Counselling services
Training and employing international skilled workers and labour offers your company many opportunities. To help you overcome the challenges involved, Brandenburg provides a wide range of support services at every stage of the process.
Advisory services for employers
Brandenburg Economic Development Corporation (WFBB)
International Talent Desk
General information on recruiting
skilled workersHiring international skilled workers
The IQ sub-projects “Strong Businesses. Diversity in Action: North and South” advise companies and international skilled workers on the Skilled Workers Immigration Act and provide information on recruitment and integration
. Strong Businesses. Diversity in Action. | IHK-Projektgesellschaft mbH
Participating chambers: HWK Ostbrandenburg, HWK Potsdam, Uckermärkischer Bildungsverbund gGmbH, IHK Cottbus
Welcome Guides Project – HWK Ostbrandenburg
Welcome Guides Project – HWK Potsdam
Welcome Guides Project – IHK Cottbus
Welcome Guides Project – Uckermärkischer Bildungsverbund gGmbH
Overview: Welcome Guides – NETWORK: Businesses Integrate Refugees
Participating chambers:
Cottbus Chamber of Industry and Commerce – Recruiting foreign skilled workers with Hand in Hand for International Talents – Cottbus Chamber of Industry and Commerce
Potsdam Chamber of Industry and Commerce – Attracting skilled workers from third countries – Potsdam Chamber of Industry and Commerce
IHK Ostbrandenburg – Looking for an IT specialist, electronics technician, industrial mechanic or chef? – IHK Ostbrandenburg
Participating chambers:
Cottbus Chamber of Crafts – New project seeks to attract skilled workers – Cottbus Chamber of Crafts
HWK Potsdam – Future International Talents for German Climate Businesses – Potsdam Chamber of Crafts
Participating chambers:
Potsdam Chamber of Industry and Commerce – Skilled Worker Matching – Potsdam Chamber of Industry and Commerce
Cottbus Chamber of Industry and Commerce – Finding international skilled workers with UBAconnect – Cottbus Chamber of Industry and Commerce
Advice and support throughout the process for employers
Potsdam Chamber of Industry and Commerce – Having vocational qualifications recognised
IHK Cottbus – Recognition of vocational qualifications
IHK Ostbrandenburg – Recognition of vocational qualifications from abroad
Cottbus Chamber of Crafts – Recognition of (foreign) vocational qualifications
HWK Potsdam – Recognition of vocational qualifications
HWK East Brandenburg – Recognition of vocational qualifications
IQ Project: Shaping the Future – Training and Support for International Academics:
Potsdam Chamber of Industry and Commerce – Validating and recognising work experience
IHK Cottbus – The vocational assessment procedure (validation procedure)
IHK Ostbrandenburg – Recognising/equating vocational qualifications
Standard funding under SGB II/III (Jobcentre, Employment Agency or EURES)
Further training funding from the Employment Agency
Funding for language courses (BAMF)
Advisory services for employers
Support and advice centres for international professionals, people living here with a migrant background, and refugees.
Civic engagement aimed at contributing to the common good and strengthening democratic coexistence.
Integration services for adult immigrants aged 27 and over.
Supporting 12- to 27-year-olds from migrant backgrounds through the integration process in Germany.
An expanded range of integration courses for adult immigrants, designed to improve their opportunities for participation in legal, social, economic, political and cultural spheres.
Migration Advice Service, German Red Cross Brandenburg / Migration Advice Service, Caritas Brandenburg
Advice and support for people facing social, financial and family challenges.
SoVD Berlin-Brandenburg Regional Association / General Social Advice Service Caritas Brandenburg / Diakonie Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia
Advice on tenancy law for tenants on low incomes.
Taking into account local support options provided by migrant organisations in Brandenburg.
Addresses: Guide to contacts & advice – Brandenburg Refugee Council
Local and regional initiatives support people who are returning to Brandenburg or wish to settle there.
Points of contact for the transition period for newly arrived third-country nationals who have come to Germany for professional or personal reasons.
Laws and regulations
Information on, among other things, the Skilled Workers Immigration Act, the right of residence and access to the labour market.
Initial advice on the Skilled Migrants Act and placement of international skilled workers, labourers and apprentices.
Advice and job placement services for migrants residing in Germany.
Impartial initial advice and guidance.
Securing skilled workers: assistance with skills development and recruitment
Advice on the Skilled Workers Immigration Act and the fast-track skilled worker procedure.
Strong businesses. Diversity in action. | IHK-Projektgesellschaft mbH
Advice and information on employment and integration for refugees.
Advice for migrants on employment law issues.
Brandenburg Centre for Migration and Decent Work – Arbeit und Leben
Dealing with experiences of migration
One-to-one consultations for businesses, and workshops for managers and staff on the integration of people with refugee and migrant backgrounds into the workplace.
Training courses and workshops to prepare for the employment of skilled workers from third countries.
Strong businesses. Diversity in action. | IHK-Projektgesellschaft mbH
Information and advice on intercultural cooperation.
www.unternehmen-integrieren-fluechtlinge.de/
The Diversity Charter is an employer initiative aimed at promoting diversity in companies and institutions.
Information and support for businesses in the area of human resources.
Securing a skilled workforce for small and medium-sized enterprises – KOFA
Information and support for securing and retaining skilled workers.
Businesses and individuals
Advice and support for language learning in the workplace.
Vocational language courses and workplace-specific language courses for employees and trainees
Search via ww.kursfinder.de (reskilling, qualification programmes leading to a qualification)
Search via the National Online Portal for Continuing Vocational Training | mein NOW (certificate courses)
Overview of tools from the Centre for Vocational German: https://www.deutsch-am-arbeitsplatz.de
Adult Education Centres’ learning portal: a1.vhs-lernportal.de
Deutsche Welle portal: learngerman.dw.com/en/
Goethe-Institut portal: Practise German for free – Goethe-Institut
List of links on language support in the workplace: www.bea-brandenburg.de/Dowonloadcenter
Programmes for employers
Assessment of professional suitability; no employment relationship; duration: maximum six weeks
www.arbeitsagentur.de/arbeitslos-arbeit-finden
Grant for the employment of workers facing barriers to employment; up to 50 per cent of wages covered, for a maximum of one year; application must be made before the employment contract is signed.
A wage subsidy of up to 75 per cent for two years for companies hiring people who have been unemployed for at least two years, plus additional coaching.
For businesses: Funding of up to 50% of eligible expenditure, with a minimum grant amount of €1,000; each beneficiary may apply twice per calendar year (from the start of the project).
www.ilb.de/de/arbeit/uebersicht-der-foerderprogramme/weiterbildungsrichtlinie-2022/
Employment of working students and innovation assistants for innovative projects in small and medium-sized enterprises.
Finding, retaining and developing apprentices
An introductory guide for businesses in Brandenburg.
Consultancy for management and HR managers
The IQ sub-project “Strong Businesses. Diversity in Action: North and South” provides support with the immigration of apprentices and offers advice on the Skilled Workers Immigration Act.
Strong Businesses. Diversity in Action | IHK-Projektgesellschaft mbH
Entry-level Qualification (EQ): A 6–12-month
pre-apprenticeship work placement Entry-level Qualification | Federal Employment Agency
Vocational preparation programme
Vocational preparation programme | Federal Employment Agency
Youth Career Agency (JBA)
– National overview of all Youth Career Agencies – Youth Career Agencies Service Centre
Supported Training (AsA)
Supported Training (AsA): Information for employers | Federal Employment Agency
Prevention of Training Dropouts (VerA)
www.vera.ses-bonn.de
The Chambers of Crafts are the first port of call when it comes to apprenticeships in the skilled trades.
The Chambers of Industry and Commerce are the first port of call when it comes to apprenticeships.
Workplace Language Mentoring
bea-Brandenburg_Language-Mentoring-Services.pdf
Vocational language courses for apprentices (Azubi-BSK)
BAMF – Federal Office for Migration and Refugees – Vocational language courses for apprentices
Vocational Training Allowance (BAB) for Trainees
| Federal Employment Agency
Joint Training Service Centres
Information sheet: PAV service centres for joint training.pdf
A strong network:
an overview of all the organisations that can help you recruit and employ international professionals.
The advisory guide was produced in collaboration with bea-Brandenburg.