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Germany’s Elder Care Sector Increasingly Dependent on Migrant Workforce

With 18% of care workers now foreign nationals, experts warn of looming staff shortages as retirements approach.

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Overview

  • Nearly one in four elder care workers in Germany are now foreign nationals, highlighting the sector's reliance on migrant labor.
  • Over the past decade, the care workforce has grown by 20% to 1.72 million, with all recent employment growth attributed to foreign hires.
  • In 2024, only 3,000 new care workers came from the EEA and Switzerland, while 13,000 were recruited from non-EEA countries under the Skilled Immigration Act.
  • Part-time work remains prevalent, with approximately half of care workers employed part-time, significantly higher than the one-third average across other sectors.
  • Experts warn of future vacancies as a third of the current workforce is expected to retire within the next 15 years, further straining the sector.