Immigration of doctors from so-called third countries

13.06.2022

Non-EU foreigners (e.g. Egypt, India, Iran, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, etc.)

• C.1.) The professional permit must be applied for at the appropriate office (e.g. Ministry for Youth, Social Affairs and Health) of the respective federal state (e.g. Bavaria, Hesse etc.). The following documents must be submitted:
• C.1.1.) Curriculum vitae in German language
• C.1.2.) Medical diploma
• C.1.3.) Internship, traineeship, practical training period
• C.1.4.) Birth certificate
• C.1.5.) Marriage certificate, if married
• C.1.6.) declaration of exemption from punishment in the home country
• C.1.7.) police certificate of good conduct (abroad)
• C.1.8.) official certificate of good conduct - document type 0 - (domestic)
• C.1.9.) Copy of valid passport
• C.1.10.) Language certificate attesting to German language skills of at least B2
• C.1.11.) Application for a professional permit
• C.1.12.) Medical certificate confirming health suitability for practising the profession of the medical profession
• C.1.13.) employment contract signed by all contracting parties (e.g. clinic and you).

All documents (except B.1.9.) must be submitted in the original or as officially certified copies. Foreign documents and certificates must be translated into German by a state-approved interpreter. The interpreter must also confirm that the original texts have been submitted to him/her. Foreign documents must also be presented in legalised form or as an apostille (legalisation). These can be obtained from the German mission abroad in the respective country of origin or from the competent authorities in the country of origin.

• C.2.) The work permit must be applied for at the employment office or job centre of the respective city or municipality in which you would like to work. As a rule, you will need your work permit, your birth certificate and a valid identity card.
• C.3.) For this group of applicants, a residence permit for Germany must also be applied for and issued. Often, a visa is already required for entry into Germany, which makes a visit to the German mission abroad absolutely necessary anyway.
• C.4.) In the case of non-EU foreigners, a so-called equivalence test of the studies completed in the non-EU foreign country is carried out before the German licence to practise medicine is granted. If no equivalence is established between the degree obtained abroad and the corresponding degree from a German university, the only option left for this doctor is a temporary professional licence. As a rule, this is linked to employment at a specific clinic and the doctor thus has the opportunity to take the equivalence examination or the knowledge level examination within this two-year period. After successfully passing the knowledge level examination, there is usually nothing standing in the way of the granting of a German licence to practise medicine.