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Healthcare professions; application for permission to use the professional title in the case of foreign training
If you have completed training abroad and would now like to work in Germany under a protected professional title in a healthcare profession, you will need a permit.
Online services & Forms
Online services
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Antrag auf Anerkennung eines Gesundheitsfachberufs bei einer im Ausland absolvierten AusbildungPersons who wish to apply for a permit to use the professional title in a healthcare profession and have completed their training abroad can apply for the permit online.
Forms
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Antrag auf Erlaubnis zum Führen der Berufsbezeichnung in einem Gesundheitsfachberuf bei einer im Ausland absolvierten Ausbildung
Bitte verwenden Sie vorrangig das Online-Verfahren. Sollte dies nicht möglich oder von Ihnen nicht gewünscht sein, können Sie dieses unterschriebene Antragsformular mit allen erforderlichen Unterlagen per Post einreichen.
This form can be submitted electronically (e.g. via a secure contact form using your user account with login via the electronic ID function or the ELSTER certificate) or handwritten and signed in paper form to the responsible authority.
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Ärztliche Bescheinigung über die gesundheitliche Eignung für den Beruf bei ausländischer AusbildungDie ärztliche Bescheinigung über die gesundheitliche Eignung für den Beruf ist erst auf gesonderte Anforderung einzureichen. Sie darf nicht älter als drei Monate sein. Es werden nur Gesundheitszeugnisse von Ärztinnen und Ärzten aus einem EU/EWR-Mitgliedsstaat akzeptiert.
This form can be submitted electronically (e.g. via a secure contact form using your user account with login via the electronic ID function or the ELSTER certificate) or handwritten and signed in paper form to the responsible authority.
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KostenübernahmeerklärungWenn die Kosten für das Anerkennungs- bzw. Berufszulassungsverfahren von einer anderen Person übernommen werden, hat diese das Formular „Kostenübernahmeerklärung“ auszufüllen und zu unterzeichnen. Sodann ist das Formular dem Berufszulassungsantrag beizufügen.
This form can be submitted electronically (e.g. via a secure contact form using your user account with login via the electronic ID function or the ELSTER certificate) or handwritten and signed in paper form to the responsible authority.
Responsible for you
For contact details of the responsible authoritiy and local valid information select under "Select location" a location.
Procedure details
Description
You need permission to use the professional title if you wish to work in the Federal Republic of Germany under one of the following protected professional titles listed in alphabetical order:
- Anesthesia technical assistant
- Dietary assistant
- Occupational therapist
- midwife
- Speech therapist
- Massage therapist and medical bath attendant
- Medical-technical assistant for functional diagnostics or medical-technical assistant for functional diagnostics
- Medical technologist for functional diagnostics or medical technologist for functional diagnostics
- Medical-technical laboratory assistant
- Medical technologist for laboratory analysis or medical technologist for laboratory analysis
- Medical-technical radiology assistant or medical-technical radiology assistant
- Medical technologist for radiology or medical technologist for radiology
- Medical technologist for veterinary medicine or medical technologist for veterinary medicine
- Emergency paramedic
- Surgical technology assistant
- Orthoptist
- Pharmaceutical-technical assistant
- Physiotherapist
- Podiatrist and medical chiropodist
- Veterinary medical technical assistant or veterinary medical technical assistant
The use of the professional titles is subject to licensing, but not the professional activity itself. However, the protection of the professional title also indirectly protects the practice of the respective profession to a certain extent, as qualified healthcare professionals are usually employed to carry out their work. For some healthcare professions, the activity as such is also protected in addition to the professional title: In the field of obstetrics (midwives) and in the professions of medical-technical assistants, emergency paramedics and nurses, certain activities are reserved for license holders.
For persons with domestic training, emergency paramedics and nursing staff, information is provided under "Related topics".
Requirements
The prerequisite for being granted permission to use the professional title is that you are professionally, personally and health-wise suitable and have the necessary knowledge of the German language to exercise the profession.
Professional aptitude
Professional aptitude can be assumed if you have fully completed the relevant vocational or university training abroad and the equivalence of your level of training is given. Training courses completed in other countries or professional experience gained in other countries must be taken into account when assessing the equivalence of the level of training.
Personal aptitude (reliability)
You can only be granted permission to use the professional title if you have not been guilty of any conduct that would make you unreliable to exercise the profession. This must be proven by a current official certificate of good conduct, which must only be submitted on separate request.
Health suitability
You must also be medically fit to exercise the profession. This must be proven by a current medical certificate, which must only be submitted on separate request.
Language skills
According to the professional laws of the healthcare professions, the granting of a license to use the professional title requires, among other things, that the applicant has the necessary knowledge of the German language to practice the profession (see e.g. Section 2 (1) No. 4 of the Masseur and Physiotherapist Act). To this end, the 92nd Conference of Health Ministers on June 5/6, 2019 unanimously adopted key points for checking the German language skills required to practice the profession in the healthcare professions. The following applies:
- The required German language skills are deemed to be proven for applicants for whom the licensing authority determines without doubt that German is spoken and written fluently (e.g. as a native language) or that the completion of training in the healthcare profession (training certificate) was obtained in German.
- As a rule, proof of the required German language skills is deemed to have been provided if the applicant has completed at least ten years of general education at a German-speaking school or at least three years of vocational training in German or has successfully completed a programme run, supported or recognized by a federal or state authority for the recruitment of foreign specialists in healthcare professions, which also includes a vocational German course (at least level CEFR B2, for speech therapists level CEFR C2).
- If proof is not deemed to have been provided in accordance with 1. or 2. above, the language skills required for practicing the profession are deemed to have been demonstrated by submitting a certificate of successful completion of the specialist language test to the Bavarian State Office for Nursing.
- Specialist language tests taken at the competent authority of another country, as well as specialist language tests from other examination institutions, are recognized as proof, provided that it is guaranteed that the examination there is equivalent to the specialist language test at the Bavarian State Office for Nursing. Whether this requirement, which must be proven by the applicant, is met in individual cases must be clarified in advance with the responsible professional licensing office if necessary.
As part of the professional licensing procedure, one of the above-mentioned certificates must be submitted to the competent authority to prove that the applicant has the German language skills required to practice the profession.
In Bavaria, a specialist language test for all healthcare professions (excluding nursing) has been set up at the Bavarian State Office for Nursing. This is based on CEFR level B2 (C2 for speech therapists). It is a face-to-face examination that takes place at the Bavarian State Office for Nursing in Amberg.
If you require a specialist language test, you can take this at the Bavarian State Office for Nursing.
You can find more information on the specialist language examination under "Further links" under the keyword "Specialist language examination - Bavarian State Office for Nursing (LfP)".
Proceedings
You must apply for permission to use the professional title from the Bavarian State Office for Nursing (LfP) if you wish to work in Bavaria.
Fees
The costs for the procedure for granting permission to use a professional title range from EUR 40 to EUR 500, depending on the individual case.
Those interested in recognition who only have limited financial resources of their own can apply for a grant for professional recognition. Information on applying for the recognition grant can be found under "Further links".
If you are required to take a specialist language examination, there are also fees for taking the examination. The examination fee is 350 EUR.
A list of potential costs can be found in the information sheet of the Bavarian State Office for Nursing (see "Related links").
Deadlines
There are no deadlines to be met.
Special notes
Information on the documents to be submitted can be found in the application forms; further information can be obtained from the authority responsible for professional licensing.
Legal bases
Appeal
Administrative court action
Related links
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Finanzielle Hilfen - AnerkennungszuschussAnerkennungsinteressierte, die nur über geringe finanzielle Eigenmittel verfügen, können einen Zuschuss für die Berufsanerkennung beantragen.
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Dolmetscher- und Übersetzerdatenbank der LandesjustizverwaltungenDolmetscher/innen und Übersetzer/innen suchen
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Anerkennung in DeutschlandFederal Government information portal on the recognition of foreign professional qualifications
Related issues
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Foreign professional qualifications; advice on recognition
In order to be optimally prepared for a recognition procedure at a recognition body, it is strongly recommended that you seek advice from a recognition counseling center beforehand.
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Foreign school-leaving qualification; application for recognition
The Certificate Recognition Office at the State Office for Schools evaluates general school-leaving certificates from abroad or from another federal state if a vocational school or university in Bavaria cannot decide independently on the admission of a person.
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Healthcare profession; application for a duplicate of a certificate or documentIf you no longer have the original of your training examination certificate or the certificate of authorization to use the professional title in a healthcare profession, you can apply for a duplicate of the original.
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Healthcare professions; application for permission to use the professional title in the case of domestic training
If you have completed training in Germany and would now like to work under a protected professional title in a healthcare profession, you need a permit to use the professional title.
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Healthcare professions; information on decisions in examination mattersThe governments are responsible for training and examination matters relating to the use of professional titles for various healthcare professions.
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Teaching rescue stations for emergency paramedic training; application for approvalRescue stations that train emergency paramedics must be approved by the government.
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Massage therapist and medical bath attendant; application for authorization to accept internsClinics or practices that wish to accept trainees for the profession of massage therapist and medical bath attendant require an authorization.
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Emergency paramedic with training from EU/EEA/Switzerland, recognise professional qualification
You would like to work as an emergency paramedic in Germany? Then you need a state permit. To obtain the state permit, you can have your foreign professional qualification recognised.
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Obtain recognition of professional qualification as an emergency paramedic with training from third countries
Would you like to work as an emergency paramedic in Germany? Then you need a state permit. In order to obtain the state permit, you can have your foreign professional qualification recognized.
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Nursing professions; application for permission to use the professional title for foreign professional qualifications
If you would like to work in Germany under the protected professional title "Pflegefachmann/-frau", "Gesundheits- und Kinderkrankenpfleger/-in" or "Altenpfleger/-in", you need a permit.
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Nursing assistant; application for recognition of foreign vocational training
You can have a school/professional qualification in nursing assistance acquired abroad checked for equivalence with the Bavarian vocational training for "Nursing assistant (geriatric care)" or "Nursing assistant (nursing)".
Status: 21.08.2025
Editorially responsible for prodecure description: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Gesundheit, Pflege und Prävention
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