My understanding is that this has been superceded by the new immigration act as of 1 Jan 2005, which basically says that foreign professionals are welcome to seek employment if they work in a profession in which a shortage exists, i.e. do not displace any native or EU citizen. Consequently, no special rules exist any longer for individual occupational groups. source/xlation m.o.

My wife is in IT, and we know a lot of German software people who are out of work.

I don't mean to say that it is impossible (especially if you have a prospective employer in your corner), but it's not as easy as it used to be.

"Ideas or the lack of them can cause disease." - Kurt Vonnegut