Take families into account

For some of the nurses who are taking up this challenge and are going through the recognition process in Germany, moving to Germany may mean that they have to initially leave their family behind in their country of origin. It is important for employers to be aware of this and to be sensitive to this particular situation and to the nurses who have arrived, right from the beginning. After all, the prospect of staying with the company in the long term can be decisively related to family reunion and to the extent to which a company succeeds in addressing this issue.

The legal framework for family reunion is regulated in §27 ff AufenthG . The law differentiates between reunion of EU citizens and family members from third countries. You can find an understandable explanation of the legal text on the pages of the integration commissioner of the Federal Republic. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) is also responsible for this topic.

The platform make-it-in-germany offers international nurses information on the topic of migrating to Germany for work and also on the topic of family reunion. As a company, you can inform your international nurses about this online service. However this does not replace the personal advice and support in, for example, the correct processing of official documents.

The DKF has created an online impulse on the topic of “Family reunification as an important component for the social integration of internationally recruited nurses”. Here you can get an overview of important aspects (only in German language available):

A lot of time may pass before the family can also come to Germany, since the reunion can only be initiated when the nurse has acquired full professional recognition. In addition, it should be noted that family members of working age also need work and housing when they come to Germany. For these reasons, it is important for employers, in addition to establishing a sustainable integration management policy, to network well with local and regional stakeholders. A well-developed support network can help the internationally recruited nurses feel part of the family and feel at home in Germany during the time until their family can join them; and their questions, worries and fears can be dealt with. At the same time, these networks can be important contact points and even potential employers for the family joining the nurse. Some stakeholders are listed below:

• IQ-Landesnetzwerke
• Immigration counselling centres of the charitable organisations and other civil stakeholders
• Digital immigration counselling service mbeon
• Immigrant organisations on site
• Partnerships with other hospitals and care facilities
• Language schools
• Municipalities
• Housing associations etc.

The long separation from family and friends in the country of origin can be difficult for new colleagues, especially in the early days after arriving, and can make them homesick. The thoughts and feelings associated with this can have a significant effect on wellbeing, which in turn can affect their ability to work. Repeatedly empathising with the situation of newly arrived colleagues can be particularly valuable for employers, in order to support the nurses in maintaining contact as much as possible.

Despite the lack of opportunities for direct family reunion during the recognition process, employers can still support their international nurses. For example, even small things, such as a well-functioning and stable internet connection in the accommodation and access to the German mobile phone and telephone system, help to prevent homesickness. Also, institutions can consider at an early stage whether it can be made possible for the nurses to take a longer family vacation after their professional recognition, so that the time in the country of origin is also worthwhile and not limited to one or two weeks.