„As a dentist with three years of professional experience in Serbia, providing the Austrian employment market with the full skills that I have acquired is my main motivation for formal recognition of my qualifications I also hope to take further special courses in my field.. I would encourage others to get good advice at a very early stage, to work hard and never lose sight of their own goals."

„I came to Austria 23 years ago. I attended metalworking college for three years in Serbia, and then worked in an electrical plant for six years. Following some initial apprehension about the recognition process, I completed formal recognition in January 2014 with the support and advice of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, and I can now take over the company where I have been working for 23 years - I’m really pleased about that.“

I have worked as an electrical engineer and lived with my family in Vienna since 1990. I am from Zagreb. A few weeks ago, I had my education officially recognised in Austria. After many years as an employee and then self-employed as managing director under trade law in my own company, I ask myself today why I waited so long to do that. I always wanted to be my own boss. But I didn’t have any information, and not enough courage. With the help of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce the process went surprisingly fast, and now I’m waiting for the approval of my trade permit. Now I am telling all my friends and acquaintances to pursue professional recognition; there are plenty of opportunities to get information, and people should use them! When I’m finished with all of this, I’m going to hire two more employees.

I came to Vienna from the former Yugoslavia in 1988 - from what is Serbia today - so that I could start my career via formal professional recognition. Right from the start I wanted to play an active role here in Austria, in the job that I really love. Once I had completed the German courses and the supplementary examinations, having felt motivated to use a dictaphone to record the teaching content, I was able to make the most of my prospects for promotion over the course of my 25 years working for the Franz Josef Hospital, which would not have been possible for me as an auxiliary nurse without professional recognition. I would advise anyone to start the professional recognition process and persevere with it. It makes it easier to find the right job which is suitable for you, allowing you to effectively shape your personal life.

„I was born in Romania and worked at large American, British and French law firms before coming to Vienna in 2004 for personal reasons. I began the process of having my Romanian and French qualifications recognised in 2005. From then until 2008, I was required to sit a number of exams at the university. This was a difficult time: work, revising, family! Though I was already multilingual, the German language was professionally key for me. Through the ÖIF’s mentoring programme for highly qualified foreign professionals, I met a fantastic mentor who encouraged and supported me. And now I can finally apply my knowledge and experience to my work here. And there’s just one thing to say really: ‘Competence knows no borders!’ You should give serious consideration to where you would like to be in the future, what you expect from life, actively and thoroughly inform yourself, and then begin the formal credentialing process! There is some work involved in living here!”

„When I moved from Ankara to Vienna at age 19 for family reasons, I already had several years of professional experience as an independent hairstylist. I first became interested in becoming professionally credentialed in 2010 when I found the ideal location for my own future salon in Vienna’s third district. Everything then proceeded swiftly: the application, recognition of my training, improving my German for the additional practical and written tests, licencing. My time working numerous temporary jobs was over. At the end of 2010 I opened my own salon together with my wife. I’d do it again too! Everyone should give it a go. My dreams have come true!"

Formal credentialing – there was really no other choice for me! I am a fully qualified nurse, having studied at the medical and midwifery school in Orasja and Tuzla in Bosnia. The amount of time it took to have my degree recognised was reasonable. I came to Austria for family reasons in 2011. I quickly learnt German and then, in preparation for the required course that is part of the degree recognition process, I enrolled in and passed a supplementary course in professional German, “German for Holders of Foreign Degrees – Qualified Nurse”, run by the ÖIF (Austrian Integration Foundation). It was just one month after my qualifications were recognised that I got a job in the nursing home where I still happily work! I am very pleased that I took this step!