© Landesinitiative Fachkraft im Fokus
How can people from Ukraine—who have been living and working in Germany for years and whose children are growing up here—build a long-term future for themselves, legally speaking? This pressing question was the focus of a well-attended informational event on April 16, 2026, at the old city library in Zeitz, hosted by the WelcomeCenter Saxony-Anhalt in collaboration with the Ukrainian Center for Integration and Cultural Exchange Zeitz e. V.
A Question of Growing Urgency
The residence permit under Section 24 of the Residence Act, which governs the protection status of most Ukrainian refugees in Germany, is valid only until March 2027—and whether it will be extended remains unclear at this time. For many people, this means uncertainty, despite their successful integration. They speak German, have steady jobs, and their children have long been part of the local school and vocational training systems. The desire to build a permanent future in Germany is real—and justified.
The WelcomeCenter Saxony-Anhalt takes this situation seriously. After all, the question of prospects for staying is not just a humanitarian one—it is also a matter of securing a skilled workforce in Saxony-Anhalt. Qualified individuals who are already rooted in the state, work productively, and participate in society make a valuable contribution to the region’s future. Retaining them is in everyone’s interest.
A Strong Network—Local Expertise Under One Roof
What particularly distinguished the event in Zeitz was the WelcomeCenter’s consistently networked approach. Anja Reißmann, a regional advisor in the Burgenlandkreis district, did not organize the event alone but specifically engaged the relevant partners—thus bringing together, in a single evening, exactly the expertise the participants needed.
Roula Rached from the Recognition Advisory Service of the IQ Network Saxony-Anhalt (Halle office) provided information on the recognition of foreign professional qualifications—a key issue for anyone wishing to have their qualifications recognized in Germany. Thomas Leistner from the Burgenlandkreis Migration Agency, who is responsible for skilled worker immigration at the Foreigners’ Registration Office and serves as a labor market integration advisor, shared in-depth, practical knowledge of residence law. Liudmyla Kapustina, serving as an interpreter, ensured that no question went unanswered—by translating between German and Ukrainian and thus facilitating communication on an equal footing.
It is no coincidence that the WelcomeCenter also deliberately collaborates with a migrant self-help organization—the Ukrainian Center for Integration and Cultural Exchange in Zeitz. Such organizations understand the realities of life in their communities, enjoy the trust of their members, and reach people who might not be reached through traditional government channels. Strengthening and raising the profile of this partnership is part of the WelcomeCenter’s mission.
What the Participants Learned
Forty Ukrainian women and men attended—a strong turnout that highlighted the great need for information.
Anja Reißmann opened the event with an overview of the current labor market situation in the Burgenlandkreis: Figures from the Employment Agency show that an increasing number of people from Ukraine have found employment subject to social insurance contributions—within a year, their numbers rose by a remarkable 40 percent. This trend demonstrates that integration into the labor market is succeeding—and the WelcomeCenter is actively supporting this process.
Roula Rached from the IQ Network then explained the various pathways to the recognition of foreign professional qualifications: What are the differences between vocational training and a university degree? What does it mean when a profession is regulated? Which documents need to be translated—and when? Practical answers to questions that determine professional prospects.
The WelcomeCenter itself provided information on alternative residence permits that go beyond Section 24: What requirements must be met? How can one obtain a permanent residence permit through employment as a skilled worker? It became clear that a recognized professional qualification, good German language skills, and the ability to support oneself financially are the three central pillars—but there are also paths available for people without a formal qualification or those aiming to pursue vocational training in Germany.
Life’s Questions
The subsequent Q&A session vividly highlighted just how concrete and personal the participants’ concerns are:
The questions ranged from practical to existential: What happens if I lose my job? Will the months I’ve already worked under Section 24 count toward a permanent residence permit? Is it worth having my high school diploma recognized as well? What options do I have as a teacher to work in Germany? How do I meet the minimum salary requirements if I’m over 45 years old? And: How can I also secure my children’s residency in the long term?
At the end of the two-hour event, many participants took the opportunity to discuss their individual situations in one-on-one conversations with the experts. This is precisely the added value of such events: information meets personalized advice—and people go home with concrete next steps.
To ensure that the evening’s content continues to have an impact beyond the event, Anja Reißmann created a presentation specifically in plain language. This was subsequently made available to both the participants and the Burgenlandkreis Integration Network—as an accessible reference guide for anyone who would like to review the information at their own pace or share it with others. The presentation is supplemented by a collection of links that provides access to further information online and helps users find relevant application forms quickly and easily.
Conclusion: Networking as the Key to Securing a Skilled Workforce
The event in Zeitz exemplifies what the WelcomeCenter Saxony-Anhalt accomplishes: It creates spaces where complex topics become understandable—for people who have already found their place in Saxony-Anhalt and wish to maintain it in the long term. It brings together recognition counseling services, the Foreigners’ Registration Office, migrant self-help organizations, and its own expertise into a program that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Attracting qualified professionals is one thing—retaining them is the real challenge. The WelcomeCenter Saxony-Anhalt supports them along this journey.
Feel free to visit our information center for more information for refugees from Ukraine, on the recognition of foreign qualifications, and on other legal matters.