Does recognition of foreign qualifications pay off? : The German case

Springer, Angelina

Vorschau

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URN:	urn:nbn:de:bsz:180-madoc-712240
Dokumenttyp:	Dissertation
Erscheinungsjahr:	2025
Ort der Veröffentlichung:	Mannheim
Hochschule:	Universität Mannheim
Gutachter:	Kogan, Irena
Datum der mündl. Prüfung:	2025
Sprache der Veröffentlichung:	Englisch
Einrichtung:	Fakultät für Sozialwissenschaften > Soziologie, Gesellschaftsvergleich (Kogan 2009-)
Lizenz:	Creative Commons Namensnennung 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Fachgebiet:	300 Sozialwissenschaften, Soziologie, Anthropologie
Freie Schlagwörter (Englisch):	labor market , migration , recognition
Abstract:	This dissertation investigates whether official recognition of foreign professional qualifications improves immigrants’ labor market outcomes in Germany. Using a mixed-methods approach consisting of a field experiment, a survey experiment, and analyses of survey data, the thesis uncovers a complex and contradictory picture. A correspondence test shows that applicants who submit a recognition certificate receive fewer interview invitations than those without it, indicating that recognition may signal higher labor costs or fail to reduce employers’ uncertainties. A survey experiment, however, reveals that employers state a preference for recognized qualifications, highlighting a gap between hiring intentions and hiring behavior. In contrast, survey data analyses demonstrate that full recognition consistently enhances qualitative employment outcomes—especially wages and occupational status—even when it does not improve employment chances. Overall, the findings suggest that recognition yields benefits primarily after labor market entry, while offering limited advantages during recruitment. The study underscores the need to address employer perceptions and structural barriers that weaken the signalling power of recognition.