Working in Germany - new opportunities for non-EU nationals in 2025

Poland's unemployment, which has been at a record low for many years, has led to professionals and skilled workers being hard to find in many industries. Shortages in the so-called "core workforce" are also increasingly noticeable. This is because many of our compatriots have left "for bread" for the countries of Western Europe. It is therefore not surprising that, for almost 8 years, workers from the Ukraine and other non-EU countries have been systematically filling the Polish labour market. Unfortunately, it may not be long before they too leave Poland in search of financial happiness.

The job market in our neighbouring country has recently become particularly tempting. Working in Germany offers many new perspectives and tempting wages. They need skilled workers in many areas of the economy. That is why they have decided to make it possible for non-EU nationals to also work from 1 March 2020. I have already written about the possibility of employing foreigners from third countries >>here<<.

Working in Germany - conditions

The German labour market will not 'absorb' all willing workers. Not all third-country nationals will be able to go to Germany for work. Certain conditions must be met.

Foreigners who have acquired their professional qualifications outside Germany in third countries may obtain a job corresponding to their professional qualifications in a recognised or comparable profession if:

• the body responsible for the recognition of professional qualifications in accordance with the regulations of the federal or state governments established the equivalence of the professional qualifications with national professional qualifications and when,
• The Federal Employment Agency for the respective profession or relevant occupational group has determined, taking into account the specific characteristics and economic needs of the respective German region, that it is possible to fill vacancies with foreign candidates (Positivliste).

German employers are obliged to offer potential non-German employees employment conditions equivalent to those offered to German employees.

Positivliste - Work in Germany

Among the desired qualifications on the Positivliste will be occupations in industries such as:

• Horticulture - professional development of horticulture and landscaping, tree nursery, education in ornamental plants, fruit and vegetable growing;
• masonry/earthworks industry (building materials, ready-mixed concrete, plasterboard, lime sand bricks or aerated concrete, asphalt technology);
• furniture, kitchen and removal services;
• wood technology;
• Specialist in metal technology - metal forming and wire technology;
• butchery;
• Construction- bricklayers, roofers, engineering workers, civil engineering specialists, tile workers;
• road workers, track construction;
• heating, ventilation and air-conditioning technology, plumbing;
• IT industry - developer of IT solutions;
• transport-professional driver;
• health services: nurses, doctors.

The sought-after professions indicated above are only some of the professions on the positive list.

Working in Germany - recognition of acquired qualifications/upgrading of training

Once it has been verified that a learned profession has been qualified on the Positivliste, it is necessary to ensure that the relevant German authorities verify and accept the professional achievements. This is the purpose of thee recognition of professional qualifications. This is because it shows a potential employer to what extent a foreigner's professional qualifications are comparable to a vocational diploma obtained in Germany.

What does recognition of qualifications 'give'?

Above all, with the recognition of foreign professional qualifications, you will be able to increase your chances of getting a good job. Recognition foreign professional qualifications means legal equivalence with comparable German professional qualifications. It should be noted that in some so-called regulated professions, full recognition of qualifications professional qualifications is a statutory requirement and this applies, for example, to doctors, teachers or educators. When applying for employment of non-EU citizens, recognition of professional qualifications is compulsory.

Necessary documents for working in Germany

In the first instance, and this should be considered intuitive, professional qualifications must be adequately documented, e.g. with relevant school, course or certificate certificates. It is also necessary to fill in a form containing an application for recognition of professional qualifications and to accompany the application:

• a copy of an identity document (passport or identity card; alternatively, a document on change of name, e.g. marriage certificate),
• statements of the applications submitted to date and CV.

You can apply for recognition of your professional qualifications without being in Germany yet. I would also point out that depending on the profession, additional documents may be required for the application. This applies in particular to regulated professions in the area of public health (e.g. a doctor) or Security (e.g. architect or engineer).

In addition, in professions where there is contact with children and young people or people with disabilities, personal aptitude must be demonstrated (e.g. teacher or educator). Usually, the following documents and certificates are required for these professions:

• confirming health predispositions - usually it is a current medical certificate, which must be no more than 3 months old.
• confirmation of personal suitability/reliability- This can be, for example, a criminal record certificate, an extract from the criminal record or an equivalent document from your country of origin. These documents should not be older than 3 months.
• proof of adequate professional liability insurance- Professional liability insurance with a specified sum insured is often required.

NOTE: In most cases it will be necessary to prepare documents in German. It is advisable to obtain a sworn translation by a translator publicly appointed or sworn in Germany or in another country. However, before sending the translation, it is necessary to ask the competent authority in what form the translation should be submitted and who can produce it. Sometimes the following are accepted only translations made in Germany. We can assist you in determining the correct form of documents.

Proof of knowledge of the German language

For many regulated professions, you must have German language skills at a certain level. The required language level is based on the so-called 'Common European Framework of Reference for Languages'. Mode confirmation of the required language level varies from profession to profession and sometimes from Land to Land. Some competent authorities accept certain language certificates already acquired by a foreigner. It may also be the case that an additional or alternative language test has to be taken. Due to the different ways of proving your knowledge of German, we recommend that you ask in advance at the competent authority.

Where should the application be submitted?

The application must be submitted to the competent authority. So where? Competent authorities are the authorities and other institutions that process applications and decide on the recognition of professional qualifications in Germany as part of the recognition procedure. In the Germany has a total of around 1,500 competent authorities for the recognition of professional qualifications. These include, for example, chambers of industry and commerce, chambers of crafts and doctors, district courts, ministries and authorities. It is therefore necessary to first determine the competent authority for our profession in terms of the subject matter and then in terms of the locality, which is related to the place where you intend to work. Determining the authority to which you should apply can therefore be a daunting task, which is why we offer our support in quickly and, above all, correctly identifying the appropriate entity.

Electronic way

An alternative solution is also to use the online route by submitting an application for recognition of professional qualifications. This can be done via the so-called single point of contact (EA). Further information on this can be found under the following link:

https://www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/EN/Artikel/SME-Sector/points-of-single-contact.html

Using a contact point has undeniable advantages. First of all, the EA provides assistance with the application for recognition and will forward the documents to the competent authority. The competent authority will then carry out the recognition procedure. This is a free service.

However, very importantly, In some federal states, the EA can be used and their certificates can be submitted electronically only persons with European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland. The EA is then not available in the relevant Land for persons from third countries. It is therefore advisable to find out whether you can apply through this route in the relevant Land before doing so. In addition, I would like to emphasise - and this is also pointed out repeatedly - that the majority of office staff in Germany speak only German.

Working in Germany as an alternative to recognition of qualifications

If the procedure for recognition of your qualifications is unsuccessful, this does not yet mean that you will not be able to work in Germany. After all, there are many alternative routes you can take.

In the first instance, if you already have some work experience or completed vocational training that is not recognised in Germany, you can supplement and, as a result, obtain an original German professional diploma.

Another possibility is retraining themselves or completion of courses in-service training. In the case of retraining, the duration of the training is usually reduced and it is more theoretical. On the other hand, you can do further training if you have sufficient work experience or a higher education qualification. The further training course concludes with an examination, after which you will receive the corresponding German vocational training diploma. Vocational diplomas include, for example, a master's degree in a trade. But they also include specialists, economists and many other professional diplomas in various areas of the economy.

Another opportunity to work in Germany is setting up your own business. This, of course, requires a great deal of deterrmination and courage, but it is now often the solution chosen by foreigners. This is because it is possible to run one's own business without recognition, e.g. as a freelancer.

Visa - Working in Germany

Once you have checked the Positivliste and made sure that your profession is on it, and you have passed the recognition procedure, there is nothing left for you to do but apply for a visa to Germany. A necessary condition for applying for a visa, however, is that your future German employer commits to employing you once you are in Germany. You can find out more about the visa procedure at the German embassy here in Poland.

It is worth noting that, in order to meet the needs of non-EU workers, Germany has also made provision for visas to complete professional qualifications and to look for work. A good command of the German language is also not necessary in all cases. Each case is individual and requires an analysis of both the documents in possession of the foreigner's professional qualifications and the authority which will be entitled to recognise these qualifications. The place of future settlement in Germany is also important.