Options for immigration

The company informs the international nurse in an audience-appropriate way about the options for immigration under the applicable legal situation and how they can find out more. This also includes information on all necessary bureaucratic requirements and the authorities associated with them.

1. Options for immigration under the applicable legal situation as an international nurse

If you wish to enter Germany from a third country, you need a residence title. This title is granted to you on the basis of the purpose of your stay

Extensive migration and integration counselling services are available in Germany, and the Skilled Immigration Act (Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz, FEG) offers you the chance to speed up your entry process.

This is regulated in § 81a of the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz, AufenthG).

1. Case: you already have a concrete job offer

In this case your employer can, for a fee, apply for a so-called “accelerated skilled worker procedure” for you.

What does the “accelerated skilled worker procedure” look like?

In this procedure the Ausländerbehörde (immigration office) plays a decisive role.

It

• advises employers on the entry requirements for you and
• takes on the examination of all applicable requirements as well as
• the initiation of the recognition procedure.
• Throughout the entire procedure the authorities involved are bound by short deadlines.

How long does the “accelerated skilled worker procedure” take until the visa is issued?

As a rule the accelerated skilled worker procedure lasts no longer than four months. The time spans can be broken down as follows:

• Around six weeks for the issuance of the visa.
• Around eight weeks for the recognition procedure.
• Around one week for the approval procedure.

1. Case: you do not yet have a concrete job offer

Alternatively you still have the option of the

• “regular entry procedure” and, where applicable, of the
• “procedure for obtaining advance approval from the Bundesagentur für Arbeit“.

This is regulated legally in § 36(3) of the Employment Ordinance (Beschäftigungsverordnung, BeschV).

If the accelerated skilled worker procedure is not suitable, you should discuss with your employer which procedure should be used instead:

• The regular entry procedure or
• The procedure for obtaining advance approval from the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)

This procedure can also be applied to the family reunification of spouses and children.

It is important to note that the applications for family members must be submitted within six months of the skilled worker’s entry.

Since March 2020 there has also been the option of entering Germany under placement agreements between the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency) and the labour administrations of selected countries of origin. This is laid down in § 16d(4) of the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz, AufenthG). The visa for entry mediated in this way does not require an individual recognition procedure, which distinguishes it from the procedures mentioned above.

For entry under the said procedure pursuant to § 16d(4) there is, however, an important condition:

It is only possible if, in the assessment of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency), full recognition of the foreign professional qualifications is achievable. The Bundesagentur für Arbeit therefore only concludes agreements for selected professional qualifications from the country of origin. The following three points in particular are decisive:

• the Bundesagentur für Arbeit regards the respective professional qualification as suitable
• the professional associations and bodies for professional recognition involved regard the respective professional qualification as suitable
• in the assessment of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, adequate training structures exist for the respective professional qualification

As a modern company for personnel services in the medical field we offer you a tailored solution for every problem and advise you on the options for entry.

1. Where can you find information on options for entry as an international nurse?

Alongside our “support” at www.carelend/support you will find further information on public sites such as:

https://www.make-it-in-germany.com

Detailed information from the IQ Network on entry under placement agreements:

https://www.netzwerk-iq.de/fileadmin/Redaktion/Downloads/Fachstelle_Beratung_und_Qualifizierung/IQ_Handout_16d_Aufenthaltsgesetz_DE.pdf