Ticket to the future: Artemisa dreams of a job in Germany
A university degree as a prerequisite for the profession: in Albania, the academization of nursing is already well advanced. Anyone who wants to improve their chances of being hired after completing a bachelor's or master's degree looks to Germany, where skilled workers are urgently needed. DEKRA helps with its "Expert Migration" program to acquire the necessary language and cultural skills and arranges contacts with nursing facilities and clinics.
First steps into professional life in Hamburg
Nurse Artemisa Lala sees her future in Germany as full of opportunities: the 21-year-old from Tirana wants to move to Hamburg, to the Pro Seniore Residenz nursing home. She already has her employment contract in her pocket and is set to start in the summer of 2026. "There I can take my first steps into professional life and at the same time deepen my knowledge of German technical terms," she says determinedly.
Later, she wants to work as a registered nurse. Why are she and many of her classmates drawn to Germany? "I've heard a lot about the well-organized healthcare system there. I can learn a lot more there and try out the latest medical equipment and procedures. And, of course, the pay is much better. In Albania, on the other hand, my career prospects are rather poor."
The Expert Migration program by DEKRA as an opportunity
Artemisa learned about DEKRA's "Expert Migration" program from fellow students: there, young people are prepared to communicate in German in their profession – with colleagues, patients, doctors, and relatives – with the help of a training nursing station during several months of training.
On the second floor of a high-rise building in the center of Tirana, a nursing bed, training dolls, medical equipment, and aids for caring for the elderly and sick await the young professionals – just like in a real ward.
Alma Kosova prepares her students for Germany
Experienced teachers such as Alma Kosova bring their students up to German language level B2 in several months – which is a prerequisite for working as a nursing assistant and later as a nursing professional. The 50-year-old has been with DEKRA Expert Migration for ten years and is still as passionate as ever: "Helping people through language, motivating them, and preparing them for this new phase in their lives is very important to me," she says.
Along the way, the trained interpreter and educator has also learned a lot herself: "The German technical language in the clinical field was a challenge at first. Now I've almost become a nurse myself," she laughs. "But seriously, the best thing about my job is the variety of work and communicating with young people."
Hands-on training and flexible schedules for aspiring nurses.
In order to accommodate the working hours of the mostly employed nursing staff, DEKRA offers classes from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and then again from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Alma Kosova and around 20 trainers teach the course content not only theoretically, but also practically using role-playing games. These are based on typical everyday situations: "The students slip into the role of a patient, they play relatives, doctors, and, of course, nursing staff. We give them a specific clinical case, and then this situation is played out in German: greeting, discussing complaints, carrying out all measures from basic care to handover. In this way, we train practical knowledge and language skills at the same time," she explains.
Once participants have reached language level A2 or B1, their trainers and the Expert Migration Team Germany put them in touch with the nursing and retirement homes, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers participating in the program. "The care facilities and clinics introduce themselves to our participants in presentations. Due to the shortage of skilled workers, Albanians can choose almost any place they want to go."
The new nurses impress with their knowledge and commitment
Florian Mann, facility manager at AWO Unterfranken, confirms the good reputation of DEKRA's Expert Migration program in German nursing homes. The facility in Wörth am Main, which he manages, has already employed seven skilled workers from Albania. "Our experience has been entirely positive. What is particularly striking is the extensive theoretical knowledge they already bring with them. All of the candidates so far have impressed us with their willingness to learn and their absolutely correct and respectful treatment of residents, relatives, and other caregivers." At specialist conferences, this way of finding competent employees is a hot topic – partly because it is difficult to find good nursing staff here.
Homes in smaller towns are popular with Albanian participants, but most are drawn to larger cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, and Frankfurt, says Alma Kosova: "They often already have a network of friends and acquaintances there." Participant Artemisa chose Hamburg because her fiancé is already waiting for her there. The DEKRA program is her ticket to a bright future: "Everything was very clearly structured, both linguistically and technically. I am already at B1 level, but I am progressing quickly and am looking forward to Germany and my new life there."