Carstensen fights for Namibian nurses: A path to the future!

Carstensen fights for Namibian nurses: A path to the future!

In the tranquil constituency of Bundestag member Sandra Carstensen (CDU), intensive work is currently being done to solve a very specific problem. Florence Kurija, a 48-year-old migrant from Namibia, received Carstensen's support to secure her stay in Germany. Carstensen visited the Laboe nursing home, where Kurija works as a reliable employee, and spoke to the head of the facility, Reiner Brinkmeier, about the situation of the dedicated nursing staff. Their goal is to obtain a reprieve in order to find a solution for Kurija and support her future in Germany.

Florence Kurija has been living in Germany for over a year and has integrated well into her surroundings. Carstensen sees the training contract as the best way to obtain a residence permit for Kurija. The member of the Bundestag emphasizes the urgency of promoting skilled workers in the nursing sector. Around 400,000 skilled workers are needed from abroad every year to counteract the shortage of skilled workers. As part of the Skilled Immigration Act, which has been in force since 2020, one of the aims is to increase skilled immigration and thus combat bottlenecks in the labor market.

Important steps to support

In order to meet the requirements for Kurija's residence permit, the nursing home in Laboe is offering an early training contract. Kurija could first complete a one-year pre-qualification as a nursing assistant before she is trained as a nursing specialist. The decision on a new application for the right of residence ultimately lies with the Plön district and the responsible immigration authority. Carstensen also plans to involve the district administrator of the Plön district, Björn Demmin, in the discussions in order to receive additional support.

A central point of the discussion is also contact with the embassy in Namibia in order to obtain Kurija's missing school leaving certificate. These bureaucratic hurdles are not only a challenge for Kurija, but also affect many migrants who often work in shortage jobs. An evaluation by the Federal Statistical Office shows that people with a history of immigration are strongly represented in professions with a shortage of skilled workers. About 60% of welding and joining technicians had an immigrant background, as did 54% of cooks and food manufacturing workers.

Integration and future perspectives

Promoting migrants on the German labor market is essential. Over 26% of employees in Germany have a history of immigration, and the proportion of people with a migration background in the total population is 25.6%. The Report from the Tagesschau also talks about the great need in geriatric care and the shortage of skilled workers in many other areas. There is no question: people like Florence Kurija are extremely valuable for the German job market. It is therefore important that integrated people are supported - in line with the skilled workers strategy called for by Carstensen.

It is now important for Carstensen and her team to take the best possible steps to offer Florence Kurija and other migrants a lasting perspective. The support provided by the Skilled Immigration Act and the existing structures could be crucial here.