Working in the DACH Region

Why do companies in the DACH region urgently need international professionals? And why has no solution been found for this long-standing phenomenon? The history of labor migration in the DACH region began as early as the 1950s with the recruitment of workers. Nowadays, workers are still being sought, e.g., for the construction industry, but there are far more open positions for professionals. Demographic developments exacerbate this situation, making the search for international specialists increasingly urgent. But what motivates international professionals to work in the DACH region? Language and bureaucratic hurdles prevent many professionals from applying and settling down. This chapter presents several possibilities to highlight the attractiveness of the DACH region and the companies and thus to recruit professionals. One concept is place branding, where cities or regions distinguish themselves from others with positively associated characteristics. Thus, many cities advertise with well-known musicians or writers. However, the cited Expat City Ranking shows new parameters that are important for international professionals. Ultimately, legal migration regulations still determine whether migration for professionals is made easy or difficult. This chapter primarily presents ways for entry from outside the EU. Even though the Bluecard applies for entry into the EU, there are individual regulations in the DACH region such as the Skilled Immigration Act in Germany, the Red-White-Red Card in Austria, and the Foreigners and Integration Act in Switzerland.