Ramgarhiaz International, best Skilled Immigration Consultant from Ludhiana (Punjab) India. The Skilled Immigration Act, is a new law which expands the possibilities for qualified professionals to come to work in abroad countries. Now, it´s easier for skilled workers with vocational, non-academic training from India to migrate to abroad countries in order to work. The current conditions for qualified professionals with university degrees will remain in place, with some relaxations of the rules.
Qualified professionals:
- Definition of the qualified professional: A qualified professional is defined as a person with a tertiary education degree or a vocational training qualification following a training course lasting at least two years. Irrespective of whether you have a university degree or a vocational qualification, you´refirst required to have your foreign qualification officially recognised by the relevant authority.
- Accessing the labour market: It´s easier to enter the labour market. The qualified professional must possess an employment contract or a specific job offer, and a qualification recognised. The Employment Agency will still verify the employment conditions.
- Possible employment: A qualified professional may exercise an occupation for which he or she is qualified. This means that employment in related occupations is also possible. Further to this, qualified professionals with academic degrees can also work in jobs that do not require a tertiary education degree; they can also work in other occupations which are related to their qualification and which normally require a vocational, non-academic qualification. This excludes auxiliary and semi-skilled occupations: the occupation must always require a qualification.
- Qualified professionals with vocational qualifications: The employment of qualified professionals from India with vocational, i.e. non-academic training, is no longer restricted to occupations experiencing a skills shortage. If someone has a vocational training qualification recognised in foreign country, their residence permit allowing them to work in a specific occupation will also allow them to work in abroad in all occupations covered by their qualification.
- Going to Abroad to look for a job: Professionals with a vocational training qualification are also able to go abroad to look for a job. They will be granted a residence permit for up to six months. The precondition for this is that the foreign qualification is recognised by the relevant body in foreign countries, and that the person can support themselves for the duration of their stay and has the necessary language skills for the desired occupation. Generally, language skills at at least B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Foreign Languages are required. During the time spent in abroad looking for a job, employment of up to 10 hours a week on a trial basis is possible. This enables an employer and the foreign qualified professional to find out if they are suited to each other. Professionals with a recognised academic qualification, who as before are permitted for six months to seek employment, are also allowed to work on a trial basis.
- Period of residence for training and skill development: Opportunities to going abroad in order to undertake training are being improved. The basic precondition for this is that a recognition procedure is undertaken by the relevant body whilst the applicant is abroad, and the procedure finds that the person’s foreign qualification does not fully meet the requirements of a qualification. Another precondition for the issuing of a visa to receive training is that the person has the necessary foreign language skills. These will usually equate to level A2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The 18-month residence permit can be extended, for example for this purpose, by six months up to a maximum period of two years. After the maximum period of the residence permit has expired, a residence permit for the purpose of training, study or work can be issued.
- Permanent settlement permit for qualified professionals from around the world: Foreign qualified professionals are able to receive a permanent settlement permit after some years.