Apply for recognition as a nurse with a professional qualification from the EU/EEA/Switzerland

The nursing profession is regulated in Germany. This means that in order to work as a nurse in Germany, you need a state license. With this permit, you can use the professional title "Pflegefachfrau" or "Pflegefachmann" and work in the profession.

If you have a professional qualification from the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you can also obtain a state permit from the competent authority in Germany. In order to obtain the permit, you must have your foreign professional qualification recognized. In the recognition procedure, the competent authority compares your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification and checks the equivalence. The equivalence of the professional qualification is an important prerequisite for the granting of a state permit.

A professional qualification from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland is usually automatically recognized when you apply for recognition. This means that no equivalence check is carried out. It is assumed that the training is equivalent. However, there may be exceptions to this rule. This depends on the country in which you completed your training and when. If you started your vocational training after your country of training joined the EU/EEA, your professional qualification will generally be recognized automatically.

If your professional qualification does not originate from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, other regulations apply.

In addition to the equivalence of the professional qualification, you must also meet other requirements for the permit to be issued. Further requirements are, for example, sufficient German language skills and health suitability.

You can also apply for the procedure from abroad.

Requirements

• You have a comparable professional qualification as a nurse from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland.
• You want to work as a nurse in Germany.
• Personal suitability: You are reliable for working as a nurse and have no criminal record.
• Health suitability: You are mentally and physically fit to work as a nurse.
• You have German language skills at the required level. This is normally language level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

What documents do I need?

• The responsible office will tell you which documents you need to submit. Important documents are generally
  
  • Proof of identity (identity card or passport)
  • Marriage certificate (if your name has changed due to marriage)
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Proof of your professional qualifications (e.g. certificates, professional certificate)
  • Proof of training
  • Proof of your relevant professional experience in a profession that is comparable to the nursing profession
  • Proof of other relevant knowledge for working as a nursing specialist
  • Do you still live or work in a third country, i.e. not in the EU, EEA or Switzerland? Then you may need to prove that you have received a commitment from a health and care facility to work as a nursing specialist in Germany.
• You only need to submit the following documents if your professional qualification was completed before a certain date (cut-off date). The responsible office will inform you:
  
  • Certificate of conformity
  • If no certificate of conformity is available: Proof of the content and duration of your training (e.g. list of subjects and grades, study book, diploma supplement, transcript of records)
  • Certificate: You must have worked legally and continuously in the profession for at least 3 years during the last 5 years before the certificate is issued.
• You usually hand in these documents later. The responsible office will inform you when you should hand in the documents:
  
  • Proof of your personal suitability: criminal record extract or certificate of good conduct from your country of origin. The certificate must not be older than 3 months at the time of application.
  • Proof of your health suitability: Medical certificate. The certificate must not be older than 3 months at the time of application.
  • Proof of your German language skills: Language certificate

  The responsible office will tell you which documents you need to submit as a simple copy, a certified copy or the original.