Gesundheits- und Krankenpfleger/in aus EU/EWR/Schweiz Erlaubnis zum Führen der Berufsbezeichnung beantragen

• § 66a paragraph 2 of the Nursing Professions Act (Nursing Professions Act - PflBG)
  in conjunction with §§ 1 paragraph 1 sentence 1 no. 1, 2 paragraph 3a, paragraph 4 and paragraph 5a-6, 25 of the Nursing Act (KrPflG) in the version applicable on 31 December 2019
  in conjunction with §§ 20, 20a, 20c Training and Examination Ordinance for the Professions in Nursing (KrPflAPrV) in the version applicable on 31 December 2019

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

The profession of nurse is regulated in Germany. This means that in order for you to be able to work in Germany as a nurse, you need a state permit. With the permission, you may use the professional title "Health and Nurse" or "Health and Nurse" and work in the profession.

Even with a professional qualification from the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you can obtain state permission from the competent authority in Germany. In order to obtain the permit, you must have your foreign professional qualification recognised.

On 1 January 2020, nursing training in Germany was reformed and the new Nursing Professions Act applies. The profession on this basis is called "nurse" or "nursing specialist" and is new. There is a transitional period for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications on the basis of the Nursing Act. Until 31 December 2024, foreign professional qualifications may still be recognised as a health and nursing nurse on a transitional basis. If the professional qualification is automatically recognized, however, the recognition always takes place in the new profession as a nursing specialist. The competent authority will advise you.

In the recognition procedure, the competent authority compares your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification and checks its equivalence. The equivalence of the professional qualification is an important prerequisite for the granting of the state permit. In addition to the equivalence of the professional qualification, you must also meet other requirements for the granting of the permit. Further requirements are, for example, sufficient German language skills and health suitability.

If your professional qualification does not originate from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, other regulations apply.
You can also apply for the procedure from abroad.

The competent authority 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 qualification (e.g. certificates, professional certificate)
• Evidence of formal qualifications
• Proof of your relevant professional experience in a profession comparable to health and nursing
• Proof of further relevant knowledge for working as a nurse
• Information about an application for recognition that has already been submitted. Then indicate where you submitted the application.
• Do you live or work in a third country, i.e. not yet in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland? Then you may have to prove that you have received the confirmation of a health and care facility to work as a nurse in Germany.

You usually hand in these documents later. The competent authority will inform you when you should hand in the documents:

• Proof of your personal suitability: Extract from criminal record or certificate of good conduct from your country of origin. The proof may not be more than 3 months old when the application is submitted.
• Proof of your fitness for health: Medical certificate. The proof may not be more than 3 months old when the application is submitted.
• Proof of your German language skills: Language certificate

The competent authority will inform you which documents you must submit as a simple copy, as a certified copy or in the original.

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

The competent authority will inform you about the costs. The costs generally depend on the effort required for processing.

In addition, additional costs may arise (for example, for translations, certifications or compensatory measures such as an adaptation period or an aptitude test). These costs vary from person to person.

Application

They shall submit an application to the competent authority for authorisation to use the professional title of 'nurse' or 'health and nurse'.

You can submit the application with the documents to the competent authority or send it by post. Do not send originals. Sometimes you can also send the application electronically. The competent authority will inform you.

Equivalence test

The competent authority will then check whether you meet all the requirements. An important prerequisite is the equivalence of your professional qualification. The competent authority shall check the equivalence of its foreign professional qualification. In doing so, she compares her professional qualification with the German professional qualification as a nurse. The professional qualification is equivalent if there are no significant differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification.

Possible results of the equivalence test

If your foreign professional qualification is equivalent, it will be recognised. The competent authority can confirm the result in writing. You still have to meet the other requirements. Then you will receive permission to use the professional title "Health and Nurse" or "Health and Nurse".

Are there significant differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification? Perhaps you can compensate for the differences through your work experience, other knowledge or skills (lifelong learning). Knowledge and skills must be certified by an authority of the state in which you acquired the knowledge or skills.

However, it may be that the essential differences cannot be compensated by your professional experience, knowledge or skills. In this case, the competent authority will tell you the main differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification and why you cannot compensate for these essential differences.

The competent authority will also give you compensatory measures that you can take to compensate for the essential differences.
If you decide not to take compensatory measures, your professional qualification will not be recognised and you will not be allowed to work in Germany as a nurse.

Compensatory measures

There are various compensatory measures:

• Adaptation period: The adaptation period lasts a maximum of 3 years.

• Aptitude test: In the aptitude test, only those areas in which significant differences have been identified are examined. The aptitude test consists of a practical examination that is linked to an examination interview.

As a rule, you can choose between an adaptation course or an aptitude test.
If you successfully complete the compensatory measure and meet all other requirements, you will receive permission to use the professional title "Health and Nurse" or "Health and Nurse".

There is no deadline.

Sometimes documents are still missing in the procedure. The competent authority will then inform you by when you have to submit the documents.

Freedom to provide services

You only want to offer services in Germany sometimes and for a short time? Then you usually do not need the state permission. You must meet these requirements:

• You must be established in another EU, EEA or Swiss country.
• You must prove your professional qualification.
• You must report your activity in writing to the competent authority.

The competent authority will inform you whether you are allowed to provide services or whether you have to take an aptitude test.
 

Equivalence notice

In the permit procedure, the examination of equivalence (recognition procedure) is also carried out. You can request a separate decision for the result of the examination.
 

Procedure for ethnic German repatriates

As a ethnic German repatriate, you can either go through the recognition procedure according to the laws mentioned here or according to the Federal Displaced Persons Act. You can decide for yourself. The responsible body will advise you on which procedure is right for you.

You can take legal action against the decision of the competent authority within a certain period of time (for example, lodge an objection). The decision is then reviewed. Details can be found in the notice of appeal at the end of your decision. We recommend that you first talk to the competent authority before taking legal action against the decision.

• Apply for recognition as a nurse with a professional qualification from the EU/EEA/Switzerland in accordance with the Nursing Act by the end of 2024.
• To work as a nurse, you need a state permit in Germany.
• With the permission, you can officially call yourself "health and nurse" or "health and nurse" and work in the profession.
• Even with professional qualifications from the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you can get state permission in Germany.
• On 1 January 2020, nursing training in Germany was reformed and the new Nursing Professions Act applies. The profession on this basis is called a nurse and is new. There is a transitional period for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications on the basis of the Nursing Act, unless there is automatic recognition under the Nursing Professions Act. Until 31.12.2024, foreign professional qualifications may still be recognised as a health and nursing nurse on a transitional basis.

• Forms: Forms can be obtained from the competent authority.
• Online procedure possible: Ask the competent authority whether you can submit the application online.
• Personal appearance required: no