A new publication on migration "Integration EWSI Dossier 2013/01: Recognition of qualifications and skills" aims to provide editorial content from the European website on Integration (EWSI) to draw attention towards developing national policies regarding recognition of qualifications and skills of immigrants.

Given that working population is declining, The European Union (EU) aims to achieve a 75% rate in terms of employment in the EU by 2020. A key action in achieving this aim is to improve the access of migrants to the labor market. From this perspective, the New Integration Agenda must have services to be developed in order to allow the recognition of qualifications and skills in the country of origin of immigrants, in order to increase opportunities to employ immigrants according to their abilities and skills.

According to Integration Files EWSI 2013/01, immigrants from outside the EU, compared to those in the EU, suffer more because of over qualifications, especially women and youth. The only EU legislative instrument in this field applies to migrants outside the EU, unless their qualifications and skills were acquired through formal education in an EU country. Recognition of qualifications and skills obtained in third countries - obtained through formal education or non-formal or informal education - is regulated at national level. ''It is unlikely that the recognition of qualifications and skills acquired in non-EU countries will be regulated at EU level in the near future,'' show the Integration Files EWSI 2013/01. Therefore, the EU institutions must be pressured to develop alternative mechanisms and propose guidelines for convergence of standards in all member states.

Moreover, there are some countries such as Germany and Austria in which there were important developments on the validation of qualifications and skills of immigrants. In addition, there is a recommendation in 2012 that requires EU member states to establish national systems for validation of non-formal and informal education till 2015. This would allow citizens, including non-EU immigrants, to obtain a full or partial qualification based on the skills and competences acquired outside formal education.

Source: http://www.migpolgroup.com/wp_mpg/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/EWSI_Integration-Dossier_recognition-of-qualifications_FINALb.pdf