Individual support for matching companies and applicants
Conducting preliminary interviews with migrants on training occupations and prerequisites
Support during vocational training
Advice on legal frameworks, administrative steps, and regional and national funding and support programmes
Reducing uncertainty and misunderstandings
Developing a welcoming culture in the company
Sustainable strengthening of the regional labour market

The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE).

Further information

Your future: Vocational training in the Leipzig region

Overcoming barriers to accessing vocational training? People who support young people with a migration background in everyday life can also play a part. The project »Your future: Vocational training in the Leipzig region«, carried out together with ZAW Zentrum für Aus- und Weiterbildung Leipzig (ZAW Leipzig – Centre for Education and Training), activates reference persons such as parents, relatives, social workers, sports coaches, etc. They are prepared for their advisory role and are to support young migrants or young descendants of migrants during the transition from school to vocational training.

Target group

Reference persons who are regularly close to young migrants or young descendants of migrants and help shape their daily lives. This includes parents and relatives, social workers, teachers or contacts from associations/clubs, volunteers, carers, and others.

Criteria

Do you support young people with a migration background in everyday life and want to help them access vocational training? You do not need to meet any additional requirements to use our support services. Make an appointment with us or come to the project team’s open consultation hours (Tuesdays, 9:00–12:00).

Objective

The project is intended to help overcome barriers for young immigrants or young descendants of immigrants in accessing vocational training. Important reference persons from the immediate social environment are to be trained and supported for their advisory role. As advisors, the reference persons should motivate and accompany young people and make their transition from school to work easier.

We offer easily accessible consultations in German and – on request – native language consultations in the target languages Arabic, English, Russian, Portuguese, and Spanish. In addition, we offer modular training sessions, group consultations, workshops and information events at secondary schools and vocational school centres (parents’ evenings for German as a second language (DaZ) and preparatory vocational classes (VKA), in associations and residential groups; we organise tours of the workshops at ZAW and the Chamber of Skilled Crafts and take part in career-orientation fairs and other events.

The project is funded under the programme »Give advice – Yes to training!« by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) and the European Union through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF Plus).

Further information

Recognition of foreign vocational qualifications

Syrian dental technician, Moroccan plumber, Ukrainian baker … foreign-trained professionals who want to settle in Germany often face the problem that employers cannot easily assess their foreign professional qualifications.

The Leipzig Chamber of Skilled Crafts assesses vocational qualifications in the skilled crafts sector that were obtained abroad. This makes them comparable with German qualifications. The basis for the recognition procedure is the »Act to improve the assessment and recognition of foreign professional qualifications« (Berufsqualifikationsfeststellungsgesetz – BQFG).

Target group

People with vocational qualifications acquired abroad

Criteria

foreign vocational qualification in the skilled crafts
work experience in skilled crafts occupations
Residence in the Leipzig Chamber district (city of Leipzig, Leipzig district or Nordsachsen district)

Objective

The aim of the recognition procedure is to make foreign vocational qualifications comparable for skilled crafts businesses and thus enable migrants to enter the skilled crafts sector
Support and guidance through the application process
Make skilled workers’ potential visible and promote their careers
Mitigate the skilled labour shortage

Support during the recognition procedure
Advice on the skilled crafts sector in Germany and on reference occupations
Information on funding and financing options

Further information

Support with qualification measures for migrants

Since January 2013, the Leipzig Chamber of Skilled Crafts (Handwerkskammer zu Leipzig) has been a project partner in the nationwide funding programme »Integration through Qualification (IQ)«. The project aims to improve the employment prospects of adult migrants in Germany. In this way, the Leipzig Chamber of Skilled Crafts responds to the growing demand for skilled workers and increasingly supports the qualification of foreign skilled workers for our member businesses.

Target group

People with vocational qualifications acquired abroad

Criteria

foreign vocational qualification in the skilled crafts and an initial recognition decision with the outcome ‘partially equivalent’ (optional: many years of work experience in the skilled crafts)
Additional qualifications or work experience are required to achieve full equivalence
Residence in the Leipzig Chamber district (city of Leipzig, Leipzig district or Nordsachsen district)
Language level at least B1 (B2 recommended)

Objective

Achieving full equivalence and beyond (for example, the master craftsperson qualification)
Preparation for qualification measures or external examination in the skilled crafts sector
Strengthening the regional labour market by qualifying skilled workers

Support throughout the entire qualification period
Personal support and advice, plus an individual qualification plan
Support with applications for funding
Communication with third parties/stakeholders in the context of qualification measures

The project is funded under the programme »Integration through Qualification (IQ)« by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) and by the European Union through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF Plus).

Further information

Are you unsure who is responsible for your enquiry? Then please contact us at migration@hwk-leipzig.de.

Weiterführende Themen

Willkommenslotsen – Bindeglied zwischen Ausbildungssuchenden und Handwerksbetrieben

Das Programm mit den Modulen »Passgenaue Besetzung« und »Willkommenslotsen« unterstützt Unternehmen bei der Sicherung des Fachkräftebedarfs.

Deine Zukunft: Ausbildung in der Region Leipzig

Das Projekt »Deine Zukunft: Ausbildung in der Region Leipzig« aktiviert Bezugspersonen junger Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund, damit sie optimale Unterstützung beim Übergang ins Berufsleben bieten können.

Anerkennung ausländischer Berufsabschlüsse im Bereich Handwerk (Recognition of foreign qualifications)

Ziel der Anerkennung ist es, den Handwerksbetrieben die ausländischen Berufsabschlüsse vergleichbarer zu gestalten und Migranten den Zugang – ihrer Qualifizierung entsprechend – in den Arbeitsmarkt zu erleichtern. (The purpose of recognition is to make it easier for skilled crafts businesses to compare foreign vocational qualifications and to support migrants in entering the labour market in line with their qualifications.)

Fachkräfte aus dem Ausland

Fax 034291 30-25123

grobitzsch.t--at--hwk-leipzig.de

Migration and recognition of professional qualifications

Welcome Guides (Willkommenslotsen)

Target group

Criteria

Contents

Your future: Vocational training in the Leipzig region

Target group

Criteria

Objective

Contents

Recognition of foreign vocational qualifications

Target group

Criteria

Objective

Contents

Support with qualification measures for migrants

Target group

Criteria

Objective

Contents

Related topics

Weiterführende Themen

Willkommenslotsen – Bindeglied zwischen Ausbildungssuchenden und Handwerksbetrieben

Deine Zukunft: Ausbildung in der Region Leipzig

Anerkennung ausländischer Berufsabschlüsse im Bereich Handwerk (Recognition of foreign qualifications)

Fachkräfte aus dem Ausland

Kontakt

Silke Lorenz

Tobias Dahms

Sarah Seifert

Nelma Batista dos Santos Hahne

Tanja Grobitzsch