Nursing professionals from abroad
Nursing in Germany

Entry and residence

Entry and residence © Foto: MATTHIAS BUEHNER - stock.adobe.com

Nursing is a regulated, protected profession. Entry, residence and visa depend on the country of origin.

Immigration depends on the country of origin: EU countries, EEA countries, third countries

The entry and residence requirements depend on your country of origin.

Countries of origin – three possibilities

EU candidate countries:

  • Turkey
  • Montenegro
  • North Macedonia
  • Serbia
  • Albania

These countries have already partly implemented EU legislation. With respect to recognition, however, they are still to be treated as third countries.

You come from a third country: visa, entry, work permit

Visa

As a citizen of a third country, you need a visa or a residence permit to live and work in Germany. You can find the list of countries with visa requirements for entry into Germany on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.
➔ Keyword: Overview of visa requirements/exemptions for entry into the Federal Republic of Germany. www.auswaertiges-amt.de

Two important laws: Residence Act and Skilled Immigration Act

Two German laws are important for your entry and admission to the labour market:

To obtain a German visa, you need an employment contract or proof that your stay in Germany is financially secured (e.g. by way of a blocked account). This means that you are not allowed to stay in Germany without a visa.

This law offers a lot of advantages for foreign qualified professionals; among other things, it provides for a fast-track procedure under Sec. 81a, enabling your employer to reduce the duration of the recognition process to 2 months. The costs for this (EUR 411) will be borne by the employer.

Procedure until the visa is issued

Explanation of the figure:

You have two options to obtain a visa for your entry into Germany:

(1) Direct employment as skilled worker with vocational
training qualification (pursuant to Sec. 18a)

This means that you have not yet applied for recognition in your country of origin. The formalities for professional recognition only start in Germany. Until recognition, you will be working as a nursing assistant in Germany, and not yet in a responsible position. For people from many countries of origin, this is the only way to come to Germany.

These documents must be submitted for the visa application:

  • Proof of at least 2-year vocational training
  • Proof of German language skills at basic level, such as A2; no official B1 or B2 certificate necessary
  • Employment contract
  • Admission to the labour market (application submitted by the employer)

Measure regarding the recognition of foreign
professional qualifications (pursuant to Sec. 16d)

You have already applied for recognition in your country of origin and have already received an assessment notice (sometimes called “notice of deficits”). This notice is very beneficial, because it allows you to start your professional qualification directly after entering Germany and start working in your profession earlier.

These documents must be submitted for the visa application:

  • Notice of deficits
  • Proof of German language skills: at least level B1, sometimes even B2
  • Employment contract
  • Admission to the labour market (application submitted by the employer)

Applications submitted by the employer

Your future employer than applies for a permission with the authority, either using the fast-track procedure (shown in the figure on the right) or the conventional procedure. Once you receive a notice of approval from the Foreigners Authority, you can arrange an appointment with your embassy and have the visa issued.

You come from a third country, but are already living
in Germany (= change of employer)

If you come from a third country and are already living and working in Germany, you apply for permission to take up employment directly with the Foreigners Authority.

You need the following documents:

  • Salary certificates of the last three months
  • Proof of tenancy (rental agreement) and health insurance
  • Proof of rent payment (e.g. by presenting account statements)
  • Proof of residence in Germany
  • Copy of passport and residence permit/visa
  • Application for permission to take up employment (provided by you)
  • Job description (provided by the employer)
  • Employment contract (provided by the employer)

You come from an EU or EAA/EFTA country

If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA country (or Switzerland), you can both enter Germany and choose your place of residence without any problems. Unlike qualified professionals from third countries, you do not need a work permit to work within the EU.

Since nursing is a protected profession, you need to have your professional qualifications recognised.

Note: If you have acquired your professional qualifications in your country of origin after that country joined the EU, you can have your profession recognised automatically.

It is always your nationality that matters, rather than your last place of residence or the place where you acquired your professional qualifications. This means that, for example, Albanian citizens who are resident in Italy and apply for a job from Italy need to complete the entry and recognition process according to their nationality.

In short: The process depends on your nationality.

Do you have any questions?

Expert in the fields of recruiting, entry, admission to the labour market, recognition procedure and integration:

Csilla Riba-Szabó
Recognition Manager Recruiting Region East


Phone: +49 30 940115543
E-Mail: csilla.riba-szabo@helios-gesundheit.de