Signite's Magazine

The new German government has also brought about a change in personnel at the Ministry of Health. Nina Warken took over from Karl Lauterbach as Federal Minister of Health last week. She is calling for more powers and better working conditions for nursing staff. She believes it is important to tailor tasks more closely to […]

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 […]

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 number of occupations in short supply in Germany fell slightly in 2023, but remains at a very high level. This is the result of the annual analysis of the shortage of skilled workers by the Federal Employment Agency (BA), which has now been published. Shortages in filling vacancies are evident in 183 of the […]

Patient advocates and nursing associations in Germany have expressed alarm at the increasing shortage of staff in nursing homes. Christine Vogler, President of the German Nursing Council, emphasised: ‘In many places, nursing care in Germany is no longer guaranteed’.  In inpatient long-term care alone, there is a shortage of around 115,000 full-time professional carers. At […]

Rashid Hamid now has over 300,000 followers on Instagram. It all started with the fact that he wanted to post a few videos from his everyday life as an outpatient carer, showing excerpts from his working day. He hadn’t expected it to go so viral. The success of the “carer with heart and soul” lies […]

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 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 […]

According to the latest Skilled Labour Report from the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), more than 80 percent of German companies fear negative consequences for their economic development due to labour shortages. The labour shortage is already forcing 40% of companies to reduce their own range of services, while others are losing orders, […]

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 […]