Applying for recognition as a nurse with a professional qualification from a third country

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 "Pflegefachperson", "Pflegefachfrau" or "Pflegefachmann" and work in the profession.

You can also obtain a state permit from the competent authority in Germany if you have a professional qualification from a so-called third country. Third countries are all countries that do not belong to the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. In order to obtain the permit, you must have your foreign professional qualification recognized. In the recognition procedure, the competent authority will compare your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification and check its equivalence. The equivalence of the professional qualification is an important prerequisite for the granting of a state license.

You can also waive the equivalence check and complete a knowledge test or an adaptation period directly. In this case, the competent authority will not carry out an equivalence check.

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

If your professional qualification comes from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, other regulations apply.
You can also apply for the procedure from abroad.

Requirements

• You have a comparable professional qualification as a nurse from a third country.
• You want to work as a nurse in Germany.
• Personal suitability: You are reliable to work as a care professional 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 comparable to that of a nursing specialist
  • 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 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.
  • Proof of your health suitability: Medical certificate.
  • 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.