Bachelor's degree or nursing assistant? Why international nursing recruitment needs to be more focused on actual tasks.

International nursing recruitment often begins with questions about qualifications. However, the crucial factor should be identifying the specific tasks a healthcare facility actually needs to fill. Here's why task-oriented workforce planning can lead to better results.

A German employer is looking for a caregiver in the Philippines. The candidate has a four-year bachelor's degree in nursing, several years of professional experience, and good German skills. On paper, everything seems to fit.

However, after arrival and the start of employment, an unexpected challenge sometimes arises: The employer's expectations and the employee's ideas about their future activities do not completely match.

The employer expects practical experience in direct basic care, providing support in daily life, and directly caring for residents. The employee, in turn, may have gained experience in other areas of focus in their previous professional environment and expects a position that better aligns with their existing responsibilities and academic qualifications.

This can lead to misunderstandings, dissatisfaction, and avoidable integration difficulties.

The problem doesn't necessarily lie in the employee's qualifications. Perhaps the wrong question was asked during the personnel planning phase.

1. We often recruit based on qualifications rather than job descriptions.

In international nursing recruitment, formal professional qualifications are often the main focus. Employers look for qualified nurses, check training certificates, and compare qualifications with German requirements.

This is absolutely necessary. Professional requirements, recognition procedures, and the legal requirements for the respective activity must, of course, be met.

However, a degree alone does not answer all the questions that are crucial for successful employment.

What tasks will the employee actually be expected to perform? How much experience do they have in direct patient care? What nursing skills do they possess? What tasks have they previously performed independently? And how do their previous work processes differ from those in a German nursing home?

Those who only answer these questions after entering the country risk that a highly qualified employee will not be used optimally.

Therefore, the crucial question should not be solely:

What degree does the candidate have?

Rather, we must ask:

What specific tasks do we need to fill, and what qualification profile is suitable for them?

2. Different education systems lead to different expectations.

International nursing recruitment also means connecting different education and care systems.

In the Philippines, for example, there are academically trained nurses with a bachelor's degree in nursing. In addition, other qualification profiles exist, such as caregiver training and various forms of nursing support.

The training, career opportunities and actual tasks vary depending on qualifications, employer and pension provider.

The division of tasks between registered nurses and support staff is also not standardized internationally. In certain care systems, nursing assistants take on a significant portion of direct basic care and daily support. At the same time, academically trained nurses may be more heavily involved in clinical, organizational, or coordinating tasks.

However, these differences cannot be applied across the board to all institutions or caregivers in a country. What matters is the individual's training, previous professional experience, and the tasks actually performed.

In Germany, nursing professionals are integrated into a specific system of professional qualification requirements, legally defined responsibilities, and organizational task allocation. The direct care of patients and those in need of care is, of course, an integral part of their daily work.

Those who want to attract international specialists must recognize these differences early on and communicate them transparently.

3. A bachelor's degree is valuable – but not automatically the answer to every staffing need.

An academic degree in nursing is an important qualification. It can impart specialist knowledge, scientific principles, and skills for various nursing tasks.

However, a bachelor's degree does not automatically mean that a candidate has extensive practical experience in all the activities that a German care facility expects.

Conversely, training at a different qualification level does not mean that an applicant would be unsuitable for support roles.

The crucial factor is the combination of education, practical skills, professional experience and the intended area of responsibility.

An employer who requires support with basic daily care should therefore define their job requirements precisely. If, on the other hand, complex caregiving tasks, expert assessments, and legally reserved activities are required, the corresponding professional qualifications and legal prerequisites are decisive.

The point is therefore not to undervalue academically trained nurses or to hire the lowest-qualified staff possible.

The goal is to use qualifications effectively and to realistically describe the actual requirements of a position from the outset.

4. What role can qualified assistants play?

The need for nursing staff cannot be met solely by recruiting as many nurses as possible from abroad. A sensible distribution of tasks within the care facility is equally important.

Nursing professionals must be able to apply their expertise where it is needed. At the same time, qualified support staff can contribute to supporting daily care and support.

Depending on training and legal framework, support activities can include, for example:

• Help with personal hygiene and dressing

• Support with mobility and everyday activities

• Support and care of residents

• Support with food intake within the scope of the respective qualification

• Observation and communication of relevant changes to responsible nursing staff

Which activities may actually be undertaken depends on the respective qualification, the applicable legal requirements, the company regulations and any necessary instructions or delegations.

For employers, this means that they should not automatically define every open position as one for a qualified nurse. First, they must assess the tasks involved and determine the qualifications required for their lawful and safe execution.

It also applies that support staff do not replace qualified nursing staff when their qualifications and responsibilities are legally required.

A well-planned mix of personnel can, in fact, help to meaningfully combine the different skills within a team.

5. Why a realistic job description is crucial even before recruitment

Successful international recruitment begins long before candidate selection.

The employer should first analyze the actual staffing needs. This includes determining which tasks arise daily, which activities require special professional qualifications, and where support from assistants might be beneficial.

Based on this, a realistic requirements profile can be created.

This should not only state the desired qualification, but also describe the specific tasks, the required level of competence, the expected professional experience and the language requirements.

It is equally important to inform candidates early on about the tasks they can expect in Germany. This includes activities that may differ from their previous professional experience.

A transparent selection process creates realistic expectations on both sides and improves the conditions for long-term employment.

This preparation is particularly important for international candidates, because they are not only changing employers, but often also entering a different healthcare system, a new work culture and a new living environment.

6. The legal requirements must match the qualification profile.

When recruiting internationally from the Philippines, task-oriented personnel planning must not be considered separately from legal requirements.

Anyone wishing to work as a nursing professional in Germany must meet the professional requirements for the specific job. Depending on the individual circumstances, a recognition procedure, compensatory measures, or further documentation may be required.

Different requirements apply to support roles than to employment as a recognized nursing professional. Here, too, employers must carefully examine the specific job profile, existing qualifications, and residency requirements.

An academically trained nurse cannot automatically be employed as a recognized nursing professional solely on the basis of their bachelor's degree. Likewise, caregiver training cannot be equated with a German nursing professional qualification without examination.

The employment must match the actual qualification profile and the legally permissible field of activity.

Therefore, personnel planning, qualification assessment and residency advice should be coordinated from the outset.

7. What German nursing homes can specifically change

From my perspective as CEO of Saisy Germany, there are several starting points that employers can use to improve their international nursing recruitment.

First: Analyze the tasks before searching for candidates.

What tasks need to be covered? Which duties require a qualified nurse? Where is qualified support beneficial?

Secondly: Evaluate qualifications in a differentiated manner.

In addition to formal qualifications, practical experience, previous work experience, language skills and individual competencies should be taken into account.

Thirdly: Clarify expectations early on.

Before concluding a contract, employers and candidates must develop a shared understanding of the tasks, responsibilities, and development opportunities associated with the position.

Fourth: Plan the personnel mix strategically.

A care company should examine how nursing professionals and qualified assistants can work together within the framework of legal possibilities.

Fifth: Understand integration as an ongoing process.

Good onboarding, clear contacts, professional support and transparent communication help to integrate international employees into the team in the long term.

These measures cannot solve every problem in the care system. However, they can help to avoid mismatches, make expectations more realistic, and make better use of existing skills.

Conclusion: The highest degree is not automatically the right one – but rather the right profile.

The German nursing sector needs qualified nursing professionals. At the same time, it needs realistic personnel planning, a sensible division of tasks, and greater consideration of different qualification profiles.

International recruitment should therefore not be solely focused on finding the most highly qualified applicants. It should aim to attract people whose qualifications, skills, and professional expectations match the specific job.

This requires that employers know their actual staffing needs, assess applicants individually, and consistently comply with legal requirements.

Perhaps we therefore need to change our initial question.

Not only:

Bachelor's degree or nursing assistant.

But rather:

Which employee is right for which task – and how do we create a care team in which different qualifications work together effectively?

I am convinced that such a perspective can make an important contribution to more sustainable international nursing recruitment.

Successful recruitment doesn't mean recruiting the highest-ranking candidate. It means attracting the right people for the right jobs.

About the author

Jason Heinen is CEO of Saisy Germany UG. The company supports German employers in the international recruitment of skilled workers and trainees. The focus is on a structured candidate selection process, consideration of professional qualifications, and support throughout the necessary steps on the path to employment in Germany.