Nursing staff – future-proof employment
Working as a nurse is a popular profession in Germany. One reason is the good quality of life in old age that many people value. Another is that as the population ages and the number of young people entering working life declines, the need for professional nursing and medical care also rises. Hospitals, care homes for the elderly and other care facilities are therefore increasingly looking for nurses with different qualification levels in order to meet the rising demand. This need is expected to continue to grow in the coming years.
Germany currently has a considerable number of qualified nurses working in various fields and facilities. According to current data there are in total around 1.4 million qualified nurses in Germany, including general nurses, geriatric nurses, midwives and obstetric nurses as well as nursing assistants.
Qualified nurses can work in various facilities, for example in hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient nursing services, hospices or rehabilitation facilities. Depending on qualification and specialisation there are also qualified nurses who work in specialised areas such as intensive care or palliative care.
Qualified nurses make an important contribution to the well-being of the population and play a decisive part in ensuring that people receive the support they need in difficult phases of life.
CareLend supports you with expertise so that you can practise this profession in Germany.
Entry requirements for international nurses
To work in the care sector in Germany in the long term, you need a state licence to practise the profession. As a rule the relevant requirements must be met in order to work in nursing.
Recognised qualification: in order to work as a nurse in Germany, you must hold a recognised qualification. To that end the competent authority examines whether your qualification in your home country is comparable with a German qualification. If that is not the case, you have the option of taking a knowledge examination or an adaptation course in order to bring your knowledge up to the same level as German nurses. You submit your application for recognition to the expert in the federal state in which you wish to work. With recognition you are entitled to work as a nurse throughout Germany.
Sufficient German language skills: in some federal states, language skills at level B1 or B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) are required. We support you on the path to learning German. You will find all the information on this here.
Health suitability: in order to work as a nurse in Germany, you must be physically and mentally healthy. This requires a certificate from a German doctor confirming that you meet the health requirements necessary for practising the profession.
Personal suitability / reliability: to demonstrate your trustworthiness, depending on the situation you must present either a certificate of good conduct from your home country or a German police certificate of good conduct.
Visa: you will find all the information on applying for and obtaining a visa here.
