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

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Would you like to work as a nurse in Germany? Then you need a state permit. To obtain a state permit, you must submit an application and have your foreign professional qualification recognized.

		    


                					    

						    

							    Competent Department
						    

						    
					    

                        
					    

						    

							    Basic information
						    

						    

							    

								    
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 generally 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).