ÖIF and nursing agencies support foreign nursing staff in learning German and entering the Austrian job market
Vienna (OTS) – Against the background of the high shortage of skilled workers in nursing and health professions, the integration service for skilled workers of the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) is launching special German courses for nursing professionals from abroad in six federal states.
German courses and exams for nursing staff with training acquired abroad are starting in Vienna, Tyrol, Salzburg and Styria in collaboration with Talent & Care, an agency specializing in the placement of nursing specialists from South America and Asia; The ÖIF takes over the financing of the course measures. In Burgenland, the ÖIF cooperates with the Burgenland social services in the linguistic qualification of nursing staff from the Philippines and Hungary; further related projects are being planned in Upper Austria, among others. In addition to learning German, the ÖIF Integration Service also supports foreign skilled workers financially in recognizing the qualifications acquired abroad and offers advice and seminars on living and working in Austria for nursing staff or immigrants interested in a job in the nursing and health sector at. According to Health Austria’s (GÖG) nursing staff demand forecast, there will be a shortage of around 200,000 nursing and care staff in Austria by 2050.
Integration Minister Susanne Raab: “The Health Austria forecast shows an acute need for around 200,000 nursing and care staff by 2050. Against this background, the Austrian Integration Fund is launching special nursing German courses for prospective nursing staff from abroad in six federal states. In collaboration with Talent & Care, German courses and exams are supported for nursing staff who have received training abroad. These measures are crucial to overcome the shortage of skilled workers in nursing and to ensure the quality of care in Austria.”
Sonja Ziganek, overall manager of integration programs at the ÖIF: “The ÖIF integration service for skilled workers takes a further step to support immigrants with training in nursing and health professions acquired abroad when starting a career in the health sector in Austria: After the expansion of professional recognition funding and the new funding for study contributions for people in the nostrification process With regard to health and nursing professions, the ÖIF supports German courses for nursing staff born abroad so that they can use the qualifications they have brought with them more quickly in Austria.
Julian Hadschieff, founder and owner of the Humanocare group of companies: “I very much welcome this initiative by the ÖIF and think it is important that integration succeeds by further improving the German skills of foreign nursing staff. These people make an important contribution to strengthening and improving the domestic healthcare system by helping to meet our needs for qualified professionals, promoting diversity and cultural sensitivity and reducing the burden on existing staff.”
Dr. Johannes Zsifkovits, Managing Director of Social Services Burgenland: “Nursing staff from abroad helps us fill those positions that we cannot win through training alone. The prerequisite for nursing activities is that the nursing staff must have sufficient knowledge of German. The German courses play an important role in guaranteeing the quality of care and support.”
Part-time German courses for recruited nursing staff from abroad
Qualified nursing staff from abroad who come to Austria through recruitment programs and have already acquired their first knowledge of German in their country of origin usually start as nursing assistants immediately after their arrival in Austria and improve their German at the same time. As part of the cooperation, the ÖIF integration service for skilled workers supports the necessary German courses and examinations so that foreign nursing staff can quickly reach the B2 language level (advanced knowledge of German) required for nostrification in order to be able to subsequently be employed as qualified nurses. In addition to German courses and exams, the ÖIF integration service for skilled workers also supports tuition fees for nostrifying students in health and nursing professions if necessary. The costs for issuing notices of recognition, assessments and translation costs for documents and certificates are also covered.
Career opportunities in nursing: ÖIF career platforms throughout Austria inform immigrants about health and nursing careers
In order to inform job-seeking participants from ÖIF German courses about employment opportunities in the nursing and health sector, the ÖIF organizes its own information events throughout Austria. As part of these career platforms, institutions such as the Vienna General Hospital, KAGes, AUVA, Caritas and the Red Cross provide information about vacancies and entry and training opportunities in the health and care sector. On site, participants have the opportunity to conduct initial job interviews with recruiters and apply for open positions or training positions. The first events have already taken place in Vienna, Styria and Upper Austria, and further events are planned throughout Austria in the coming weeks.
Fit for your job: Subject-specific online German course on the topic of nursing
With the new free online specialist language course “Learn German for Nursing”, the ÖIF offers foreign-born nursing staff and immigrants with an interest in the health and care sector the opportunity to learn German, regardless of time and location. The job-specific course is aimed at people who are interested in professions such as nursing assistants, nursing assistants, specialist social care, home help or 24-hour care, are in nursing training or are already pursuing a nursing profession. The course contains over 1,000 exercises on job-specific, medical vocabulary and speaking with practical situations from everyday working life and can be completed regardless of location or time. For people who are unable to attend a local German course due to their working hours or shift work, German courses at off-peak times and a wide range of daily online courses as well as over 5,000 exercises for self-learning are also available on Sprachportal.at, the largest German learning platform in the German-speaking region. available. The ÖIF’s freely accessible online German learning offering attracted around 100,000 participants last year. More information at www.sprachportal.at/pflege.
New funding for people in the nostrification process for health and care professions
The ÖIF integration service for skilled workers has also expanded funding opportunities for the recognition of foreign degrees and qualifications in the health and care sector so that they can be used in Austria as quickly as possible. Tuition fees from an Austrian university or an Austrian university of applied sciences for immigrants will be reimbursed during the nostrification of health professions such as doctors, health and nursing staff or midwives. Costs for issuing notices of recognition, assessments and translation costs for documents and certificates are also eligible for reimbursement. In 2023, the ÖIF approved around 1,500 applications for professional recognition and reimbursed over 220,000 euros in costs incurred through the recognition process.
About the ÖIF integration service for skilled workers
As a central contact point for well-qualified immigrants and their relatives, the ÖIF Integration Service for skilled workers offers information, advice and events on pre-integration, living and working in Austria as well as ÖIF German learning opportunities. Reference is also made to existing regional and national offers throughout Austria. The integration service offers further training and German learning opportunities for companies to support foreign skilled workers in their integration. More information at www.integrationsservice.at
Questions & Contact:
Austrian Integration Fund
+43 17 10 12 03 375
presse@integrationsfonds.at
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