Have professional qualifications in the healthcare sector acquired abroad recognised
If you want to work in a specific healthcare profession in Germany without restriction, you need a state licence. The licence authorises you to use the corresponding professional title and to practise the profession.
You need a licence for the following professions:
- Healthcare and nursing assistant and healthcare and nursing assistant
- Healthcare and nursing assistant and healthcare and nursing assistant
- Healthcare and paediatric nurses and healthcare and paediatric nurses
- Nursing specialist
- Midwife
- Anaesthesia and surgical assistant
- Dietary assistant
- Physiotherapist
- Occupational therapist
- Speech therapist
- Massage therapist and medical bath attendant
- Medical technologist for functional diagnostics
- Medical technologist for laboratory analysis
- Medical technologist for radiology
- Emergency paramedic
- Orthoptist
- Pharmaceutical assistant
- Podiatrist
If you are a national of the European Union or the European Economic Area and only wish to work in Germany temporarily and occasionally, you do not require a state licence. However, you must register your activity with the competent authority. Further information can be obtained from the competent authority.
Responsible authority
Stuttgart Regional Council, State Recognition Centre for Healthcare Professions
Details
Prerequisite
- Professional qualification: corresponding foreign professional qualification
- Personal qualification:
- Personal reliability
- Health suitability
- Sufficient knowledge of the German language: at least level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
Note: Your nationality, the origin of your qualification and your residence status are irrelevant.
Procedure
The competent body will check whether your qualification obtained abroad is equivalent to the corresponding German qualification.
Your qualification will be recognised as equivalent if there are no significant differences between your foreign qualification and the corresponding German qualification.
In addition to your education, the competent body will also take into account the professional experience you have gained abroad. Any significant differences identified can be compensated for by relevant professional experience.
You will be granted authorisation if the equivalence of your qualification is established and the other requirements are also met.
If there are significant differences between your qualification and the German reference qualification, you have the option of taking part in an adaptation measure (examination or adaptation course) in order to achieve equivalence. You can obtain further information from the competent authority.
Deadlines
None
Required documents
- Registry office documents on name, place and date of birth (e.g. birth or marriage certificate, extract from the family register)
- Proof of nationality (passport, identity card, residence certificate)
- Current, complete curriculum vitae in tabular form with precise details of your educational and professional background
- Proof of training (certificates, diploma, licence to practise, registration, overview of subjects and studies, specialist examination, specialist internship, etc.)
- Further proof of qualifications, if applicable
- Proof of relevant professional experience (e.g. work certificate, work book, index)
- Proof that you intend to practise your profession in Baden-Württemberg. Please submit suitable documents, e.g. confirmation of employment, employment contract or expression of interest from a potential employer in Baden-Württemberg.
- Current certificate of good conduct from your home country (can be submitted later)
- Only for EU qualifications: EU certificate of conformity with Directive 2005/36/EC to be applied for from the competent chamber in the home country
The competent body will request the following documents in the course of the procedure:
- Current certificate of good conduct from the home country and the country of training
- Current certificate of good conduct from Germany of document type OB (for submission to an authority)
- Current medical certificate from a general practitioner, occupational physician or company doctor stating that you are not unsuitable for the profession (with date, stamp and signature of the doctor)
- Proof of German language skills (language level B2) from a recognised language institute (ALTE-certified)
The competent authority may request further documents.
Costs
350,00 EUR
Processing time
- Regular recognition procedure: maximum four months
- Automatic recognition procedure: maximum three months
The period begins with the receipt of the complete documents.
Miscellaneous
Please only send certified copies and never originals. A copy in the original language and a copy of a German translation of foreign-language documents are required. Translations must be carried out by a publicly appointed or sworn interpreter or translator. The copies must also be officially certified. Only notarisations by a German local authority, a German notary or a German diplomatic mission abroad are accepted. Notarisations by a foreign authority or other domestic authorities, such as health insurance companies or parish offices, cannot be accepted.
Until the end of the transition period on 31.12.2024, the recognition of qualifications acquired in third countries in the field of nursing in Baden-Württemberg will continue to be based on the Nursing Act.
Get free advice on the recognition of your foreign professional qualification. You have a legal right to this counselling. The specially trained staff at the aforementioned advice centres will discuss with you what options are available with your qualification and what procedure seems to make the most sense. They will also support you in making an application and compiling the necessary documents.
Legal basis
Richtlinie 2005/36/EG des Europäischen Parlaments und des Rates
Berufsqualifikationsfeststellungsgesetz Baden-Württemberg
Pflegeberufegesetz
Ausbildungs- und Prüfungsverordnung für die Pflegeberufe
Ausbildungs- und Prüfungsordnung für die Berufe in der Gesundheits- und Krankenpflegehilfe
Hebammengesetz
Studien- und Prüfungsverordnung für Hebammen und Entbindungspflege
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Wirtschaftsministerium Baden-Württemberg, 30.01.2026