Berlin TehranHealthcare professionals for Germany

Working as a nurse in Cologne

Last updated: Berlin Tehran editorial team

In short: North Rhine-Westphalia has a two-step procedure: the central recognition office ZAG-PuG at the Bezirksregierung Münster checks equivalence (applications by post only), and for a job in Cologne the Bezirksregierung Köln then issues the licence to use the title. The Kölner Mietspiegel 2025 lists net cold rents between 4.20 and 17.90 €/m² depending on age, size and location. Uniklinik Köln pays nurses under the TV-L, the municipal Kliniken der Stadt Köln under the TVöD.

Note: general information, not legal advice. Rents, pay and rules change; check the linked official sources. As of October 2026.

Recognition authority

  1. Equivalence check: Bezirksregierung Münster, Dezernat 241 – Zentrale Anerkennungsstelle für Gesundheitsberufe (ZAG-PuG), Domplatz 1–3, 48143 Münster. Applications only by post (no digital applications yet); a decision follows within two to four months after the file is complete. Official fees are currently usually between 112.50 and 350 €.
  2. Licence (Berufserlaubnis): afterwards you apply to the authority where you will work – for nurses in Cologne the Bezirksregierung Köln (Dezernat 24). Language, health and criminal-record certificates are only needed at this step.

To show that NRW is responsible you need, for example, a job offer from an NRW employer or proof of at least three written contacts with NRW employers.

Rent and cost of living

The Kölner Mietspiegel 2025 (April 2025, compiled with the City of Cologne’s housing office) does not give one average; its table ranges run from 4.20 €/m² for large older flats in simple locations up to 17.90 €/m² for new flats in very good locations.

A Mietspiegel describes the local comparative rent of existing tenancies (§ 558 BGB). Rents in new listings are often higher – Frankfurt’s city administration notes, for example, that newly signed leases have a higher rent level on average. Add operating and heating costs (Nebenkosten) to the net cold rent.

Public transport

The Deutschlandticket costs 63 € per month since 1 January 2026 and covers local and regional public transport across Germany, including the KVB and VRS network (Stadtbahn, buses, S-Bahn). Many employers subsidise it as a job ticket – ask in your interview.

Hospitals and employers (public facts)

  • Uniklinik Köln – the university hospital; pay follows the TV-L, with the TV-L Kr table (KR 5 to KR 17) for nursing.
  • Kliniken der Stadt Köln – the municipal hospitals; pay under the TVöD.
  • Further hospitals, care homes and home-care services: search the Federal Employment Agency job board.

Pay context

Pay depends on the employer’s collective agreement, not on the city. Municipal hospitals usually pay under the TVöD (nursing P-table), many university hospitals under the TV-L (Kr table), and some hospitals have their own agreements. Since May 2026 the TVöD nursing allowance (Pflegezulage) is 141.82 € per month. Estimate your take-home pay with the net salary calculator and read nurse salary in Germany.

Does Berlin Tehran have an office in Cologne?

No. Berlin Tehran is based in Hamburg, with a team in Iran; we work with employers across Germany from there. We follow a transparent 8-step process with up to 90 days of support after arrival.

Next steps: Can I work as a nurse in Germany? (eligibility check) · Net salary calculator · Country guides · Cost of living in Germany

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Frequently asked questions

Where do I apply for nursing recognition for Cologne?

First at the ZAG-PuG of the Bezirksregierung Münster (by post). After a positive decision you apply for the licence at the Bezirksregierung Köln.

Can I apply online in NRW?

Not yet: the ZAG-PuG states that digital applications for nursing and health professions are not possible yet; send documents by post.

How long does the NRW equivalence check take?

Two to four months after the file is complete, according to the ZAG-PuG; delays are possible due to high demand.

What does Uniklinik Köln pay?

Uniklinik Köln pays under the TV-L; nursing staff are grouped in the TV-L Kr table (KR 5 to KR 17).

Sources (official, as of October 2026)