Working as a nurse in Germany

If you trained as a nurse abroad, start with the place where you hope to work. The responsible authority can explain how to have your qualification assessed and obtain permission to practise. You can look for a job while you work out those steps.

In short

• For a regular nursing job under the protected title Pflegefachfrau or Pflegefachmann, you need permission from the responsible authority. Certain nursing tasks are reserved for qualified professionals. Different rules can apply to temporary cross-border services.
• The route depends on your qualification and where you obtained it. Some EU, EEA and Swiss nursing qualifications qualify for automatic recognition of the training; others need an individual assessment. Your passport alone does not decide the route.
• Ask the authority which documents and German-language proof it needs. It also checks requirements such as health and personal suitability before granting permission.
• A job offer, professional permission and the right to live and work in Germany are separate things. Check each one before agreeing on a start date.

Find the right authority and job

Use the Recognition Finder to find the German reference occupation and the authority for the place where you want to work. You can also search vacancies through the Federal Employment Agency. Ask prospective employers about the workplace, duties, pay, shifts and support with recognition.

Tell the authority where you completed your nursing qualification and whether another EU or EEA country or Switzerland has already recognised it. Ask which application, documents, translations and language evidence it accepts, and whether you can apply from abroad. For example, Bremen says applicants with a third-country nursing qualification can apply from abroad and normally need German at B2 level. Check the requirements with your own authority. The recognition guide explains funding and why to check it before paying for an application, course or translation.

When your training is assessed

Some qualifications from the EU, EEA or Switzerland meet the conditions for automatic recognition of the training. That does not remove the other requirements for professional permission. If your qualification does not meet those conditions, the authority will explain the assessment that applies to you.

If your nursing qualification is from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, the authority compares your training with German requirements under section 40 of the Nursing Professions Act. Relevant work experience and recognised further learning can help make up for differences. If substantial differences remain, section 40 generally gives you a choice between a knowledge exam and an adaptation course. Different rules can apply to particular qualification levels, or if another EU or EEA country or Switzerland has already recognised your qualification. Ask the authority which options apply before choosing a procedure.

You can also ask about the consequences of waiving the equivalence assessment under section 40. The waiver is final, and an examination or adaptation course is then needed to demonstrate equivalent knowledge. Do not commit to a course before checking the decision and your funding options.

Check residence and recruitment separately

EU and EEA citizens and qualifying family members may have free-movement rights; Swiss citizens have a separate agreement. See the free-movement guide. If you need a residence title, the skilled-worker residence guide explains routes for working or completing recognition measures. A recognition decision is not a visa, and a visa does not replace professional permission.

For health and care jobs, recruitment in and job placement from countries on the Employment Ordinance’s list may be carried out only by the Federal Employment Agency. This rule concerns recruitment and placement from those countries; it is not a ban based simply on someone’s nationality. Ask the Agency if you are unsure how it applies to an offer.

Before signing, ask in writing who pays for recruitment, language courses, recognition, translations, travel and housing, and read any repayment clause. For its Faire Anwerbung Pflege Deutschland seal covering recruitment from outside the EU and EEA, the Health Ministry says participating organisations must make recruitment free for nurses and provide transparent information. Check the offer itself and use the employment-contract guide before committing.