Make it in Germany: How to become a nurse

What do I need as a foreign worker to become a nurse in Germany? Nursing is a high valued profession in Germany. Professional workers are trusted with the life and well being of their patients. They work hand in hand with other healthcare providers and form the connection between the latter and their patients.

This article provides an overview about what to expect when becoming a nurse in Germany as well as information about the application process and how to get your state permit.

What are the tasks of a nurse in Germany?

Nurses (or „Pflegefachpersonen“ in German) play an elementary role in Germany’s healthcare system. Not only do they provide patient care including personal hygiene, alimentation, administering medicines, and caring for wounds but also form a key link between patients and other healthcare providers, such as doctors, psychologists and therapists. They are trusted as managers and plan nursing, drug supply and quality assurance. There are other tasks of a nurse for which doctors must legally be consulted. Such orders can be giving infusions oder taking blood samples. All in all a nurse’s area of activity can be described as wide and diversified.

Is there a demand for foreign nurses?

Germany struggles with a national shortage of skilled labour. Healthcare is facing an even bigger issue, since the ageing population demands increasing healthcare, especially in geriatric medicine and nursing. As a result the demand for qualified foreign nurses (and those who wish to get there) is tremendous. If you become a nurse in Germany you profit from a wide spread job offering and good career opportunities.

How to get started as a nurse in Germany

There is a series of tasks that need to be accomplished before getting started as a nurse in Germany. First of all it is important to get a state permit. Therefore several requirements must be met, such as proper German language skills, health suitability and a recognized foreign professional qualification. This certification proves the equality of a foreign qualification compared to EU-standards. The permit allows you to use the corresponding designation „nursing specialist“.

Collect the necessary documents

Due to the federalist system in Germany the application process and needed documents can differ between several regions. Normally the competent authority asks for all necessary documents. They are an essential requirement to become a nurse in Germany.

What are the necessary documents?

There is a list of important documents that are generally required to pursue a profession in Germany:

• ID card or passport for identity proof
• Marriage certificate if necessary
• Curriculum vitae
• Proof of professional qualification (e.g. certificates, professional certificate)
• Proof of education
• Proof of relevant professional experience in a profession comparable to that of a nurse
• Proof of other relevant knowledge for working as a nursing specialist
• Proof of acceptation by a health and care facility to work as a nurse in Germany if necessary

Other documents that eventually will be required are:

• Proof of personal suitability: extract from the criminal record or certificate of good conduct from the country of origin.
• Proof of health suitability (certificate about physical and mental health status by a German doctor)
• Language certificate – usually at least a level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)

Since digitalization finds it way to Germany some of the procedures can be performed online, example given by the process of recognization of the foreign professional qualification. The competent authority will give information about the required form of a document – as a copy, a certified copy or in the original. If missing information is required there is usually a notification. The whole process should take around a span of four months.

Get the documents translated

To get approval from the German embassy it is helpful to get the documents translated to German.

Get the documents approved by the German embassy

Before starting the actual recognition process the presented documents must be approved by the respective German embassy. In order to get the approval, you need to get an appointment and submit the translated documents. Usually the embassy takes about a week to send back the papers.

Starting the recognition process

Nowadays there are two ways to get your recognition in Germany. It is possible to send in the documents to component authorities and go through the analogue process of getting the former qualification. Nevertheless you can also apply online. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung) provides a portal for information on professional recognition where you can be led through the process.

Finding a nursing job

With the recognition as a nurse it is now time to get a suitable and interesting job. Therefore one can look for a job on their own or commission a job-finding agency. Job portals such as Medi-Karriere.de itself provide a wide spectrum of different offers so it is easy to find a suitable workspace. In order to become a nurse, an application with a curriculum vitae (cv) is needed. Typically there is a job interview in German, for which candidates should be prepared (reviewing language and substance).

Getting approval from the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit)

Additional to a job contract the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit or BA) must approve the residence for the purpose of gainful employment. Non-EU employees can get the approval at a German agency abroad in the country of origin (visa centre) or the responsible local immigration authority in Germany.

Apply for a visa

With all the documents it is possible to apply for a visa, which is necessary for non-EU residents. Typically depending on the country of origin, the assessment can take up to another four to six weeks. Finally qualified workers will get an email informing that the visa is ready to be picked up. Now everything is ready to become a nurse in Germany.

Plan the trip and housing

As a last step for becoming a nurse in Germany, you need to plan the trip (book a suitable flight or train ride if needed) and find an accommodation. Again, there are agencies that provide services of take over the assignment. Some big clinics, especially those connected with universities, even provide these services for their foreign employees, most notably their trainees.

Sign up for a German course

Nursing is a very communicative job. Professional nurses will come into contact with people from all social classes. Even though many people in Germany have good English communication skills it is far easier to communicate with people in their mother tongue to discuss their needs. Without language skills on a B1 level at least it is not possible to get a nursing job in Germany. For better practice it is definitely advisable to find a German course. A focus on healthcare is most suitable.

Suitable job offers

Currently looking for the ideal job? Medi-Karriere provides thousands of diverse job descriptions for nurses, geriatric nurses and other professional workers in nursing.