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Spitzenarbeitskraft

English translation: scarce skills


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13:39 Jun 24, 2011
German to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Human Resources / Switzerland - work permit arrangements
German term or phrase: Spitzenarbeitskraft
This is from a university's brochure for newly appointed staff and relates to the granting of work permits to foreigners entering Switzerland. At first I thought it was referring to senior-level posts, but the basic arrangement is that a work permit will only be given to a migrant from a third country if there are no suitable applicants for the job from Switzerland or the EU. The job could therefore be very specialized, but not necessarily at senior level.

"Ausländer und Ausländerinnen aus Drittstaaten werden in der Schweiz zur Arbeit nur zugelassen, wenn es sich um eine Spitzenarbeitskraft handelt. Der Schweizer Arbeitgeber muss nachweisen können, dass er in der Schweiz und im ganzen EU-Raum niemand gefunden hat."

Any suggestions for "Spitzenarbeitskraft" welcome"
Louise Gough
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:10
English translation:scarce skills
Explanation:
This sounds to me like skills which are in demand, but which are not easy to find. See

http://www.migrationpolicy.org/transatlantic/scarceskills.pd... (esp. para. 3)
and

http://www.expatfocus.com/expatriate-switzerland-employment
Selected response from:

Inge Luus
South Africa
Local time: 03:10
Grading comment
I think this fits best in the context. Many thanks for all the suggestions.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +5highly qualified specialist
Kim Metzger
4 +2scarce skills
Inge Luus
3 +1highly skilled workforceFrédéric Guéreau
3highly specialized positions
Darrel Knutson
3Expert(s)
Markus Heinrich
3key personnel
mbrodie


  

Answers


12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
highly skilled workforce


Explanation:
or highly qualified workforce

Frédéric Guéreau
France
Local time: 03:10
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kari Koonin: Except I would say this is about individuals rather than a whole workforce, so highly skilled people perhaps.
24 mins
  -> Ausländer und Ausländerinnen
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17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
scarce skills


Explanation:
This sounds to me like skills which are in demand, but which are not easy to find. See

http://www.migrationpolicy.org/transatlantic/scarceskills.pd... (esp. para. 3)
and

http://www.expatfocus.com/expatriate-switzerland-employment


Inge Luus
South Africa
Local time: 03:10
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
I think this fits best in the context. Many thanks for all the suggestions.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Derek Ferrari-Frankland
3 mins

agree  philgoddard: You mean "an individual with scarce skills", presumably.
5 mins
  -> Its implied - I was shying away from a literal translation of the term in this case.

neutral  Helen Shiner: This might be correct in terms of explaining the background, but it is not a translation for the term queried. I am not sure I see the need to diverge so much from the text.
14 mins
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24 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
highly qualified specialist


Explanation:
I think that would cover it.

Work permit applications can only be submitted by the employer who must demonstrate that he can not fill the open position with a worker of the local work force or recruit on the European labor market. The "local worker priority" provision does not apply to intra-company transfers of executives and highly qualified specialists and to executives and highly qualified specialists indispensable for important research projects or other extraordinary assignments.

http://www.myscience.ch/living/moving_to_ch/work_permit/thir...


Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 20:10
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 423

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Helen Shiner: highly qualified candidate perhaps?
6 mins

agree  Nicola Wood
42 mins

agree  Thayenga: specialist/s :)
1 hr

agree  Ramey Rieger: simply specialist
4 hrs

agree  babli: agree
19 hrs
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Expert(s)


Explanation:
This means the same thing as the other suggestions, but is more succinct. You could also add something like " in their field" after it, if you wish.

Markus Heinrich
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
key personnel


Explanation:
another idea

mbrodie
Local time: 02:10
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 18
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
highly specialized positions


Explanation:
(taking a slightly different angle)
In Switzerland third country nationals are only permitted to work in highly specialized positions. The Swiss employer must also show that he was unable to find another person suitable for the job in Switzerland or throughout the entire EU.

Darrel Knutson
Germany
Local time: 03:10
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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