Cross-border workers from Ticino: jobs are scarce, but not the right ones

Context

TL;DR

• Nursing courses in Varese have 249 spots but only 166 applicants for 2025.
• Magell project offers training and internships to fill healthcare staff shortages.
• Robots and AI are entering the job market, raising questions about future employment.
• Emma, a social robot, helps combat loneliness in German nursing homes.

Key facts

• Nursing spots: 249 available spots for 2025/2026 academic year.
• Applications: 166 applications received for nursing courses.
• Magell project: Offers accelerated training and paid internships in healthcare.
• Emma robot: Social robot developed in Munich for German nursing homes.
• Loneliness: One in five people over 80 in Germany report severe loneliness.
• Internship duration: 6-month paid internship in Ticinese healthcare facilities.
• Scholarship: Monthly scholarship of 1,200 CHF for participants.
• Application deadline: Applications for 2026 open in June 2025 and close in September 2025.

In Varese, the nursing courses at the University of Insubria closed 2025 with just 166 applications for 249 available spots. The figures paint a paradoxical picture: while healthcare facilities in Ticino and Lombardy struggle to find staff, university classrooms stand empty. The Magell project, launched by the Gulliver Centre in collaboration with Lombardy Region and the university, aims to bridge the gap with targeted training paths. But the issue extends beyond healthcare. In China, a bioengineering student was rejected from a PhD program in the Netherlands not due to her qualifications, but because her home university is linked to defense projects. A situation pushing many young people to seek opportunities abroad, even with a PhD in hand.

Meanwhile, at a Chinese tech startup, robots are learning tasks like folding T-shirts or moving boxes. Not yet fully operational, their algorithmic training raises a question: who is really seeking work? Humans or machines? Emma, a social robot developed in Munich, works instead in German nursing homes. Designed to combat loneliness among the elderly, it offers a concrete solution: one in five people over 80 in Germany report severe loneliness. Here too, the labor market struggles to match supply and demand. In Lombardy, for example, nurses are in short supply, yet university course spots remain vacant. At the Gulliver Centre in Varese, the Magell project is working to reverse the trend with accelerated training programs and paid internships in Swiss and Italian healthcare facilities.

The paradox of university courses

The University of Insubria’s data is clear: for the 2025/2026 academic year, the nursing degree programs in Como, Varese and Busto Arsizio had 249 available spots, but only 166 applications were received. This decline reflects a broader trend: many young people now prefer shorter training programs or less regulated sectors where entry into the workforce is faster. The Magell project, funded by Lombardy Region and the Gulliver Centre, is attempting to reverse this trend with vocational courses and internships in healthcare facilities in Ticino, where demand for staff is high but access to training is often hindered by language barriers or bureaucracy.

Robots and PhD candidates: two sides of the same coin

📊 In China, tech startups are experimenting with artificial apprenticeships. Robots learning to recognize objects, grasp slippery items or perform repetitive tasks. Their “brains” are often developed in collaboration with US universities like Stanford, while the hardware is built in China. Despite progress, these robots are not yet ready to fully replace human labor. Yet their existence raises a question: are we training the right people for the jobs of the future?

💡 On the other side of the world, a Chinese bioengineering student was rejected from a PhD program in the Netherlands—not for academic merit—but because her home university is linked to defense projects. A story that repeats across many sectors: the globalization of work favors those who can move freely, while penalizing those tied to local contexts or deemed “sensitive” industries.

The case of Emma: robots in nursing homes

🔍 Emma is a social robot developed by a startup in Munich. It doesn’t work in a factory, but in German nursing homes. It recognizes faces, remembers conversations and keeps elderly residents company. A technological solution to a real problem: loneliness among the over-80s. According to German data, one in five people in this age group describes themselves as severely lonely. Emma represents both a technological response to a staffing shortage and a confirmation that the labor market is changing radically.

Operational details

The issue of underenrolled courses in Lombardy and Ticino is not just educational, but systemic. Ticinese and Lombard healthcare facilities struggle to recruit nurses, yet young people prefer faster career paths or less regulated sectors. The Magell project aims to bridge this gap, but structural solutions are needed. Meanwhile, robotics and artificial intelligence are entering the job market, creating new roles while making some traditional professions obsolete.

Before vs. After: What Has Changed

Until a few years ago, becoming a nurse in Lombardy or Ticino required a three-year degree followed by public exams. Today, courses at the University of Insubria remain underenrolled, while Ticinese and Lombard healthcare facilities grapple with staff shortages. The Magell project is a partial response: it offers accelerated training pathways and paid internships, but it does not address the root of the problem. Many young people now favor sectors like logistics, IT, or commerce, where entering the job market is quicker and less constrained by formal requirements.

The Role of Cross-Border Workers

For cross-border workers who live in Lombardy but work in Ticino, the situation is even more complex. Ticinese healthcare facilities rely heavily on foreign staff, but language barriers and bureaucratic hurdles often hinder the hiring of Italian nurses. The Magell project seeks to overcome these obstacles with Italian-language courses and internships in Ticino’s healthcare facilities. However, more inclusive policies from Ticinese institutions are also needed, as they often favor locally trained personnel.

Robots vs. Humans: Who Wins?

Artificial learning is becoming a reality in many sectors. Robots that learn to perform repetitive tasks, such as folding T-shirts or moving boxes, are entering Chinese factories. However, these robots still cannot fully replace human labor. Years of development are still needed to make them 100% reliable. In the meantime, the job market continues to be dominated by traditional professions, where demand for staff outstrips supply.

Emma: A Solution or a Wake-Up Call?

Emma, the social robot developed in Germany, represents a technological response to the loneliness of the elderly. Yet its existence raises a question: are we truly addressing the shortage of human staff, or are we surrendering to technology? German nursing homes are experimenting with hybrid solutions, where robots and humans collaborate to improve residents’ quality of life. But it will take years before this technology becomes accessible to all facilities.

The Future of Cross-Border Work

For cross-border workers living in Lombardy and working in Ticino, the future of employment is increasingly tied to the ability to adapt to a rapidly evolving market. Sectors like healthcare, IT, and logistics offer opportunities, but they require specific skills and often continuous training. The Magell project is a first step, but more inclusive policies from Ticinese and Lombard institutions will be needed to attract and retain young talent.

📊 Key Takeaway: The healthcare sector’s staffing crisis in Ticino and Lombardy reflects broader challenges in education, workforce preferences, and technological disruption. While projects like Magell provide partial solutions, systemic changes—including policy reforms and investment in training—are essential to secure the future of cross-border employment.

💡 Food for Thought: As AI and robotics reshape the job market, will the healthcare sector find a balance between innovation and human-centric care? Or will the reliance on technology deepen existing inequalities in access to quality services?

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Key points

If you work in Lombardy and are interested in pursuing a career in the healthcare sector in Ticino, the Magell project offers accelerated training pathways and paid internships. Here’s how it works and what you need to know to participate.

Step 1: Check the requirements

The Magell project is aimed at young people under 35 with a high school diploma or a professional qualification. No specific language requirements are mandatory, but a basic knowledge of Italian is recommended for working in Ticinese healthcare facilities. The courses are free of charge and include a monthly scholarship of 1,200 CHF for participants.

Step 2: Enroll in the training pathway

The courses are held in Varese, Como, and Busto Arsizio, in collaboration with the University of Insubria. Applications for 2026 will open in June 2025. You can apply online on the Centro Gulliver website (Centro Gulliver) or at the information desks of the university campuses. The call specifies that candidates with experience in the healthcare or social sector will be given priority.

Step 3: Attend the selection interview

Selected candidates will be invited to a motivational interview at the Centro Gulliver in Varese. During the interview, language skills, motivation, and teamwork attitude will be assessed. Results will be published by September 2025.

Step 4: Start your internship in Ticino

Once you have completed the training pathway, participants can undertake a paid 6-month internship at a Ticinese healthcare facility. The internships are organized in collaboration with the EOC (Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale) and include constant support from expert tutors. At the end of the internship, participants may be directly hired by the host facilities.

📊 Required documents

• Copy of high school diploma or professional qualification
• Europass curriculum vitae
• Motivation letter (max 1 page)
• Certificate of physical suitability for healthcare activities
• Copy of valid ID

Deadlines and costs

Applications for 2026 will open in June 2025 and close in September 2025. The training pathway is completely free, while travel and accommodation expenses during the internship in Ticino are the participant’s responsibility. However, Centro Gulliver offers a flat-rate contribution of 300 CHF per month to cover food and accommodation costs.

⚠️ What if you are not selected?

If you are not selected for the Magell project, you can still apply directly to Ticinese healthcare facilities. The EOC and other public hospital entities regularly publish calls for nurses and socio-healthcare workers on their official websites (EOC Carriere). Alternatively, you can contact the employment offices of the Canton of Ticino (DFE Ticino), which offer orientation and continuous training services.

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Source: varesenews.it