Germany's healthcare sector hit by skilled labour shortages

Berlin : Germany's healthcare sector faces the most severe skilled labour shortages among all industries, according to a study released Saturday by the Competence Centre for Securing a Skilled Workforce at the German Economic Institute.

Approximately 47,400 positions in the healthcare sector could not be filled with suitably qualified candidates between July 2023 and June 2024, it said.

According to the report, the shortage is particularly acute in physiotherapy, with nearly 11,600 vacant roles. Dental assistants and healthcare and nursing staff are also in high demand, with shortfalls of over 7,340 and nearly 7,100 positions, respectively.

The healthcare sector has consistently ranked as the most affected by labour shortages in recent years. "An aging population leads to an increasing need for healthcare services. This increases the burden on the existing skilled workers," the study's authors noted.

Across all industries, Germany faced an average shortage of over 530,000 qualified workers between July 2023 and June 2024, said the report, Xinhua news agency reported.