Welcome to MEDIAN - the largest operator of rehabilitation clinics in Germany

Who can apply: 

• All applicants who have completed training or a degree in healthcare and nursing (m/f/d), physiotherapy (m/f/d), occupational therapy (m/f/d) or sports therapy (m/f/d).

Your successful application should include the following points:
 

• A cover letter
• A CV in tabular form with your personal details and information on your previous professional activities, your educational qualifications and your language skills
• Please write both in German
• A German language certificate, at least B1
• Deficit notice, if already available

Differences between care in Germany and abroad

• In many countries, nursing training is a degree programme at a university and lasts up to 5 years. The training is often academic and in some countries ends with a Bachelor's degree.
• In Germany, on the other hand, the nursing profession is an apprenticeship.
• Our care is less medical. Training takes place close to practice, usually alternating between school and work on the ward or with patients/rehabilitants.
• An international carer working in Germany often has different tasks to those in their country of origin.
• In most of our facilities, for example, basic care is one of the daily tasks of a carer. While basic care includes the recurring tasks for coping with everyday life, treatment care includes all medical assistance prescribed by a doctor and carried out by a qualified carer.

Care activities that are carried out:

• Support with basic care, mobilisation using care therapy concepts such as kinaesthetics and basal stimulation
• Carrying out all basic and treatment care activities
• Dispensing of medication
• Documentation
• Accompanying the doctor on the ward round
• Independent performance of a care round
• Wound care
• Supporting patients in relearning everyday skills (following orthopaedic surgery, for example)

What is the difference between physiotherapy and occupational therapy?

• Physiotherapy helps to restore the patient's mobility and balance as far as possible.
• The patient learns to use this mobility through occupational therapy.

Therapeutic activities in physiotherapy:

• Carry out targeted individual and group therapies with patients, e.g. exercises with equipment,
• Treatments in the form of respiratory therapy,
• Massages,
• Electrotherapies and heat or hydrotherapies

The aim is to improve the body's ability to move and function

Therapeutic activities in occupational therapy:

• Improving physical skills such as motor skills, coordination and mobility.
• Improving thinking skills, e.g. concentration and memory
• Achieve a stable emotional state and better social skills.
• Creating autonomy and independence

Typical clinical scenarios for which occupational therapy is used are, for example:

• Stroke/brain haemorrhage
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson
• Onset of dementia, Alzheimer's disease
• Diseases/injuries of the upper extremities, such as treatment after hand surgery
• Rheuma
• Arthrose

The nursing profession is one of the protected professions in Germany. This is why professional recognition is a very central, very important issue for foreign skilled workers.

All healthcare professions in Germany are regulated and therefore "protected". In order to be allowed to work as a "nursing specialist", you must have the professional qualification obtained abroad recognised in Germany.

The Federal Ministry's "Recognition Finder" provides a very good overview.

Physiotherapists and occupational therapists can also find out about the possibilities and the process of professional recognition here.

Application for recognition:

You can apply for recognition either at your place of residence or at your place of work. Each authority (or federal state) in Germany has its own requirements, so there is no standardised regulation as to exactly which documents you need.

Procedure for recognition:

A distinction is made in the process between

• the EU/EEA countries and
• third countries

You can receive automatic recognition from EU member states if you obtained your qualification after your country of origin joined the EU.

In all other cases where there is no automatic recognition, an equivalence check is carried out:

• Equivalence with German training is checked by the competent authority of the federal state in which recognition is applied for.

Equivalence test

• The authorities will check whether the training content from your country of origin is similar to the requirements of the German training programme.
• After the examination, you will receive a notification stating whether
  • you will receive full recoginition in Germany,
  • have to complete an adaptation qualification or
  • your profession cannot be recognised Germany.
• This notification regulates the extent to which you must make up for or provide evidence of the missing content. There are two options:

Knowledge test

Organised and run by state-recognised schools. The knowledge test consists of

• Oral examination
• Practical examination

The practical part of the examination consists of the care process design including the care planning to be prepared for each care situation.

The oral part of the knowledge test must be taken on the basis of case studies.

It is possible to repeat the failed parts of the examination once.

The adaptation programme 

Takes the form of practical training with theoretical instruction at a hospital. The duration of the adaptation period is determined and must be full-time.

The adaptation period concludes with an examination on the content of the adaptation period.

The nursing profession is a regulated, protected profession. Entry, residence and visa depend on the country of origin.

Immigration depends on the country of origin: EU countries, EEA countries, third countries.

The entry and residence regulations depend on which country you come from.

From an EU or EEA/EFTA country:

If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA country (and Switzerland), you can enter the country and choose your place of residence without any problems. Unlike skilled workers from third countries, you do not require a work permit for gainful employment within the EU.

However, as the nursing profession is also a protected profession, your professional qualification must be recognised.

If you obtained your professional qualification in your country of origin after your country of origin joined the EU, you can have your profession recognised automatically.

But already living in Germany

If you come from a third country and are already living and working in Germany, apply for a work permit directly at the Foreigners' Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde / Ausländeramt). You will need the following documents:

• Proof of salary for the last three months
• Proof of tenancy (tenancy agreement) and health insurance
• Registration certificate in Germany
• Copy of passport and residence permit/visa
• Application for a work permit (you are responsible for this application)
• Employment contract (we as the employer provide this)

However, if you are still in your home country

• As a citizen of a third country, you need a visa or residence permit to live and work in Germany.
• The list of countries for which a visa is required to enter Germany can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.
• The Federal Foreign Office provides an overview of visa requirements and exemptions when entering the Federal Republic of Germany:

Then you must achieve a gross annual salary of at least 49,830 Euros (in 2024) with the desired job in Germany or provide evidence of an appropriate pension scheme.

This may include existing claims in a statutory pension insurance scheme in your country of origin or other countries, existing claims from private pension or life insurance policies or even real estate or other assets. You can obtain information on whether you need to provide such proof in your specific case from the Federal Employment Agency or the diplomatic mission responsible for your visa application.