Friday, 12 December 2025
“I always wanted to go to Germany – now I’m baking Black Forest gateau in Baiersbronn”. Michelle Audrellia Claudy, 23, never really got to know Germany – and yet she felt a connection to it even as a child. Her grandfather had lived here for 20 years and worked as a chef before he died when Michelle was just one year old. What remained were the stories her parents told her. Of German punctuality, streusel cake – and of a country he loved more than anything. Today, Michelle is 23 years old. She lives in Baiersbronn in the Black Forest, works as a chef in the patisserie at the Wellnesshotel Tanne Tonbach – a family-run business – and bakes the Black Forest gateau, which she knew only by hearsay as a child. She paved her way to Germany by entering into a recognition partnership with her employer – this allowed her to enter the country on a work contract and she is receiving close support on her path to the official recognition of her qualifications.
From Surabaya via Dubai to the world
Michelle grew up in Surabaya, Indonesia. Even as a teenager, she knew exactly what she wanted: she didn’t just want to cook – she wanted to create works of art with her hands. So she decided to undertake a two-year course in culinary arts, gastronomy and pastry making at The Sages Institute International in Surabaya. After graduating, she moved on to Dubai: first as an intern at the JW Marriott Marquis, then for a year as a chef at the top-class restaurant Salmon Guru. The job was demanding, international and intense. And yet: something was missing. “I had experience, I had skills – but my heart wasn’t in it yet”.
Learning German in Bali – with a goal in mind
Back in Indonesia, she decided to finally take concrete steps towards her dream. She moved to Bali for six months to learn German intensively – every day, in a structured way and with complete focus. She spoke only German with her Indonesian friends who were already living in Germany, and in May 2024 she successfully passed the B1 exam at Wisma Jerman Surabaya. “I studied German every day. It was hard, but I had a clear goal: to live and work in Germany”.
The Job with a Plan
After her language test, she prepared intensively for her job applications. She researched how to write a CV in Germany and how a job interview works – and eventually found her current role as a pastry chef at a family-run hotel in Baiersbronn on the Hotelkarriere.de platform. She applied. Interviews followed. And then: the offer. What Michelle didn’t know was that her future employer wasn’t just impressed by her – he also had a good network. The Welcome Centre North Black Forest recommended the ProRecognition project to him, which supports international skilled professionals on their path to recognition. He passed this information straight on to Michelle.
Without this advice, there’s a lot I wouldn’t have known. But thanks to ProRecognition, everything became clear: what documents I need for the recognition partnership, how the visa application process works, and what options I have.
From visa to recognition
Michelle had originally applied for a different visa – but it didn’t suit her situation. Following a consultation with the ProRecognition team in Jakarta, she changed her plans: she opted for a recognition partnership – which means she enters the country with an employment contract, and her German employer undertakes to support her throughout the recognition process. To speed things up, her employer also initiated an accelerated skilled professional procedure with the relevant immigration authority in Baden-Württemberg – an option that simplifies the visa process for international skilled professionals. Together, they signed the recognition partnership agreement – and in January 2025, Michelle received approval for her visa.
Arriving in the Black Forest
On 25 February 2025, Michelle landed in Germany. It was cold. In Jakarta, it had been 32 degrees – here there was snow on the ground. But Michelle was prepared: her employer picked her up from the station, had found her a flat, and helped her open a bank account, register with the authorities, and sort out everything else she needed in a new country. “I was impressed by how well they looked after me. I was new here – but not alone.” Together, they submitted an application for recognition of her qualification to the IHK FOSA. After six months working in the hotel, the good news arrived: Michelle’s qualification was fully recognised. Today, she not only works as a chef in a patisserie in the Black Forest – her training is now also officially recognised as equivalent to training completed in Germany. For Michelle, this is an important milestone that opens up new prospects: further training, career progression, perhaps even the master craftswomen’s title.
Learn German well. Don’t be afraid. Seek support – for example, from initiatives like ProRecognition. And believe in yourselves. Germany offers opportunities – make the most of them.
Recognition partnership & ProRecognition
The recognition partnership enables skilled professionals from third countries to begin the process of having their foreign qualifications recognised only after arriving in Germany, whilst at the same time already working in a skilled role. The ProRecognition project supports skilled professionals through every stage of the recognition partnership – from initial advice and the recognition process right through to visa matters.