Latest news with #BertelsmannFoundation
Medscape
3 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Visa Hacks: Network That's Fuelling Germany's Care Boom
According to the Bertelsmann Foundation, the German care system is under mounting pressure; demand is set to rise by 50% by 2030, while the workforce is shrinking. If the current trends continue, Germany could face a shortfall in nearly 500,000 full-time caregivers. This gap is a major opportunity for qualified foreign nursing staff. Thorough preparation can ensure stable employment and long-term careers. The following five tips show what is important when entering the German healthcare system, from the recognition of professional qualifications to successful integration into everyday working life. 1. Secure Recognition Anyone wishing to work in Germany as a nursing professional must have their foreign qualifications officially recognised. The federal state authorities are responsible for recognition; this is an example of the process for Bavaria. This process is required by law and ensures that professional knowledge and skills are comparable to the German training standards. Each federal state assesses the equivalence of your training, practical experience, and knowledge of law and professional ethics. Non-EU nationals fall under the Professional Qualifications Assessment Act. If gaps are identified, you can either complete an adaptation course — combining theoretical instruction with practical training — or pass a proficiency test comprising written, oral, and practical exams to demonstrate the necessary professional competence at the required level. Many educational providers such as maxQ, FIA Academy, apm Weiterbildung GmbH, and RENAFAN Academy for Nursing Professions offer targeted preparation courses for the knowledge test — valuable support on the path to successful recognition. Costs range from €500-€2 500, often subsidised by employers or supported by grants from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs or initiatives like 'Triple Win.' 2. Language Skills Professional qualifications are insufficient; applicants must also have sufficient German language skills. Language plays a central role in everyday professional life, whether in conversations with patients, documenting care services, or in collaboration with colleagues from different professional groups. Recognition typically requires a B2 level under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), demonstrating advanced proficiency and the ability to hold technically demanding conversations. Start learning German as early as possible — ideally in your home country — to accelerate integration and reduce delays. 3. Visa and Residence Permit Non-EU care workers must secure work visas and employment permits before arrival. The prerequisite is usually a concrete job offer from a hospital, care home, or outpatient service and proof that the recognition process has begun or been completed. The further this process is advanced, the greater the chances of faster processing of the visa application. In many cases, the visa can also be applied with the aim of obtaining professional recognition in Germany, for example, through an adaptation course or a knowledge test. Admission to the labour market is also required. The Federal Employment Agency issues permit and verify that all conditions are met. This distinguishes between general visas for qualified professionals and special regulations for individual regions of origin. Under the Western Balkans regulation (§ 26 (2) Employment Ordinance), nationals of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia may start work before formal recognition, provided they have an approved job offer and the Federal Employment Agency approves it. High demand can lead to long waits for embassy appointments. 4. Recruitment Agencies Many candidates use placement agencies for support with applications, employer selection, organising immigration, and accommodation. However, not all agencies run reliably. While reputable agencies charge reasonable fees and provide clear, written contracts in your language or English, others may place excessive costs, place workers in exploitative conditions, or withhold passports. Insist on contracts detailing salary, hours, leave, notice periods, duties, and training are clearly defined. Avoid vague fees, long commitment periods, or repayment clauses. Reputable employers pay at least the public sector tariff and often provide mentoring, housing assistance, in-house training, and clear career progression structures. It is also a good sign that employers themselves or through cooperation programs, such as those of the Federal Employment Agency and the German Society for International Cooperation, provide transparent information about the procedure and do not demand any financial advance payments. 5. Embrace Integration A job alone is not enough; true integration comes through social participation. Look for welcome guides, tandem partnerships, and intercultural training to build community ties. Recognition and proficiency test preparation courses offer networking opportunities. Engaging with colleagues, professional associations, or regional nursing chambers will help you settle both professionally and personally. EU professionals Nursing professionals from EU member states benefit from simplified procedures in Germany. Their professional qualifications are recognised automatically, eliminating the need for a complex recognition process. This significantly accelerates entry into the German labour market for many nurses. Although an elaborate recognition procedure is usually unnecessary, applicants must demonstrate German skills at the B2 level (CEFR) to work in Germany. Conclusion Pursuing a nursing career in Germany is achievable but requires patience, preparation, and support. Early research, reputable resources, commitment to verbal language, and cultural integration will greatly enhance your prospects.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The Gulf of Bavaria? If Trump can rename a gulf, why can't we?
If US President Donald Trump can rename the Gulf of Mexico, then Germans can rename bodies of water in their country - and there are plenty of them. What about the "Gulf of Bavaria" for the upper Bavarian tourist magnet Lake Chiemsee Or the "Gulf of East Frisia" for the body of water in the North Sea. Munich offers the "Gulf of Giesing" on the banks of the Isar river. While Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico by decree, people in Germany are choosing to use the Google Maps function to enter places as points of interest. "All kinds of players are now using this to make fun of Donald Trump's renaming decree in a way," says Georg Glasze from the Institute of Geography at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität in Erlangen. Fake reviews poke fun at the US administration "Elon and Donald like it," reads one comment on the 'Gulf of Penzberg' in Lake Huber in Upper Bavaria, which has since disappeared from the map. At the "Gulf of Gaildorf" north-east of Stuttgart, there are calls to "Make Gaildorf great again!" and "Gaildorf First." And on the "Gulf of Zündorf" on the Rhine, someone enthuses: "Wonderful view of the Statue of Liberty at the harbour entrance!" An allusion to Trump's penchant for superlatives can be found in Saxony at the "Great Gulf of Görlitz." "It's the only true Gulf of Görlitz! And it belongs to the good people of Görlitz! Good people! Good golf!" Short shelf life The trend is not expected to last, though. "Google has been monitoring such entries relatively closely for several years," says geographer Glasze. "I assume that these many golf courses in the Google databases are not very long-lasting." In fact, many of them disappeared a short time later, quite unlike Trump's decree. Google has implemented this at least in part, Glasze says. On the maps in Germany, it still says Gulf of Mexico - not Gulf of America, as Trump renamed it by decree. The randomness of names "You could imagine that the many gulfs would make it playfully visible how arbitrary some labelling is - similar to that of the Gulf of America," says Martin Hullin of the Bertelsmann Foundation, one of the largest foundations in Germany, with the aim of making democracy crisis-proof and sustainable. Glasze considers the campaign to be "at least a little subversive." "Geographies are always 'made' - the only question is by whom," he says. In the past, the naming of places was closely linked to the power to enforce this on maps and in practice. Digitalization has changed this, he says, but adds he sees inequalities here too. Large tech companies are increasingly exercising control and monopolizing geographical knowledge, commercializing it and controlling it through the use of algorithms. Google's efforts Google Germany states: "Google endeavours to keep Google Maps as up-to-date as possible and to display correct information to users." Many gulfs quickly fell victim to these checks, including the one in Penzberg in Upper Bavaria, whose Lake Huber, also known as HuberWeiher, had briefly been renamed the Gulf of Huber. This despite the fact that it is a relatively small body of water, more like a pond. It is 400 metres long - compared to the 1.6 million kilometres that spans the Gulf of Mexico. A town spokesman had no problem with the renaming. The town is a carnival stronghold and can cope with a joke, he says.
Zawya
06-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Germany's green jobs double but staff shortage threatens growth, study shows
The share of jobs in Germany related to the energy transition has more than doubled since 2019, but a shortage of skilled workers threatens a sector that has so far resisted the country's recession, a study showed on Thursday. Berlin's push for solar and wind power expansion to meet its climate goals and compensate for a drop in Russian fossil fuel imports has boosted the sector. The number of job offers related to the energy transition rose to 372,500 last year from around 173,000 in 2019, a study the German Economic Institute (IW) for the Bertelsmann Foundation found. As Europe's biggest economy enters its third year of recession, slashing jobs in the steel, automotive, chemicals and other sectors, the energy transition share in the job market grew to almost 4% in 2024 from 1.5% in 2019, the study found. Advertisements for solar energy jobs rose to 102,000 in 2024 from 41,500 in 2019, while the number of wind energy jobs increased by 70% during that period to almost 53,000. But the sector has struggled with a shortage of skilled workers, forcing employers to hire applicants without traditional education or experience as half of positions lacked enough applicants, the study found. (Reporting by Riham Alkousaa; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
Bloomberg
23-02-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Long Government Formation Will Be Difficult for Germany's European Partners, Daniela Schwarzer Says
"The longer it takes to shape a government, the more uncertainty will there be for Germany's role in European affairs and particular on security and defense matters." says Daniela Schwarzer, senior board member of the Bertelsmann Foundation. "A long government formation can be very difficult for European partners to work with.". She speaks to Bloomberg TV's Francine Lacqua and Chad Thomas. (Source: Bloomberg)
