Social Authority

Apply for a foreign certificate (certificate of good standing) for non-academic health professions

If you are interested in working in a non-academic healthcare profession abroad, you will usually need a certificate of good standing.

Detailed description

Non-academic health professions include, for example:

  • geriatric, health, nursing and pediatric nurses
  • Medical-technical and pharmaceutical-technical assistants
  • physiotherapists
  • occupational therapists
  • emergency paramedics and rescue assistants
  • speech therapists
  • dietitians
  • podiatrists
  • orthoptists
  • Masseurs and medical lifeguards

If you want to work abroad in one of these non-academic health professions, you usually need proof of having acquired the relevant qualification (for example, a certificate or proof of training). You also usually need a subject hourly overview and confirmation that you are entitled to practice your profession without restrictions. You can apply for such confirmation in the form of a foreign certificate. The foreign certificate also shows that no professional or disciplinary measures have been taken against you.



You can obtain a certificate of residence abroad upon application from the locally responsible authority in the federal state in which you practice your profession or in which you last practiced it in Germany.

 

Information

Prerequisites

  • You practice a non-academic health profession.
  • You submit your application in the federal state in which you practice or last practiced the academic health profession.

Documents required

  • Official certificate of good conduct for submission to an authority (document type 0)
  • Officially certified copy of the permission to use the professional title (certificate)
  • simple copy of the certificate (if available)
  • CV (signed) or
  • Proof of activity in Hamburg

Please note

In the case of non-academic medical professions, the foreign certificate can also confirm the training content.



The procedure for academic health professions differs from the procedures presented here.

Deadlines

Application deadline: None


The host country usually only accepts certificates that are no older than three months.

Procedure

  • You send the application for a foreign certificate (certificate of good standing) together with the necessary documents to the responsible authority.
  • The responsible authority checks the requirements and, if the check is positive, issues the foreign certificate (certificate of good standing).

Processing time

Processing may take up to four weeks.

Fees

35.00 EUR - 150.00 EUR

Legal remedies

contradiction

Legal basis

Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications


www.eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/TXT/?uri=celex:32005L0036


Administrative Procedure Act (VwVfG)


www.gesetze-im-internet.de/vwvfg/


Nursing Professions Act (PflBG)


www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pflbg/


Midwifery Act (HebG)


www.gesetze-im-internet.de/hebg_2020/


Law on Technical Professions in Medicine (MTAG)


www.gesetze-im-internet.de/mtag_1993/


Law on the Profession of Speech Therapist (LogopG)


www.gesetze-im-internet.de/logopg/


Law on Professions in Physiotherapy (MPhG)


www.gesetze-im-internet.de/mphg/


Occupational Therapists Act (ErgThG)


www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bearbthg/


Law on the Profession of Emergency Paramedic (NotSanG)


www.gesetze-im-internet.de/notsang/


Law on the Profession of Dietitian (DiätAssG)


www.gesetze-im-internet.de/di_tassg_1994/


Law on the Profession of Pharmaceutical Technical Assistant (PharmTAG)


www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pharmtag/

Address and contact information

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Keywords: Recognition of training abroad work permit professional certificate proof of occupation Acquired Rights certificate of good conduct

Last updated: 12.09.2026