How to Work and Immigrate as a Doctor in Germany?

Immigrate to Germany as a doctor requirements 

Not everyone is eligible to be a doctor in Germany. You need the below items to qualify: 

Medical license 

To work in Germany as a doctor, you need to get a medical license that gets called ‘Approbation.’ The government is responsible for issuing the documents. Once you get it, it is valid in the entire German territory, and there is no expiry date with it as it is valid during your whole lifetime. 

You can find the list of the authorities who issue the license certificate from this link.

Job offer 

The next requirement is to have a job offer from a German employer, medical center, or hospital. You need to search through the websites that provide such jobs and apply for them. You need an employer’s approval to work in Germany as a doctor. 

If you have received your qualifications in a foreign country, they need to be equivalent to comparable to German ones. It becomes especially true for medical certificates gained outside of the EU. the process of evaluating them takes a bit longer. 

Until you get your medical license, you can work temporarily by applying for a ‘Berufserlaubnis’ (temporary medical license. It allows you to work in Germany while waiting for your license and officials checking your eligibility. 

When you get the ‘Berufserlaubnis, you may start working as a medical resident or by working and studying your medical specialty. It can take some time until your medical eligibility gets processed. It is up to your specialty. 

Language requirements 

Language proficiency is a must for doctors who want to immigrate to Germany. Some majors and courses are taught in English, but that is not the case with doctors. 

You need at least a B2 level of German language proficiency for general; in most cases, you will need a C1-level medical German. 

Remember that every federal state has its own regulations for doctors. You have to find out the rules of the state you want to move to and fulfill them. It is true for language requirements as well. 

You often have to pass a test called Fachsprachenprüfung to get your Approbation. It tests your written and oral knowledge of German medical knowledge. You can get help from some language schools to get prepared.

Find the language requirements for each state here.  

Salary requirements 

Your job offer needs to fulfill the payment requirement. 

A doctor is a well-paid job in Germany, and even the starting salary is high. Of course, your salary is up to your knowledge, work experience, and the area you work in. 

The average salary for an assistant doctor is about 65,000 EUR. At the same time, it is 80,000 EUR for a specialist. 

If you get a job in a hospital, you will get raised on years of experience in the hospital. 

The highest pay in the area is for the chief physicians, who get about 278,000 EUR per year. 

The point you need to remember is that a doctor has lots of responsibilities and tasks to do. The most important thing is people’s life. So you won’t get away with mistakes. Rules are rules, and there are no exceptions. 

Skill score 

There are exams to evaluate your knowledge and ability as a doctor. You need to get 80% of the required scores in these examples to be eligible. 

Bear in mind that German officials are strict with the non-EU people who enter the country as a doctor. So you need to work hard to prove that you are qualified to work as a doctor in the country. 

Educational requirements 

Your educational certificate must be above 15 to get accepted by the German officials. You would better study as hard as possible to improve your GPA. 

It is a necessary point in determining your eligibility. 

Age and work experience 

The top age limit for doctors who immigrated to Germany is 50 years old. Also, you need to have at least two years of work experience. You would better make up your mind as early as possible to improve your chance of getting accepted. Also, gather as much work experience as you can. 

Who needs recognition to work as a doctor in Germany?

What is recognition? It means that if you have got your degree from outside of Germany, you need to apply to get your degree recognized. German officials evaluate your degree and background to find out if you are eligible to work as a doctor in Germany or not. 

To know if you need recognition to work as a doctor in Germany, you need to answer the following questions: 

• Have you learned your profession abroad (not in Germany), or have you studied abroad at an institute of higher education or a university?
• Have you successfully completed your training or degree?
• Are you from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland?
• Are you living in Germany at the moment? 
• Are you from the following list of countries?
  • The UK 
  • New Zealand
  • Canada
  • Japan 
  • Israel
  • the Republic of Korea
  • Australia
  • the USA 

If the answer to the above questions is no, you need recognition to work in Germany as a doctor. You can find the list of authorities in the state you want to move to in the below section. You can contact them, and they will inform you whether you need recognition or not. But if you have your degree from a non-EU country, you will likely need recognition. 

How to immigrate to Germany as a doctor?

This part explains how to immigrate to Germany as a doctor if you have received your university degree abroad, particularly in a non-EU country. 

Step 1. Complete your university degree 

You need to complete your education in your home country first. You would better work hard and get good marks and GPA. The German officials are strict about accepting doctors from foreign countries, and the quality of your education is a determining factor. 

Step 2. Prepare the language fluency test 

If you want to become a doctor in Germany, it is essential to be fluent in German. Forget how many people speak English because there are tests that you need to pass which are in German. 

A B2 or C1 is required to pass the tests and get the required certificates. So you would better study as hard as possible to get a higher degree. 

Remember that just getting a degree is not all of it. You need to be fluent in German and can speak and comprehend it very well. 

Step 3. Apply for recognition 

If you have received your degree from a non-EU country, it is often required to get your degree recognized. It is to determine the quality of your education is well enough to work as a doctor in Germany. 

Although not every non-EU national needs to get his/, her degree recognized. People from the below list don’t need recognition; 

• the UK 
• New Zealand
• Canada
• Japan 
• Israel
• the Republic of Korea
• Australia
• the USA 

The EU countries are also on the above list. 

There are authorized centers in the area you want to move to that are responsible for recognition. 

You can find the list of the organizations responsible for degree recognition in this link. The name, address, and contact details for each center are provided in the link. 

What are the requirements for degree recognition?

You can apply for recognition from inside or outside of Germany. But if you need a visa to enter Germany, you can apply for a tourist visa and enter the country to complete the procedure. 

Remember that you need to submit proof for whatever you say in your application. 

• Professional work experience 
• Proof of identity, passport. 
• Proof of completed training courses
• Certificate of formal education. 
• A statement that no application for a declaration of equivalence has yet been filed.

Step 4. Pass the tests and exams 

You also have to pass some tests and exams to prove you’re qualified to work as a doctor in Germany. You can get familiar with some of these tests in the above section. 

Step 5. Get a job offer from a German employer 

It is required that you look for a job offer. It is one of the requirements to work as a doctor in Germany. 

You can look for one on the websites like:

1. Indeed
2. StepStone
3. Arbeitsagentur
4. LinkedIn
5. Meinestadt.de
6. Jobrapido.de
7. Kimeta
8. Xing Stellenmarkt
9. Monster Deutschland
10. Stellenanzeigen.de

The above list is the top ten websites to find a job in Germany. 

Prepare your resume and certificates and look for a position for yourself and try to convince the employer to hire you. 

You can also look for a job inside Germany. The job seeker visa and tourist visa allows you to stay in the country and look for a job. But you may now work and must have enough money to cover your expenses. 

Step 6. Apply for a work visa 

If you are from a non-EU country, you need a work visa and work permit to work in Germany. You can also apply for an EU Blue Card. It is to bring highly skilled people to the country. But you need to be eligible to apply for it. 

The eligibility principles for EU Blue Card are strict. You need a job offer that pays you at least €43,056 per year. 

In case you don’t qualify for an EU Blue Card, you can apply for a work visa at the German embassy in your home country. However, you will have a bit of difficulty getting a Permanent Residency with a work permit, but it’s possible after a few years.