How to work as a nurse in Germany: requirements 2026

In short: To work as a nurse in Germany you need three things: recognition of your nursing qualification (or a route to complete it in Germany), German at the level your federal state requires (usually B2), and a job offer with a visa, typically under § 18a or § 16d of the Residence Act. Plan for several months; good documents and early language learning save the most time.

Note: This page provides general information and is not legal advice. The law and the decisions of the competent authorities are decisive; rules can change. As of October 2026.

Free tools: Nurse net salary calculator 2026 · Can I work as a nurse in Germany? (eligibility check)

Local detail: city guides for Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt and Cologne (recognition office, rent index, pay agreements) · country guides.

Requirements at a glance

A completed nursing qualification that the German authority finds equivalent, or that you bring up to the German standard with a compensation measure.
German language skills needed for the job, usually B2 for the full licence.
Personal reliability (usually a police clearance certificate) and health fitness (a medical certificate).
A concrete job offer from an employer in Germany, plus the visa or residence permit that fits your situation.

These conditions come from § 2 of the Nursing Professions Act (PflBG) and § 18 of the Residence Act. Nursing is a regulated profession, so you may only work under the title Pflegefachfrau or Pflegefachmann once you hold the licence.

Step 1: Get your qualification recognised

You apply to the competent authority of the federal state where you will work. The official Recognition Finder shows which office is responsible and which documents it needs. According to Make it in Germany, the decision usually takes three to four months once your file is complete. Our documents checklist helps you prepare.

If the authority finds substantial differences, you receive a deficit notice. You can close the gaps with a knowledge test or an adaptation course of up to three years, and you choose which one (§ 40 (3) PflBG). You may also waive the equivalence check and go straight to one of these measures (§ 40 (3a) PflBG). More: Knowledge test or adaptation course? and Nursing recognition: time and cost.

Step 2: Learn German

For the full licence most federal states ask for German at B2, often proven with a nursing-specific exam. If you enter on a recognition partnership, A2 is usually enough at the start. Most people need many months of intensive study, so start early. See German language requirements for nurses.

Step 3: Find a nursing job as a foreigner

Hospitals, care homes and home-care services across Germany hire international nurses. Good places to look are the job board of the Federal Employment Agency, the job listings on Make it in Germany and the career pages of hospitals and care providers. Many employers support you with recognition, language courses and relocation. Be careful with offers that promise a guaranteed job or visa; our guide recruitment fees and scams explains warning signs. What you can expect to earn: nurse salary in Germany.

Step 4: Choose the right visa

§ 18a Residence Act: for nurses whose qualification is fully recognised and who have a job offer.
§ 16d (1): residence for recognition measures such as an adaptation course, with part-time work of up to 20 hours a week.
§ 16d (3), recognition partnership: you start working first and complete recognition in Germany. See recognition partnership.
§ 81a, accelerated procedure: your employer can apply for it at the foreigners authority to speed things up. See accelerated skilled worker procedure.

You apply for the visa at the German embassy or consulate in your country. Why most nurses use § 18a rather than the EU Blue Card: Blue Card or § 18a? Requirements, documents, fees and timelines for the visa itself: Germany nurse visa 2026.

No nursing degree yet?

If you do not have a completed nursing qualification, you can train in Germany: the three-year generalist nursing training is paid and leads to a German licence. Read Nursing Ausbildung in Germany. From 2027 there is also a uniform nationwide nursing assistant training.

Which countries? The WHO safeguards list

Under § 38 of the German Employment Ordinance, only the Federal Employment Agency may recruit health workers from the countries in its annex, which follows the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List. If your country is on that list, you can still apply directly to employers. Berlin Tehran only supports candidates from countries where private recruitment is permitted; see our ethical recruitment rules.

How Berlin Tehran helps

We help healthcare professionals prepare their documents in an orderly way and coordinate with employers in Germany, following a transparent 8-step process with up to 90 days of support after arrival. We are based in Hamburg with a team in Iran, specialised in Iran and open to healthcare professionals from all countries where recruitment is permitted. We usually reply to first enquiries within 48 hours. We do not provide legal advice; authorities make all decisions.

Apply as a healthcare professional See the step-by-step timeline

Frequently asked questions

What are the requirements to work as a nurse in Germany?

You need a licence to use the professional title Pflegefachfrau/Pflegefachmann. Under § 2 of the Nursing Professions Act (PflBG) this requires an equivalent completed nursing qualification, personal reliability, health fitness and the necessary German language skills. For a work visa you also need a concrete job offer and, as a rule, the approval of the Federal Employment Agency.

Can foreigners work as nurses in Germany?

Yes. Germany actively recruits international nurses. Your foreign qualification must be recognised by the competent authority of the federal state, or you enter on a route that allows you to complete recognition in Germany, such as the recognition partnership (§ 16d (3) Residence Act).

What level of German do nurses need?

For the full licence, the federal states usually require B2, sometimes with a nursing-specific language exam. For the recognition partnership, A2 is usually enough at entry; you then improve your German while working.

How long does nursing recognition in Germany take?

According to Make it in Germany, the authority usually decides within three to four months once your documents are complete. If it finds substantial differences, you add a knowledge test or an adaptation course, which can take several more months.

Is there an age limit for nurses who want to work in Germany?

There is no general upper age limit for recognition. For the first residence permit under § 18a or § 18b, applicants aged 45 or older must either earn a salary above a statutory threshold or show adequate retirement provision (§ 18 (2) no. 5 Residence Act); exceptions are possible.

I am from a country on the WHO safeguards list. Can I still work in Germany?

Private agencies may not recruit health workers from these countries (§ 38 Employment Ordinance). You can still apply to German employers on your own initiative, or through programmes of the Federal Employment Agency.

How does Berlin Tehran help nurses?

We help you prepare your documents, coordinate with employers in Germany and follow a transparent 8-step process with up to 90 days of support after arrival. We are based in Hamburg with a team in Iran, and we usually reply to first enquiries within 48 hours. Authorities make all decisions on recognition and visas.

Working as a nurse in Germany: requirements, recognition and visa (2026)