Federal government: Number of foreign nursing staff increased significantly

In Germany, more and more nursing staff have a foreign passport. But there is still a shortage of skilled workers, says the federal government.

Federal government: Number of foreign nursing staff increased significantly

The number of foreign nursing staff in Germany has increased significantly over past five years. This is a response from federal government to a small request (pdf) of AfD.

According to federal government, about 133,000 foreign nursing staff in Germany were active in June 2017. Five years ago, it was still 79,000. The majority of m – 96 percent – are employed in social security. This figure has refore risen sharply over last five years, but number of marginal employees is only slightly: 5,900.

About half of m come from outside EU, with third-country carers coming from countries in Balkans. The reason for request of a AfD MEP was "reports of a citizen" who failed to obtain visas for Philippine skilled workers.

"The vast majority of skilled labour needs can be covered by domestic workers", writes federal government in its response. Neverless, in almost all federal states re is a shortage of skilled workers in health care and nursing, in rescue service and in obstetrics. In care of elderly mainly trained specialists and specialists are missing: for example for clinical geriatrics, rehabilitation, palliative care or oncology.

Jobs in old care almost six months vacant

For almost half a year, between November 2016 and October 2017, such posts remained vacant on average – more than two months longer than in or occupations. There were only 29 unemployed at 100 reported vacancies in same period. In case of nursing assistants, however, re is a massive imbalance in opposite direction: in nationwide annual average, re were 100 jobs for elderly care workers 522 unemployed, at 100 jobs for nursing assistants even 750.

Health Minister Jens Spahn had announced in March to attract more EU foreigners than caregivers. "Inviting nursing staff from our neighbouring countries is closest option," he said to Rhenish post. The coalition agreement provides for a new immigration law for professionals to simplify and speed up procedures.

The demand for skilled workers blanket federal government already with bilateral cooperation, it says in answer. Up to 2016, a model project was used to recruit Vietnamese elderly nurses. Until 2019 run a similar project for Vietnamese nurses. Or third countries should follow. Bilateral agreements are also underway with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Philippines and Tunisia. However, lack of skilled workers in nursing is not a German problem: according to World Health Organisation, re are no worldwide health workers in 57 states. From se countries, however, federal government does not advertise any nursing staff, it says.

Date Of Update: 12 June 2018, 12:02
NEXT NEWS