Germany faces shortage of more than 630,000 workers, with health care and education hardest hit

Germany’s public sector needs about 631,000 more employees to meet all its responsibilities, according to an estimate by the German Civil Service Association, dbb. The figure comes from an annual survey of the 42 unions affiliated with the organization.

The shortage has grown from last year’s estimate of about 600,000 workers. Health care and care services face the largest gap, with around 125,500 positions unfilled. Education follows with 120,000 vacancies, while local government lacks about 112,000 employees.

The police and Germany’s armed forces, the Bundeswehr, together are short about 92,000 staff members. Volker Geyer, dbb’s president, warned that the problem is expanding because many positions remain vacant after employees retire.

“If we look at the changed security situation and the expanded security zones that require more intensive monitoring, it immediately becomes clear why we need more police officers,” Geyer said.

The staffing shortage has become one of the German public sector’s biggest challenges in recent years. The sector faces an aging workforce, large numbers of retirements and a growing range of responsibilities.

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If we look at the changed security situation and the expanded security zones that require more intensive monitoring, it immediately becomes clear why we need more police officers.