The company informs the international nurse about the recognition procedure in a way suited to the audience, with a clear indication of the options open to her and how she can find out more.
- What you need to know about the recognition procedure in Germany.
Full equivalence:
In order to work in Germany, your foreign qualification has to be recognised.
This requires what is known as a recognition procedure. To obtain recognition, quite specific competencies have to be demonstrated in Germany.
Figure 1: Bundesverband privater Anbieter sozialer Dienste
The nursing profession differs from country to country. It is therefore possible that you may still lack certain competencies to which particular importance is attached in Germany.
If you meet all the conditions, however, your professional qualification will be recognised. Your qualification may even be recognised before you travel to Germany. That gives you a licence to practise as a qualified nurse in Germany. Frequently, though, competencies are still missing that you can make up at the start of your stay in Germany. These are recorded in writing in what is known as a shortfall notice and communicated to you.
Partial equivalence:
There are two ways of making good a shortfall:
- through a knowledge examination:
This knowledge examination assesses the extent to which the professional qualification you obtained abroad corresponds to its German counterpart.
For this you sit an oral and a written examination. On the basis of your results it is then decided whether what you learned abroad is equivalent to the content of German training.
But do not worry: special courses for qualified nurses prepare you thoroughly for passing this knowledge examination.
- through an adaptation qualification:
The adaptation qualification is a course that makes good an existing need for further qualification. These courses are usually built up in modules.
If an adaptation qualification is one of the conditions of your recognition notice, the following measures follow:
- B2 language courses
- professional training
- placements in hospitals
- Where can you find out more?
a. The IQ Netzwerk has published a dossier on the field of nursing. It provides nurses with general information on professional recognition as a Pflegefachfrau/Pflegefachmann. https://www.netzwerk-iq.de/fileadmin/Redaktion/Downloads/IQ_Publikationen/Allgemeine_Publikationen/IQ_Themendossier_Pflege_DE.pdf
b. Federal Office for Migration and Refugees: hotline on the recognition of foreign professional qualifications, “Arbeiten und Leben in Deutschland”
c. Anerkennung in Deutschland: the federal government's information portal on the recognition of foreign professional qualifications
https://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/
d. The Anerkennungs-Finder tells you how to have your professional qualification recognised and which body is responsible.
https://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/de/interest/finder/profession
e. Here you will find free advice centres.
https://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/html/de/beratungssuche.php
f. Make it in Germany: the federal government's portal for skilled workers from abroad
https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/de/
g. BQ-Portal: information on foreign professional qualifications together with country and occupational profiles
h. Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB): information on the recognition of foreign professional qualifications in Germany
i. Zentrale Servicestelle Berufsanerkennung (ZSBA): free advice and support during the recognition procedure | The funding programme “Integration durch Qualifizierung (IQ)” helps you find a suitable measure near you.
https://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/html/de/pro/zsba.php
Advice is available here on the following subjects, for example:
- making an application,
- qualification options,
- labour market prospects and entry to Germany.
- In doing so you benefit from the programme's regional IQ networks.
j. You will of course find all this information gathered and checked on our website www.carelend.de/support