Für Fachkräfte mit Berufsausbildung (§18a AufenthG) und Fachkräfte mit akademischer Ausbildung (§18b AufenthG) ist jetzt geregelt, dass bei Vorliegen aller (tatbestandlichen) Voraussetzungen ein Anspruch auf Erteilung der Aufenthaltserlaubnis besteht.
Dies muss in der Konsequenz bedeuten, dass die Botschaften bzw. die dortigen Mitarbeiter in den Visumsabteilungen, mit weitgehend unbekannter beruflicher Qualifikation, bei Ihren Entscheidungen über die Visumsanträge von Fachkräften nach dem Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz bei Vorliegen einer Vorabzustimmung im beschleunigten Fachkräfteverfahren ggf. mit einer nicht immer notwendigen Zustimmung der Bundesagentur für Arbeit keinen Ermessensspielraum mehr haben.
Dies ist in einigen wenigen Botschaften nach unserer Erfahrung bisher nicht immer berücksichtigt worden: Auch nach altem Recht hätte an sich das Ermessen in solchen Fällen reduziert sein müssen. Wir mussten hier in besonders krassen Fällen gerichtliche Eilverfahren beim zuständigen Verwaltungsgericht Berlin veranlassen, um sachgerechte, rechtsfehlerfreie Entscheidungen über die Visumsanträge zu ermöglichen.
Geschädigte der oft langwierigen (trotz gesetzlicher Fristen) Verfahren sind nicht nur die Antragsteller, sondern auch die Arbeitgeber, die ja selbst und unmittelbar per Vereinbarung beteiligt sind, wenn der seit längerem geplante Arbeitsbeginn nicht stattfinden kann.
Ein System, in dem die legislative Entscheidungsgeschwindigkeit stets schneller ist als die Umsetzungsgeschwindigkeit der ausführenden Organe, wird, wie in den letzten Jahren seit dem Inkrafttreten des FEG 2020 zu beobachten ist, von andauernder Überforderung und Überlastung überschattet sein. Mit unserer organisatorischen und fachlichen Kompetenz ermöglichen wir eine effiziente Bearbeitung für Ihren Erfolg. Wir werden weiterhin mit der erforderlichen Beharrlichkeit jetzt auch die Umsetzung der neuen Regelungen begleiten und den Arbeitgebern wie auch den Antragstellern die notwendige Hilfestellung gewähren.

Es ist für Arbeitgeber auch möglich, Studierende, die aus Drittstaaten stammen, aber in einem Mitgliedsland der Europäischen Union (EU) studieren bzw. studiert haben, über das Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz (FEG) in Deutschland zu beschäftigen.
In einem Fall hatte eine Drittstaatlerin in Italien an der Uni Mailand ein naturwissenschaftliches Studium absolviert und einen Masterabschluss in dem Fach Molekular Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik erworben. Sodann hatte sie sich für eine zu ihrem Studienfach passende Labortätigkeit bei einer deutschen Firma beworben und dort auch schon einen Arbeitsvertrag erhalten. Sie zog sodann mit ihrem Aufenthaltstitel, den sie in Italien zum Zwecke des Studiums erhalten hatte, nach Deutschland und bemühte sich nun, hier eine Aufenthaltserlaubnis zum Zwecke der Erwerbstätigkeit bei ihrem zukünftigen Arbeitgeber zu erhalten.
Nach den Regularien des FEG war es nun die Aufgabe für den zukünftigen Arbeitgeber, also das deutsche Unternehmen, der Kandidatin einen gesetzeskonformen Aufenthaltsstatus und damit auch eine Arbeitserlaubnis zu beschaffen. Dies war auch um deswillen geboten, da sie dringend als Laborfachkraft benötigt wurde.
Es konnte für das Unternehmen erreicht werden, dass die Kandidatin im Nachhinein, nachdem sie schon ihre Arbeitstätigkeit begonnen hatte, nach dem Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz eine Aufenthaltserlaubnis zum Zwecke einer Erwerbstätigkeit erhalten konnte. Zwar lag zunächst noch kein schriftliches Zeugnis über das erfolgreiche Masterstudium vor, gleichwohl konnte eine schriftliche Bestätigung der Universität in Italien, dass die Bewerberin ihr Studium erfolgreich absolviert hatte, erlangt und bei der zuständigen Ausländerbehörde vorgelegt werden. Es wurden sodann folgende Schritte notwendig, die für die Fachkraft zu erledigen waren:
Meldebestätigung, Anerkennung der Gleichwertigkeit des italienischen Hochschulabschlusses über Anabin, Unterlagen des Arbeitsamtes ausfüllen und abgeben, Anfrage bei der Bundesagentur für Arbeit auf den Weg bringen, Beschaffung des Master-Zeugnisses, Beantragung einer Fiktionsbescheinigung, Hilfestellung bei der Überprüfung eines Mietvertrags für eine Wohnung und sodann schließlich der Erwerb der Aufenthaltserlaubnis selbst.
Nach allem konnte hier die Kandidatin letztlich in Kooperation mit der zuständigen Ausländerbehörde relativ unbürokratisch nach dem FEG eine Aufenthaltserlaubnis erhalten, obwohl sie bei Aufnahme ihrer Arbeitstätigkeit weder über eine Arbeitserlaubnis noch über eine Aufenthaltserlaubnis verfügte.
Unser Ansatz, hier möglichst in konsensualer Abstimmung mit der zuständigen Ausländerbehörde eine sachlich angemessene und rechtlich vertretbare Lösung zugunsten einer problemlosen Arbeitsaufnahme in Deutschland zu erreichen, war also auch in diesem Fall erfolgreich: die Bürokratie konnte auf ein akzeptables Maß reduziert werden. Das Unternehmen in Deutschland konnte so ohne unnötige Reibungsverluste den Arbeitsplatz mit einer qualifizierten Fachkraft besetzen.

The Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) welcomed the plans: "Without sufficient immigration from abroad, we will not be able to solve the problem of skilled workers," emphasized the DIHK when presenting a catalog of proposals for reforming the FEG. The federal government is planning to amend the Skilled Immigration Act ( FEG), which has been in force since March 1, 2020. The aim is to facilitate the influx of qualified specialists from third countries, also in accordance with the needs of the economy. "A bottleneck, but one of the main problems of the law is its implementation," complains the deputy director of the DIHK, Achim Dercks. The practical work in the authorities and the complexity of the regulations overwhelm companies, potential immigrants and often apparently also the authorities themselves. In addition, there are sometimes very long waiting times for visa appointments.

New skilled labor strategy The federal government is developing new ways to counteract the shortage of skilled workers in Germany. Among other things, it relies on modern immigration rules.
09/08/2022 BASF Berlin –
The federal government wants to attract more skilled workers to Germany with a new strategy. At a specialist summit in September, the government presented its plans to the heads of employers and trade unions, among others. The strategy relies on education and training, but also heavily on the modernization of immigration rules. All measures are aimed at supporting companies and businesses in recruiting and securing skilled workers. Modern immigration as part of the skilled labor strategy The planned modernization of the immigration law is to be launched this year, as Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil announced. "That will probably be decided at the beginning of next year." Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger referred to simplifications in the recognition of professional qualifications. "We are an immigration country for skilled workers, and it is particularly important to lower the bureaucratic hurdles," said the minister. "We must be much more open to immigration and work together to promote the fact that Germany is a cosmopolitan country with interesting and high-quality jobs," emphasized Economics Minister Robert Habeck. Strengthen training and further education The federal government emphasized the great importance of securing skilled workers. "For many companies, the search for skilled workers is already an existential question," said Labor Minister Heil. “And our country needs skilled workers to tackle digitization and the conversion to a climate-neutral economy. For this we need every helping hand and every clever head. As part of the new skilled labor strategy, we therefore want to create a training guarantee and strengthen further training.” He referred to planned instruments such as a qualification allowance with which the Federal Employment Agency is to promote in-company further training. "An important component of the strategy is the excellence initiative for vocational training," added Education Minister Stark-Watzinger. “Academic and vocational education are different, but equal. Both are great stepping stones to a successful career.”

Non-EU foreigners (e.g. Egypt, India, Iran, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, etc.)

C.1.) The professional permit must be applied for at the appropriate office (e.g. Ministry for Youth, Social Affairs and Health) of the respective federal state (e.g. Bavaria, Hesse etc.). The following documents must be submitted:
C.1.1.) Curriculum vitae in German language
C.1.2.) Medical diploma
C.1.3.) Internship, traineeship, practical training period
C.1.4.) Birth certificate
C.1.5.) Marriage certificate, if married
C.1.6.) declaration of exemption from punishment in the home country
C.1.7.) police certificate of good conduct (abroad)
C.1.8.) official certificate of good conduct - document type 0 - (domestic)
C.1.9.) Copy of valid passport
C.1.10.) Language certificate attesting to German language skills of at least B2
C.1.11.) Application for a professional permit
C.1.12.) Medical certificate confirming health suitability for practising the profession of the medical profession
C.1.13.) employment contract signed by all contracting parties (e.g. clinic and you).

All documents (except B.1.9.) must be submitted in the original or as officially certified copies. Foreign documents and certificates must be translated into German by a state-approved interpreter. The interpreter must also confirm that the original texts have been submitted to him/her. Foreign documents must also be presented in legalised form or as an apostille (legalisation). These can be obtained from the German mission abroad in the respective country of origin or from the competent authorities in the country of origin.

C.2.) The work permit must be applied for at the employment office or job centre of the respective city or municipality in which you would like to work. As a rule, you will need your work permit, your birth certificate and a valid identity card.
C.3.) For this group of applicants, a residence permit for Germany must also be applied for and issued. Often, a visa is already required for entry into Germany, which makes a visit to the German mission abroad absolutely necessary anyway.
C.4.) In the case of non-EU foreigners, a so-called equivalence test of the studies completed in the non-EU foreign country is carried out before the German licence to practise medicine is granted. If no equivalence is established between the degree obtained abroad and the corresponding degree from a German university, the only option left for this doctor is a temporary professional licence. As a rule, this is linked to employment at a specific clinic and the doctor thus has the opportunity to take the equivalence examination or the knowledge level examination within this two-year period. After successfully passing the knowledge level examination, there is usually nothing standing in the way of the granting of a German licence to practise medicine.

Especially in these difficult times, nursing employees are fighting for us at the front line. Thank you most sincerely for this!
But it is precisely this field of work that urgently needs support, as Johanna Knüppel from the German Federal Association for Nursing Professions also sharply criticised the course of German politics in the field of nursing care in an interview with Saarländischer Rundfunk. Co-determination rights would be missing. In addition, the nursing sector is unfortunately not an interesting job description for many young people in Germany. There is sometimes talk of a chronic overload of nursing employees. At the same time, it has never been so easy for German companies to recruit skilled workers from abroad. Particularly in sectors where there is an acute shortage of personnel, companies are looking abroad. In spite of the excellent health system, there is a shortage of qualified specialists in nursing professions for the most part. Just before the corona epidemic reached Germany, the shortage of personnel in this sector was acute. This shortage is, among other things, the reason for the adoption of the new Skilled Worker Immigration Act on 01.03.2020, which also simplifies the entry of skilled workers from all over the world (South and Central America, Africa, Asia, Middle East) for the purpose of taking up employment. With the help of the law, it is also possible for third-country nationals who have a relevant professional qualification to obtain an entry visa within a few weeks. While we have already informed you in our previous article about the new Immigration of Skilled Workers Act, we would like to present the situation shortly before the Corona Epidemic in the following Especially the Corona Epidemic has raised public awareness of the shortage in the nursing professions. This could lead to changes in the occupational profile in the future, which would make the nursing profession even more attractive.

Staff shortage in clinics ever greater

It is not only in nursing homes that there is an acute shortage of skilled workers. The situation is also worsening in clinics. According to a report, four out of five hospitals are having problems filling vacancies.
According to a newspaper report, the personnel shortage in German clinics is becoming more and more massive. Four out of five hospitals are having problems filling vacant nursing positions - writes the newspaper "Tagesspiegel" referring to the hospital barometer of the German Hospital Institute.
According to the report, approximately 17,000 nursing positions are unfilled nationwide. The situation is hardly any different for physicians, it says: 76 percent of the almost 2000 hospitals are struggling to find physicians for vacant positions. The consequences of the shortage of specialists: In every third home, intensive care beds would have had to be temporarily blocked and specialist departments would have had to be deregistered from emergency care.
"Serious supply crisis"
The figures made it clear "what enormous pressure there is to act in order to get more people interested in the nursing profession," said the President of the German Hospital Federation (DKG), Gerald Gaß. The situation is becoming "dramatically worse". Politicians must "urgently take effective countermeasures to relieve the burden on staff, otherwise we are heading for a serious care crisis".

Shortage of skilled staff in nursing care for the elderly is continuing to increase

Operators of nursing homes often need a long time to fill vacancies. This is unlikely to change so quickly, because according to the Federal Employment Agency, the industry is increasingly lacking skilled workers.
According to the Federal Employment Agency (BA), nursing homes in Germany must continue to face problems in filling vacant nursing care jobs for the time being. The shortage of skilled workers in the industry has recently increased further, the BA announced on the occasion of the "Day of Care".
Not enough applicants
In the meantime, there is a shortage of skilled workers in this area nationwide. "There is no state in Germany with a sufficient number of unemployed applicants to fill the vacancies reported to the Federal Agency," the Nuremberg federal authority concludes in an analysis. However, this only applies to certified geriatric nursing specialists, not to geriatric nursing assistants
According to information from the Federal Agency, an annual average of 15,300 vacancies will be available in 2018 for almost 3,100 unemployed skilled workers in the field of nursing care for the elderly. As a result, it would now take 183 days for home operators to fill a vacant nursing position, twelve days longer than in 2017.

Situation in the hospitals

The situation for nurses is also difficult, although not quite as dramatic. Here, too, there is a great need for qualified personnel. On average, about 6000 unemployed registered nurses with special qualifications and specialisations were registered with the Federal Agency. However, 14,900 were sought by hospitals.
According to the Federal Agency, part of the problem of skilled workers could be solved by encouraging part-time nursing staff to extend their working hours. According to BA data, 56 percent of the nursing staff worked part-time in June last year, and 44 percent in nursing care. In all other professions, on the other hand, this proportion is only 28 percent on average.

The legal changes in the immigration of third-country nationals to the Federal Republic of Germany have been significantly expanded since March 1, 2020, under the new German law on skilled worker immigration. The Skilled Workers Immigration Act makes it easier for skilled workers with vocational, non-academic training to immigrate to Germany for work purposes. Existing regulations for skilled workers with a university degree will be continued and in some cases made even easier. Since the Act is an article law and thus supplements many different laws, it can quickly become confusing which changes are important in the overall view.

In the following we would like to compile some of the most important changes and define terms.

What will change with the Skilled Employee Immigration Act?
The Skilled Workers Immigration Act extends the framework for the immigration of qualified skilled workers from countries outside the EU to Germany. Here you will find the main changes:

Skilled Workers:

Definition of skilled worker: Skilled workers are defined as persons with a university degree or qualified vocational training with a duration of at least two years. A prerequisite for both groups is that their foreign qualifications have been recognised by the competent authority in Germany.

Entry into the labour market: Entry into the labour market is facilitated: The qualified skilled worker must have an employment contract or a concrete job offer and a qualification recognised in Germany. The so-called priority check by the Federal Employment Agency (BA) is no longer required. This means that it is no longer necessary to check whether an applicant from Germany or the EU is available for the specific job. The examination of working conditions by the BA will continue.

Employment opportunities: A skilled worker can be employed in an occupation to which the acquired qualification qualifies him/her. This means that employment in related professions is made possible. In addition, professionals with an academic education can not only work in jobs that require a university degree. They can also be employed in other qualified occupations that are in a technical context to the qualification and for which, in principle, vocational, non-academic training is required. Assistant and semi-skilled occupations are excluded here; in any case, the employment must be a qualified occupation. For the EU Blue Card, employment appropriate to the professional qualification is always required, which usually presupposes an academic degree.

Skilled workers with vocational training: The employment of skilled workers with vocational, i.e. non-academic training is no longer limited to bottleneck professions. With vocational training recognized in Germany, the residence permit for qualified employment also allows these skilled workers access to all occupations for which their qualifications qualify them.

Entry to find a job: Skilled workers with qualified vocational training are also allowed to enter the country to find a job. They receive a residence permit for up to six months. The prerequisites are that the foreign qualification has been recognised by the competent authority in Germany, that the livelihood for the stay is secured and that they have the appropriate German language skills for the intended job. As a rule, a minimum knowledge of German at level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is required. During the stay to find a job, a trial employment of up to ten hours per week is possible. This allows employers and foreign professionals to test whether they are a good match. The trial employment is also made possible for professionals with recognised academic qualifications, who may also enter the country for up to six months to look for work, as before.

Stay for qualification measures: The opportunities for residence in Germany for qualification measures will be expanded. The prerequisite for this is, in principle, that a recognition procedure from abroad has been conducted at the competent office in Germany in which deficits in the foreign qualification acquired compared to German training have been identified (notice of recognition). A further prerequisite for the issue of a visa to conduct qualification measures is, among other things, a knowledge of German corresponding to the qualification measure. As a rule, this is at least an adequate knowledge of German (corresponds to language level A2). The 18-month residence permit can now, for example, be extended for this purpose by six months to a maximum period of two years.
After expiry of the maximum period of the residence permit, a residence permit may be issued for the purpose of education, study or employment.

Settlement permit for skilled workers from abroad: Foreign skilled workers can obtain a settlement permit in Germany after only four years (previously five years).

Trainees and Students:

Entry to find a training place: It has already been possible for prospective students to enter the country to look for a training place. According to the new regulation, prospective trainees can also enter the country to look for a training place. The prerequisites for this are a knowledge of German at level B2, a degree from a German school abroad or a school leaving certificate entitling the holder to enter university, a maximum age of 25 years and independent living.

German language course in preparation for the training: With a residence permit for a qualified vocational training course, a German language course or a job-related German language course may be attended as preparation for the training.

Extended exchange possibilities for international students in Germany: International students have the opportunity to change to other residence permits even before they have completed their studies. For example, instead of continuing their studies, they can start vocational training and receive a residence permit for vocational training. The Immigration of Skilled Workers Act extends these possibilities for changing over: Under special conditions and after examination by the BA, a job offer as a skilled worker can be accepted already during a study stay or a stay for vocational training or further education. This is accompanied by a change to a residence permit for the purpose of qualified employment.

Settlement permit for graduates of vocational training in Germany: Under the new law, foreign graduates of vocational training in Germany, as well as university graduates, can obtain a settlement permit after only two years.

What do I have to do in order to be able to work as a skilled worker in Germany?

Recognition of foreign qualifications: It is important that you first have your foreign qualifications recognised. We will provide you with basic information on the recognition procedure and on immigration to Germany by e-mail on request without obligation.

Language skills: Language skills are required in particular for entry in search of a training place or a job as a skilled worker with vocational training, but also for the stay for qualification measures.

Contact person for visa / residence: If you are still in your home country, the German missions abroad are responsible for issuing the necessary visa. If you are already living in Germany, the local immigration authorities are responsible.

In addition, the new so-called accelerated procedure will be introduced, which will enable professionals who have an employment contract to complete the procedure quickly. Each federal state handles the process differently. Some federal states, such as Hamburg, have even set up a Hamburg Welcome Center for Professionals to enable the skilled worker to enter the country quickly. Nevertheless, the process can become confusing due to the novelty of the law and the many requirements that must still be met and should therefore be checked in advance. However, the law alone does not make it easy for a foreign specialist to go through the entire process without competent assistance. For in addition to the law, there are many uncertainties as to which office or authority to contact and how to find the desired job in Germany the quickest. Even the choice of employer and communication with it can be a great challenge for a foreign specialist. Added to this is the difficult situation imposed on us by the Corona Pandemic.

In order to be able to go through this process successfully, efficiently and as quickly as possible, you need experienced specialists who can guide the customer safely through these processes and procedures and who already know the quickest routes. Thanks to our decades of experience, we are your ideal partner. With our range of services, we guide you through all the authorities and companies during the entire process until you reach your destination. With our specially developed procedure model we offer a fast and efficient possibility for skilled workers to immigrate to Germany and to break new ground professionally.

We are happy to offer you a free and non-binding initial assessment of your career opportunities in Germany. You can either send us an email or use the [http://systrade-consult-agency.com/Get-in-Touch/ contact form] on our website. We would be pleased to hear from you.

Your contact persons Pouya Fakhari and Hartmut Müller