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Germany seeks skilled workers from abroad

Germany is facing a skilled workers shortage. The number of unfilled job positions has been increasing for years. In the first quarter of 2025, around 600,000 job vacancies in Germany remained unfilled. By the end of 2024, more than 6 million foreign skilled workers were already employed in Germany (out of a total of 39.3 million workers in Germany). 

In principle, all areas of the German economy are affected by the shortage of skilled workers. Some of the most important fields include:

To solve this issue, the German government is pursuing the goal of attracting around 400,000 skilled workers from abroad to take up work in Germany every year. The Skilled Immigration Act (FEG) has simplified the regulations for immigration.  

According to the Skilled Immigration Act, the term skilled worker is a foreigner who:  

• Has completed a German vocational or academic education (of at least 2 years) or 
• Has completed a foreign vocational or academic education that has been recognized as equivalent in Germany, or  
• Has a foreign university degree comparable to a German university degree. 

There are two procedures for determining the equivalence or comparability of a foreign degree: the recognition procedure (Anerkennung) and the evaluation of university degrees (Zeugnisbewertung).

Good reasons to apply for recognition

• Recognition or evaluation of a university degree is generally a requirement for the issuance of a German work visa  
• It enables German employers to objectively assess the competencies of Indonesian skilled workers 
• Better career opportunities in Germany   
• Opportunity to participate in further training measures based on the recognition results 
• Faster access to a permanent residence permit and thus simplifies the process of family reunification

ProRecognition consultation support  

ProRecognition is a consultation project for the recognition of foreign degrees. It is aimed at skilled workers with vocational and academic qualifications abroad. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMBFSFJ) and coordinated by DIHK Service GmbH. ProRecognition was launched in 2015 and since 2024, it has also been implemented at the 91´óÉñ Indonesia/EKONID.  

Our support includes: 

• Individual consultation and support throughout the recognition process 
• Guidance and assistance in applying for the relevant work visa 
• Information on language requirements to work in Germany 
• Workshops on job applications in Germany 
• Consultation on migration to Germany  
• Online networking events between German companies and Indonesian skilled workers 

The procedure and requirements for a degree recognition heavily depend on the type of the degree and the desired profession in Germany. 

Register for consultation

Our consultation support is intended for skilled workers in the following situations:   

1. You have received a job offer as a skilled worker from a company in Germany. We would be pleased to advise you on degree recognition, visa, and your family migration to Germany. 

2. Or, you have not yet received any job offer from an employer in Germany, but you have:  

• An academic (S1, S2, S3) or a vocational (SMK, D2, D3, D4) degree and live in Indonesia and
• Interest in working in Germany and
• German language skills or willingness to learn German if necessary