Better recognition of qualifications and skills for migration and mobility

EU countries face skills shortages in critical sectors of the labour market. Managed migration of people from outside the Union into Europe who possess the right skills can help fill these gaps. One element in easing migration is often overlooked, the recognition of skills and qualifications. Migration is increasing, and the historically high number of people now living outside their countries of origin means that qualifications and skills recognition has never been so important. This webinar is about recognition of qualifications held by third-country nationals, obstacles to this recognition, and potential solutions. The evidence is that, too often, such arrivals are over-qualified for the posts they fill, and that their skills and qualifications are not sufficiently recognised, requiring them to repeat learn or train, often wastefully. At the same time, while recognition systems for higher education qualifications are well established, equivalent systems for professional recognition (VET) are less structured. This event shares information and updates experts, officials and others working in qualification systems, on NQFs and in recognition systems. Participating in this webinar, you will hear of ETF’s efforts to promote better recognition of qualifications, including our recent survey of Qualifications Recognition Centres. BRAVO project, a grouping of the Lithuanian, Norwegian and Swedish recognition centres, reports on its survey on recognition practices in vocational qualifications and raises the question of establishing a network to facilitate recognition of vocational qualifications. From the European Commission, DG GROW colleagues will update us on the forthcoming Recommendation on recognition, which seeks to streamline the recognition of third-country citizens’ skills, qualifications, and experience. We conclude by considering what tools and approaches, at EU and national levels, can be adopted or applied to facilitate better and fairer recognition.