Germany is continuing its efforts to recruit more nurses from countries in Latin America to tackle the ongoing labour shortage.
According to the German authorities, thousands of nurses from Mexico have already entered the country, and a high number of nurses from Brazil are expected to reach Germany for work purposes, too.
In order to attract more nurses into the country, the German Minister of Labour Hubertus Heil travelled this year to Latin America, namely to Brazil, to keep on with the recruitment efforts.
In early June of this year, Minister Heil signed a declaration of intent on “fair immigration” with his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Marinho. By signing such a declaration, the authorities said that they aim to simplify the process as well as promote the exchange of skilled workers.
Taking into account the current situation, the Federal Employment Agency has estimated that the country has the potential to recruit up to 700 nursing staff per year.
Nonetheless, despite all these efforts, the Chairman of the Board of the German Hospital Federal, Gerald Gaß, has said that there is one thing from which Germany should refrain, and that is to poach skilled from countries facing the same demographic challenges.
Moreover, with regard to the recruitment programme, Björn Gruber of the German Agency for International Cooperation said that “the Federal Employment Agency and GIZ only hire nurses where the government partners in the countries of origin are in agreement, taking into account the labour market situation in their own country.”
Data show that there are around 2.5 million nurses in Brazil, with the country having an unemployment rate of more than ten per cent in 2021.
Moreover, data also show that in the same year, a total of 2,109 nursing staff came to Germany from Brazil. An additional 652 nursing staff also came to the country from Mexico.
As for the total number, the Federal Government said last year that around 236,000 foreign nurses were employed in the country and were subject to social insurance contributions at the end of 2021.
Germany just recently passed a new law that makes it easier for skilled workers to move to the country.
Announcing the news, the spokesperson of the Interior Minister said that the new law is expected to become fully effective on March 1, 2024.
This means that from next spring, third-country qualified workers will be able to reach Germany for work purposes under more facilitated rules.
