Securing Skilled Workers in Lower Saxony – "Support for Welcome Centers"

The Lower Saxony Ministry of Social Affairs, Labour, Health and Equality is promoting the comprehensive expansion and further development of Welcome Centers in Lower Saxony through a new grant program. The goal is to provide needs-based advice to migrant skilled workers, support their integration into the labor market, and thereby contribute sustainably to securing skilled labor in the state. The project links the fields of work, migration, counseling, and business financing and offers municipalities, districts, and other public bodies the opportunity to establish local contact points or expand existing structures. Through the targeted use of funding, Welcome Centers can significantly expand their advisory services in the areas of training, career entry, and everyday integration, thus making an important contribution to the regional skilled labor potential.

Public institutions based or operating in Lower Saxony that run or wish to establish a Welcome Center are eligible for funding. A prerequisite for approval is proof of the planned care and counseling structures as well as ensuring a needs-based infrastructure on site. The measure makes an important contribution to strengthening municipal counseling capacities and promotes interdisciplinary exchange between employment administration, social services, and local businesses. Interested organizations benefit from financial support for staff expansion, employee qualification, and optimization of digital counseling services – an opportunity to secure the integration of skilled workers in the long term and to sustainably strengthen the economic and social fabric in Lower Saxony.