Foreign Vets on the Rise: Addressing the SkillsGap in Lower Saxony's Veterinary Field, Especially with Imports From Iran
International Recruitment of Vets: Scarcity of Local Veterinarians Prompts Hiring from Overseas - Consultation held on proposed legislation safeguarding animal and environmental welfare
Hey there! Today, let's talk about an interesting topic: the growing need for veterinarians in Germany, particularly in rural areas like Lower Saxony. Due to a persistent skills gap, foreign vets are increasingly joining the ranks to fill open positions that linger for months.
Take the case of Matthias Link from Varrel near Kirchdorf, who has been employing foreign vets since 2024. His team includes an Iranian vet, Asal Ilkhani Zadeh, and Mohammad Ranjbar, another Iranian vet from Tabriz.
Zadeh and Ranjbar share that their work isn't vastly different from what they did back home in Iran. Zadeh focuses on small animal practice, while Ranjbar handles livestock. Initially, they faced challenges due to differences in dialect and regional slang. But, they quickly learned on-the-job terms like milk fever, stone calf, or farrowing, and have grown to enjoy life in northern Germany.
Alarmingly, around 3,000 practice owners are set to retire due to age within the next decade, while the country grapples with a high female share—over 70%—of practicing vets, most of whom work part-time. This statistics underscores the need for more full-time veterinarians, especially in rural areas like Lower Saxony.
Recognizing the urgency, the Lower Saxony state government is pushing for a faster procedure to certify foreign veterinary qualifications. However, the issue has been delayed in the Bundesrat, according to Minister of Agriculture Miriam Staudte (Greens). Not only practice owners, but also veterinary offices are struggling with skills shortages. "And it's not just about healthy animals, but also about disease control, feed and food safety," Staudte says.
In 2021, the Lower Saxony Veterinary Chamber had 6,819 members, of whom 324 did not have German citizenship, making up 4.8% of the total. Current applications come mainly from Ukraine, Iran, and Turkey.
To speed up the certification process, Lower Saxony’s Minister of Agriculture Staudte proposes the possibility of a knowledge test instead of reviewing documents, should applicants be unable to provide their papers due to unforeseen circumstances.
Given the imminent retirement of 800 practice owners aged 57 and above in Lower Saxony over the next ten years, and the relatively stable number of vet students across Germany, it's clear that vet practices in the region will continue to struggle to find the right talents. However, embracing a diverse workforce—such as the Iranian vets in Varrel—could be the key to addressing this problem.
Over the years, Link, the practice owner, has worked with vets from diverse backgrounds such as Iran, Bulgaria, Poland, Turkey, and Guinea-Bissau. His experience shows that attracting and retaining skilled vets is essential to the success of vet practices. "Today, what we do with small animals is nothing like it was in the past," says Link. The advancements in veterinary medicine have created higher demand for care, making it all the more crucial to have a skilled workforce.
So, that's it! A brief introduction to the challenges facing rural vet practices in Germany and how recruiting foreign vets, like those from Iran, could help address the skills gap. Stay tuned for more updates on this fascinating topic!
- Skills Shortage
- Lower Saxony
- Germany
- Iran
- Tabriz
- Kirchdorf
- Veterinarian
- Workforce Diversity
Although the skills shortage in the veterinary field, particularly in rural areas like Lower Saxony, Germany, is a pressing issue, the Lower Saxony state government is advocating for a faster process to certify foreign veterinary qualifications. This could potentially attract more skilled professionals from countries like Iran, as evidenced by the experiences of practice owners like Matthias Link who have successfully integrated Iranian vets, such as Asal Ilkhani Zadeh from Tabriz and Mohammad Ranjbar, into their workforce. Embracing workforce diversity can be key to addressing this issue, as shown in Link's various international hires. Additionally, the advancements in veterinary science require a skilled workforce to keep up with the increased demand for animal care.
