For nursing assistants
Your path to working as a nursing assistant
Find the rule for your exact helper or assistant title and intended state. This page explains recognition and the planned 2027 federal qualification; personalised roadmaps for these titles are not yet available.
Free, no account needed. Supported professions get a personalized roadmap; others can join the waitlist.
Plan your next steps
Your route to working in Germany
The guide below explains the current state-based routes. A personalised nursing-assistant roadmap is not yet available.
- 1
Prepare
Check your authority’s document list before paying for translations or certifications.
- 2
German & exams
Prepare the German certificate and any professional language test your authority accepts.
- 3
Recognition
Apply for recognition. If gaps remain, follow the exam or adaptation route in your decision.
- 4
Visa & arrival
If you need a visa, check which residence permit covers your recognition or employment.
- 5
First job
Apply for roles that match your current licence and permitted duties.
This is an overview. Check whether a personalised roadmap is available for your profession, or join the waitlist.
Check roadmap availabilityServices
Services for every profession
Get help with your document list, visa questions or German CV.
- Document Checkfrom 129 €Your document list compared with your recognition authority’s checklist, with missing items identified.Open
- Visa Consultationon requestA consultation on residence-permit options, required documents and application steps.Open
- CV & Career Check149 €A German CV in PDF and Word, with a hiring supervisor’s review and written feedback.Open
Recognition and state law for nursing assistants
Pflegehelfer, Pflegeassistent and Krankenpflegehelfer are not one nationwide qualification today. State law and the reference occupation determine whether a title is regulated and which recognition procedure applies. A non-regulated assistant job may be possible without a decision; a protected title requires authorisation.
The federal Pflegefachassistenz qualification begins on 1 January 2027. It creates a common training and professional title, while transitional rules preserve certain state-law training pathways. If you already hold a foreign qualification, ask the office in the state where you intend to work which current or new procedure applies to your application.
Documents and the German level for recognition
Ask the office for your title and state. Common evidence includes:
- A qualification certificate and a detailed record of training subjects and hours.
- Evidence of relevant work experience and the duties you performed.
- Identity documents and any translations or certified copies requested by the office.
- For regulated titles, any health, reliability and German-language evidence required for the authorisation.
- If the title is not regulated, ask an employer what training and German level its role requires.
How long recognition takes and what drives the cost
The deadline and fee depend on the applicable state or federal procedure. The clock normally starts only when the competent authority has the required documents; ask it for the applicable deadline before making plans.
Translations and any compensation measure add time and cost. The federal training begins in 2027, but that date does not set an individual recognition deadline.
- Current route
- Depends on title and state
- Federal training start
- 1 January 2027
- Nurse qualification
- A separate recognition route
Which office decides in your state
The table covers verified contacts for selected titles and states. A missing state row does not mean there is no procedure.
| Federal state | Recognition office |
|---|---|
| North Rhine-Westphalia | Bezirksregierung Münster – ZAG-PuG (Pflegefachassistenz)Münster |
| Bavaria | Bayerisches Landesamt für PflegeAmberg |
| Baden-Württemberg | Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart - Referat 98 - Landesanerkennungsstelle für GesundheitsberufeStuttgart |
This is a starting list, not a complete directory of every assistant title. A missing state does not mean recognition is unavailable. Confirm your exact title in the official Recognition Finder.
Working while you wait: the Pflegehelfer bridge
Care work without a protected title may be possible while an application is pending. Employers must assign tasks within local supervision and patient-safety rules.
A helper role is not the same as authorisation to use the registered nurse title. If you are trained as a nurse, keep the nursing recognition application separate and check your residence and employment conditions.
Packages & pricing
Compare individual checks and packages, including what each service covers.
Get it funded
Check eligibility for recognition-cost support, placement vouchers and funded training.
The funding page is in German.
Questions we hear most
Check your roadmap
Check availability for your profession. Build a free roadmap where supported, or join the waitlist.
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