Employee
You are a nurse and you’re looking for a job in Germany? Here you will find all the necessary information.
Much of the information that we offer here can be found in the information brochure “Fair Recruitment”, which you can download here.
Placement and Recruitment Process
We will help you to find an employer in a federal state/region of your choice and we:
- will accompany you from the application phase up until the moment when you sign your contract and you get professionally recognized afterwards
- are always your contact person for problems and questions
- organize the job interview (usually Zoom)
- give you advice for the job interview
- help and support you with the visa procedure
- help with the professional recognition
- help you fill out the application form for the professional recognition (in German)
- help you communicate with the employer and we will help with the bureaucracy
- will find at least a temporary accommodation via the employer
In short, we are here for any questions or doubts you may have and that free of charge!
What does our work together look like?
- You contact us and tell us your wishes and expectations concerning the job
- You send us all the needed documents
- We create a profile for you (we may need additional information from you)
- We look for an employer for you
- After we find an employer, we make an appointment for a job interview
- After the employer agrees to hire you, we help you with all the necessary processes
Here is a simplified overview of the mediation process
First contact
Preparation
Interview
Employment contract
Acquisition of necessary documents and visa procedure
Transport organization and arrival in Germany
Duration: 3-6 months for applicants with a B1 language certificate
Arrival in Germany
Administrative procedures
Start of work
Professional recognition and B2 language course exam
Duration: 6-12 months
Here is a more specific overview of the mediation process
First contact / Preparation
1-2 weeks
Job interview / Employment contract
1-2 weeks
Defizitbescheid / recognition notice
The Defizitbescheid from the appropriate federal state is available
no waiting time
No Defizitbescheid or from another feder state is available
2-4 months
Visa process
FEG - Skilled Worker's Immigration Act / § 81a Residence Act
With Defizitbescheid
1 month
Without Defizitbescheid
3-5 months
Application/receipt of the visa at the embassy // Planning and preperation of arrival
1 month
Arrival in Germany / Administrative procedures / Start of work
2-4 weeks
Compensation measures + (If a B2 language level is not given yet - language course)
Kenntnisprüfung (knowledge test) with the help of Lingoda
9-12 months
Anpassungslehrgang (adaptation period)
6-12 months
*All time designations may vary in individual cases and are based on our personal empirical values
The duration of the “Kenntnisprüfung” is based on the approach and cooperation with Lingoda
The duration of the “Anpassungslehrgang” depends on the respective “Defizitbescheid”
In our category “Recognition Procedure” you can find out how the visa and recognition process works in detail.
Information on the Professional Field
In Germany nursing professions are so-called “regulated professions”. This means that the training is regulated either by the Federation or by one of the Federal States. In order to work in Germany and in order to get your professional recognition, you need to submit an application for professional accreditation/recognition.
Since 2020 there has been a uniform vocational qualification resulting in the new job title “nursing professional” (Pflegefachmann / Pflegefachfrau), which should replace the previous designations in the long term, but for now the following titles are still used in many federal states: geriatric nurse (Altenpfleger*in) – licensed practical nurse (Gesundheits- und Krankenpfleger*in) – paediatric nurse (Gesundheits- und Kinderkrankenpfleger*in)
If you want to know what exactly the difference between all these terms is and how your “Defizitbescheid” could be affected by the laws, please read our blog post (only available in German and Croatian).
You can also consult the information brochure.
You can find further information on that topic here:
Information on gainful employment – rights and duties
Before you come to Germany, it would be of advantage to inform yourself about your rights and duties as an employee. You will find a brief summary on the topic in the above-mentioned information brochure “Fair Recruitment”.
During your time of gainful employment as a nurse in Germany, you are obliged to pay social insurance contributions. This means that you are automatically a member of various insurance companies. A certain amount of money will therefore be automatically deducted from your salary and paid into insurance companies.
Compulsory insurances:
- Health and nursing care insurance
- Pension insurance
- Unemployment insurance
For detailed information, you can consult the following links:
https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/working-in-germany/working-environment/work-contract
https://www.faire-integration.de/en/topic/48.faq.html
https://karrierebibel.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/FAQ-Arbeitsvertrag-Checkliste.pdf