Signite's Magazine

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

Germany’s Federal Statistical Office has published new statistics on the recognition of foreign professional qualifications. According to the figures, the number of positive recognition procedures increased from 52,300 in 2022 to 65,300 in 2023 (up 25 per cent). This is 11% more than in the previous year. Compared to 2016, when Destatis recorded the recognition […]

The German Professional Association for Nursing Professions (DBfK) has accused hospital employers of not taking enough action against the shortage of nursing staff. There is too often a lack of introduction of more attractive roles for nursing staff and modern, i.e. more flexible working time models. The reform of hospital structures currently being discussed by […]

German hospitals have a massive staffing problem in nursing. Almost every hospital (94%) has vacant nursing positions on general wards that are not filled. Three quarters of intensive care units have vacancies in intensive care. And in two thirds of hospitals with paediatric wards, positions remain unfilled. The figures are the result of a representative […]

The new Immigration Act will make it easier for job seekers and people from the Western Balkans to immigrate to Germany. In this third and final part, we look at the laws that will apply from June 2024. Introduction of the job search opportunity card An opportunity card will be introduced for job-seeking residence. There […]

Staff shortages continue to be one of the biggest problems in Germany. And it will become even more acute in the future. This has a lot to do with the ageing German society. According to a study by the RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research, 5.7 million people in need of care can be […]

Skilled workers in the care of the elderly currently earn 53 per cent more than in 2015. This is the result of the new wage atlas of the Federal Employment Agency. In hardly any other occupational field have wages increased more in recent years than in the care of the elderly. The employers’ association bpa […]

The law was passed in 2015. It was to have been implemented from 2020. In 2023, Bavaria was the first to dare to introduce the language test for physiotherapists, among others… But since no other federal state did anything, the introduction of this test, which has long been mandatory for human medicine throughout Germany (at […]

Berlin is introducing a specialised language test for nursing staff with foreign qualifications. This makes it the latest federal state to implement the law, which was passed years ago, albeit with a delay. The specialised language test at B2 level is intended to ensure that the necessary language skills are available to work competently and […]

There are a number of accounts on Instagram that you can use to learn or refresh your knowledge of your nursing profession. You already know everything? Great! Then you can use the posts to improve your German as a foreign nurse. Most of the information is very compact and covers a medical or nursing topic. […]

The health and education company SRH has conducted a representative survey which found that 96% of working people in Germany consider healthcare and nursing to be essential. However, most are unaware of the extensive career prospects in this field. Meaningful work, but little knowledge about specialisations and career opportunities: those who decide to train as […]

According to the Federal Statistical Office, people working in healthcare and nursing professions earned significantly more last year than they did ten years ago. Full-time employees in this sector earned an average of €4,048 gross in April 2024, excluding special payments, compared with €2,829 gross in 2014. This means that the increase in earnings is […]

The shortage of skilled workers in key professions involved in the energy transition is becoming increasingly acute. Craft and technical professions, which are essential for the expansion of renewable energies, are particularly affected. This is the result of a study by the Competence Centre for Securing Skilled Workers (Kofa) at the employer-friendly German Economic Institute […]

Since January, employers and trade unions have been arguing about future incomes and working hours in the public sector at federal and municipal level. This led to several strikes, and in the end mediators had to intervene. A collective agreement was finally reached recently. It affects more than 2.5 million municipal and federal employees. These […]