Lack of proficient workforce availability - In Thuringia, approximately 2600 international healthcare professionals are employed.
In Thuringia's elderly and health care sector, approximately 2,600 foreign care workers are currently active, as stated by Health Minister Heike Werner (Left). "Without them, providing care for the elderly in Thuringia would be unfeasible," she said in Erfurt.
She highlighted the demographic shift and the growing challenge in securing skilled workers. An ever-shrinking labor force is tasked with caring for an aging population, which is particularly problematic in eastern Germany. Consequently, the state government continues to prioritize targeted and equitable recruitment of foreign care workers, even considering El Salvador.
Fostering a Comfortable Environment for Foreign Care Trainees
A pilot project with trainees from El Salvador is set to commence in September, as per Werner's announcement. The state, hospitals, and care facilities have agreed on training contracts with 13 individuals from the Latin American country. The embassy in Germany is reportedly "quite intrigued" by the project. "Now we need to establish an atmosphere and a welcoming culture where young people with a different language and skin color also feel at ease," the minister emphasized.
Previously, Vietnam had been the primary focus of the state's recruitment efforts for care trainees. In the future, entirely trained specialists from the Southeast Asian country are also planned to be recruited, according to Werner. For this, the training at the Vietnamese schools needs to be adapted so that the certificates are recognized in both Germany and Vietnam. Unlike here, there's no separate training course for geriatric care in Vietnam.
Increased Subsidy for Training Companies
Werner noted that companies and facilities training foreign care workers receive financial support from the state. They receive 5,000 euros per training position, which was raised by 1,000 euros at the start of the year. According to Werner, around 15,000 additional care workers and doctors will be required in Thuringia by 2035.
The Minister also mentioned the consideration of recruiting foreign care workers from El Salvador, beyond existing efforts in Vietnam. She stressed the need to create a welcoming environment for these trainees, ensuring they feel comfortable in their new setting.
Given the increasing number of care workers and doctors required in Thuringia by 2035, as highlighted by the Minister, substantial financial support is provided by the state to companies and facilities training foreign care workers, including those from The Netherlands, to help address this growing challenge.
