Rhineland-Palatinate Expands Support for Recruiting Foreign Skilled Workers

New Welcome Centers aim to streamline the integration of non-EU professionals into the local workforce, addressing critical labor shortages in small businesses.

• Rhineland-Palatinate's Handwerkskammern (HwK) will establish four new Welcome Centers to assist small businesses in navigating complex immigration and labor processes.
• The centers, located in Mainz, Koblenz, Trier, and Kaiserslautern, build on the successful model implemented by the Industrie- und Handelskammern (IHK) since 2015.
• These centers provide free guidance on legal requirements, labor market access, and integration for both employers and foreign workers.
• The initiative responds to severe labor shortages, with 60% of handcraft businesses struggling to find qualified staff and limited options within the EU.
• Additional support includes an expanded online platform and a focus on helping foreign professionals and their families integrate into local communities.

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