Archive

Major hospital reform on the way

A major reform is to create a new basis for hospital care in Germany. The Bundestag (lower house of parliament) was followed today by the Bundesrat (upper house representing the federal states) in approving the reform. A number of hospitals have experienced financial problems in the recent past, partly due to the previous system, and […]

Brandenburg: new digital platform for international nursing staff

The federal state of Brandenburg has launched a digital platform to facilitate the recruitment and integration of international nursing professionals. The online portal ‘Working in Nursing’ offers comprehensive information for professional nursing staff from abroad. The platform offers advice and support as well as practical assistance on topics such as entry, work permits and German […]

Germany: Number of foreign employees in nursing care is increasing significantly

The Institute for Employment Research in Nuremberg announced that in June 2023, almost 1.7 million employees subject to social security contributions were working in nursing care. According to the study, the increase in specialist nursing staff is due exclusively to foreign employees working in Germany. Between 2013 and 2023, the number of foreign employees in […]

The German pharmaceutical industry is facing a shortage of skilled workers

The industry trade union IG BCE and the German Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies are warning of impending competitive disadvantages and a weakening of innovative strength. The most important reason for this is the significant shortage of labour. This applies to laboratories as well as to production halls and research departments in the industry. According […]

Across Germany: customs raid against undeclared work in care

In a nationwide raid, the customs authorities searched for evidence of social security fraud and illegal employment in the care sector. The action was directed against a complex of companies that provide care staff for 24-hour care in private households, according to the public prosecutor’s office in Dortmund and the main customs office in Münster. […]

VDMA: Only one in two mechanical engineering companies can find enough apprentices

The shortage of skilled labour is affecting many sectors in Germany. It has now also reached the traditional branch of mechanical engineering. At the start of the new training year, many apprenticeship places remain unfilled. This is because there is a lack of qualified applicants, according to the industry association VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und […]

German government decides on 18-month nursing assistant education

The German government has decided to introduce a new nursing assistant education programme. The aim of the bill is to ensure that nursing assistants in future undergo a nationally standardised, appropriately remunerated training. Because Germany is divided into 16 federal states, which are allowed to have a say in educational matters, the introduction of such […]

KOFA: employing international skilled workers

The Competence Centre for Securing Skilled Workers, or KOFA for short, is a project commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection that provides advice and support to decision-makers in companies in the form of information and tips. Logically, KOFA encourages the recruitment of personnel from so-called third countries. ‘Looking abroad expands […]