Struggling Vet Shortage: Foreign Veterinarians to the Rescue
- Consulted on proposed legislation safeguarding animal and environmental welfare.
Veterinary care in rural areas is facing a dire situation due to the scarcity of veterinarians, similar to the human medical field. Lengthy vacancies plague practices, leading to an increasing number of foreign veterinarians being brought in to fill the gap. Matthias Link, a vet in Varrel near Kirchdorf, has been employing a veterinarian from Iran and another from Turkey since 2024.
Asal Ilkhani Zadeh, a 30-year-old from Tehran, moved to the quiet village of Sulingen to work with Link. "At first, it was a bit challenging due to the unique dialect spoken by the locals, especially when they were upset about their animals," she shares.
The work, they note, isn't significantly different from their home country, with Zadeh managing small animal care and Mohammad Ranjbar, a 33-year-old from Tabriz, tending to livestock. During his initial farm visits, Ranjbar learned specialized terms such as milk fever, stone calf, and farrowing from the farmers. He appreciates the tranquility and nature of northern Germany, and is also pleased with the friendly people.
With around 3,000 practicing veterinarians set to retire in the next ten years due to age, the demand for foreign vets is expected to increase. The shortage of veterinarians in private practice, both in Germany and Lower Saxony, is a pressing issue. Practice owners aren't solely dealing with animal welfare; there are also concerns about disease control, feed, and food safety.
The Lower Saxony Veterinary Chamber had 6,819 members last year, with 324 of them being non-German. The current non-German quota stands at 4.8 percent. Applications for licensing from third countries, primarily from Ukraine, Iran, and Turkey, currently stand at 22.
To expedite the recognition of foreign degrees, Lower Saxony's Agriculture Minister Miriam Staudte proposes a knowledge test as an alternative to reviewing documents—a useful measure in case documents cannot be obtained due to flight disruptions or other reasons.
The personnel problem can only be temporarily solved by hiring more colleagues from abroad. Around 800 practice owners in Lower Saxony are aged 57 or older and are expected to retire in the next ten years. The number of study places for veterinary medicine has remained almost stagnant in Germany, with an 85% female proportion among graduates.
Matthias Link has a history of hiring vets from various countries, including Iran, Bulgaria, Poland, Turkey, and Guinea-Bissau. Many have since established their own practices. He emphasizes that the situation has become increasingly dire, with few applicants responding to job ads. Meanwhile, demand for veterinary care, especially for pets, is on the rise due to advancements in medical options.
Link shares that modern veterinary care for small animals bears little resemblance to what it was in the past and that the willingness of pet owners to pay for treatment has also increased. He emphasizes that communication skills are key, as the job is heavily reliant on psychology.
Additional Insights:
- Foreign veterinarians typically require an appropriate visa to work in Germany. The most common visa for professionals is the visa for employment or specialist visa.
- To practice as a vet in Germany, foreign qualifications need to be recognized by the relevant authorities. The Central Office for Foreign Education can assist with this process.
- Proficiency in German or English is often required for employment in Germany, though the specific language requirement may depend on the job.
- Integration courses, professional networks, and local support in Lower Saxony may be available to help foreign professionals settle into the area and find job opportunities.
- To address the rising demand for veterinary services and the impending retirement of numerous practicing veterinarians, community policy should consider enhancing vocational training programs for foreign vets to streamline the recognition of their degrees, such as implementing a knowledge test as a alternative to document review.
- In light of the increasing number of foreign vets in rural areas, the integration of health-and-wellness programs alongside vocational training could help foreign vets navigate cultural differences and encourage a smoother transition into the local community.
