Which sector of expertise does Germany desperately need for employment?
Germany is facing a severe shortage of manpower in the health sector, which has created new job opportunities for Pakistani nurses and other skilled professionals.
According to the Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE), German authorities are ready to allow Pakistani citizens to work, provided they meet the prescribed educational and professional standards.
The guidelines issued by BEOE state that the most important step for those wishing to work in Germany is to obtain official approval of their credentials from German institutions. Without this approval, a work visa will not be issued. During the verification process, the candidate’s educational qualifications, work experience and German language proficiency are assessed.
According to the bureau, a B2 level of German language proficiency is generally considered necessary. If a candidate’s qualifications do not meet the German standard, he or she may have to take additional courses or equivalency exams, which are decided by the relevant German authorities.
It should be noted that the shortage of nurses in Germany is a serious problem that is increasing year by year. In 2023, approximately 1.69 million qualified nurses were employed in Germany, which was 10,000 more than the previous year, but the shortage is still very high.
According to the German Federal Employment Agency, only 44 candidates were available for every 100 nursing jobs in 2023, which indicates a severe labor shortage. This year, an average of 35,000 nursing positions were vacant. In addition, a total of 47,400 vacancies could not be filled in the health sector from 2023 to 2024, of which 7,100 were for nursing staff.
According to Germany’s Federal Statistical Office, the number of people in need of care will reach 8.2 million by 2055, requiring at least 150,000 additional nurses by 2040. Another report said that 21,350 vacancies are expected to remain vacant in health and nursing care by 2028. The shortage is highest in hospitals, elderly care homes and home care services.
The German government is taking steps to address this, such as the Triple Win program, which has placed more than 8,000 foreign nurses since 2013, but the problem is compounded by strict immigration policies and bureaucracy.
The first step for Pakistani nurses and other skilled workers seeking employment in Germany is to get their educational and professional credentials approved.
According to German law, in order to work in nursing and certain other fields, it is necessary that the candidate’s degree or diploma obtained in Pakistan is recognized in Germany. Without this approval, neither employment permission is granted nor a work visa is issued.
For this purpose, the candidate has to go to the official website of the German government and find out which category his profession falls under in Germany and which institution is responsible for examining the credentials. For each profession, a specific German institution is appointed that examines educational qualifications and professional experience, and especially in the health sector, this authority is with the provincial institutions.
In the next step, the candidate has to prepare all his necessary documents. These include educational certificates, experience certificates, identity documents and other relevant documents. Usually, a German or English translation of these documents is also required, however, all documents must be complete and correct so that the application is not rejected.
After submitting the application, the German institution compares the candidate’s credentials with the German standard. This examination process may take some time. If the candidate’s qualifications fully meet the German standard, the credentials are recognized, while in case of deficiency, additional training or examination may be instructed.
After the approval of the documents, the candidate can apply for a German work visa. At this stage, it is necessary to have adequate command of the German language, complete the correct documents and other legal requirements. After getting the visa, the candidate can go to Germany and start his job.
It should be noted that the Pakistan Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment has made it clear that it does not charge any fee in this entire process and does not play the role of a recruitment agency.
Candidates have been instructed to avoid unregistered agents and read all the terms and conditions carefully before applying to avoid any kind of difficulty.
Read also: Overseas Pakistanis in Germany can now hold dual citizenship
