Strengthening residential care for individuals requires ending the illicit employment of nursing professionals in NRW.
In the heart of Germany, the issue of illegal employment in home care has come to light, particularly during the Corona pandemic. This revelation has been a cause for concern, especially in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), where the Chairwoman of the SPD city council fraction and a member of the state parliament, Sonja Bongers, is taking action.
The pandemic has shed light on the fragility of the shadow economy in supplying home nursing. According to estimates by the German Institute for Applied Nursing Research and the social association VdK, there could be up to 500,000 illegally employed nursing staff from abroad in home care nationwide. In NRW alone, around 125,000 nursing professionals are estimated to be working illegally.
The shortage of nursing professionals has become particularly apparent during the pandemic. This has led to many relatives taking on care or support duties, further exacerbating the situation. Experts from the associations estimate that nine out of ten nursing and care staff from abroad in home care in NRW are illegally and underpaid employed.
The situation is not only detrimental to the employees but also to those who employ them. The lack of legal certainty is a problem for both parties. To address this issue, an amnesty regulation is being proposed, which would allow nursing staff to register in the social security system without facing subsequent prosecution.
Sonja Bongers emphasises the need for financial support for people in need of care and their relatives. She also highlights the danger of tolerating the shadow economy to fill gaps in state-funded care. Many foreign nursing staff who were often employed illegally in home care have returned to their home countries due to the Corona pandemic, further exacerbating the shortage.
Many people, mostly women, are overwhelmed both in terms of time and professionally alongside their job or their own household due to the shortage of nursing professionals. It is becoming apparent how dangerous it is to tolerate the shadow economy to fill gaps in state-funded care.
The amnesty regulation is intended to address the issue of illegal employment of nursing staff in home care. However, the complexity of illegal employment in care work remains an issue without transparent statistics. Current data indicate ongoing difficulties in recognising qualifications and legal employment pathways, but precise figures for illegal employment in this sector and region are not publicly detailed in the available sources.
In conclusion, the issue of illegal employment in home care is a significant concern, particularly in North Rhine-Westphalia. The proposed amnesty regulation aims to provide a solution, but more needs to be done to address the complexities of this issue and ensure the safety and fair treatment of nursing staff and those in need of care.
