Motivation and Potentials of Healthcare Professionals to Migrate to Germany within the German Framework of the Skilled Immigration Act

The present study examined the situation of Elderly Care Program students to migrate to Germany and establish transnational ties within the framework of the Skilled Immigration Act, which entered into force on March 1, 2020 in Germany. The aim of the study is to look at the skilled worker migration from the perspective of the individual, to reveal his personal migration orientation and to compare this orientation with the objective situation in the target country and also to reveal the migration potential. Although the study specifically focuses on elderly care technician candidates, it aims to present a realistic migration perspective to individuals from other professions. In the study, in which content analysis method was used, the data were obtained from Bayburt University Elderly Care Program students. The findings obtained from the data showed that elderly care technicians candidates have high motivation to immigrate to Germany but their potential is weak. The employment conditions in Turkey and an idealized perception of Germany gave them a status of "potential skilled migrant" in their imagination. But on the other side, Germany's increasing need for qualified personnel and the strong migration ties between the two countries create a solid but more unimpeded and functional ground for individuals who want to immigrate. In this context, the Skilled Immigration Act, which has just entered into force, stands out as an important framework for future joint migration programs and projects that can be produced between the two countries.