Germany recognises nurses trained abroad, but the licence to work as a registered nurse is only issued once you prove B2 German. This guide explains which certificates count, how the recognition process works, and what the public-sector pay table shows.
Recognition as a nurse requires B2 German before the licence is issued; Goethe B2 and telc B2 (including telc B2 Pflege) are accepted, and Berlin runs its own B2 nursing language exam.
Source: lfp.bayern.de ·
In Germany, nursing is a protected profession. To use the title of registered nurse (Pflegefachfrau or Pflegefachmann) you need a licence to practise (Berufserlaubnis) from the authority of the federal state (Land) where you want to work. The licence depends on two things: your nursing training must be recognised as equivalent, and you must prove German at level B2. Your diploma can be fully recognised and you still cannot start as a nurse until the language certificate is in the file.
At B2 you can take a patient history, follow a handover, explain a procedure in simple words and write clear care notes.
Until the licence is issued, foreign nurses usually work as nursing assistants (Pflegehelfer) and are paid at that level. The sooner you have B2, the sooner you move to the registered nurse pay group.
The authority wants an exam certificate, not a course attendance letter.
Each federal state publishes its own list, so always check with the authority that handles your application. The certificates below are accepted at level B2 by the Bavarian state office for nursing (Landesamt für Pflege), and Berlin also runs an exam of its own:
A general exam such as Goethe B2 or telc B2 is the safest choice if you are not yet sure which state you will work in, because it is widely known and offered in many countries.
Public hospitals pay according to the collective agreement for care staff (TVöD-P). The table below is valid from 1 May 2026 to 31 March 2027 and shows gross monthly pay. You move up the steps (Stufe) with years of experience.
| Pay group | Typical role | Gross per month |
|---|---|---|
| P5 | Nursing assistant (Pflegehelfer), also the usual pay during recognition | €2,907 – €3,629 |
| P7 | Registered nurse (Pflegefachkraft) after recognition | €3,510 (Stufe 2) – €4,305 (Stufe 6) |
| P8 | Nurse with specialist training, for example intensive care or the operating room (OP) | €3,701 – €4,489 |
| P9 – P12 | Practical instructor, ward manager | €3,992 – €5,493 |
On top of the table come extra payments for shifts, nights, Sundays and public holidays, plus a yearly bonus (Jahressonderzahlung). Church and private employers pay in a similar range, but not always the same amounts. As a rough guide, €3,500 gross in tax class I without church tax leaves about €2,300 – €2,400 net in 2026; the exact figure depends on your state and health insurance.
For nurses who already hold a nursing degree or diploma from their home country. The state authority compares your training with the German one. If it finds gaps, you close them before the licence is issued, and you need B2 German in every case.
For people who are not yet nurses. The training takes three years, mixes school and ward work, and is paid. In the public sector, trainees earn roughly €1,340 – €1,490 gross a month in year 1, about €1,400 – €1,550 in year 2 and about €1,500 – €1,650 in year 3, plus a one-off €400 for passing the final exam.
Goethe B2 is modular: reading, listening, writing and speaking are separate modules. You pass each module with 60 out of 100 points, and if one module goes badly you can book and repeat that module alone. Exam fees are set locally by each Goethe-Institut or partner centre, so check the price list in your country; single modules cost less than the full exam.
5 parts, 30 items, 65 minutes.
4 parts, 30 items, about 40 minutes.
2 parts, 75 minutes: a longer forum post worth 60 points and a shorter message worth 40 points.
2 parts, about 15 minutes with 15 minutes to prepare: a short talk and a discussion with your partner.
Pick a certificate from the list above.
Send your nursing diploma and the documents the authority lists to the office of the state where you plan to work. It compares your training with the German one.
Many nurses start as assistants while the process runs. Once the licence is issued, you move to the registered nurse pay group.
Looking further ahead: skilled workers can apply for a settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) after 3 years. German citizenship (Einbürgerung) needs 5 years of legal residence, B1 German and the citizenship test (Einbürgerungstest), and you must be able to support yourself. That period is the same whatever German level you hold, and the B2 you pass for your licence already covers the B1 language rule.
You need B2. The state authority issues your licence to practise (Berufserlaubnis) only after your training is recognised and you have shown a B2 certificate. Accepted lists differ by federal state, so confirm with the authority that handles your file.
The Bavarian state office for nursing accepts, among others, Goethe-Zertifikat B2, Goethe PRO Pflege at B2, telc Deutsch B2, telc Deutsch B2 Pflege, ÖSD B2, ECL B2, the German Test for the Profession (DTB) B2 and TestDaF with TDN 3 in all parts. Berlin also runs its own B2 language exam for nurses.
Plan for B2 before you apply: without it, the licence to work as a registered nurse is not issued. During the recognition phase, many foreign nurses work as nursing assistants (Pflegehelfer) and are paid at that level until the licence arrives.
In public hospitals (TVöD-P table, 1 May 2026 to 31 March 2027) a registered nurse in pay group P7 earns from €3,510 gross a month at Stufe 2 up to €4,305 at Stufe 6, plus shift, night, Sunday and holiday payments and a yearly bonus. As a rough guide, €3,500 gross leaves about €2,300 – €2,400 net in tax class I without church tax.
Both are accepted for nursing. Goethe B2 is modular, so you can repeat a single module if you miss the 60-point pass mark in it. telc B2 is one exam with a written and an oral part, and telc also offers a B2 version for care settings (telc Deutsch B2 Pflege).
Fees are set locally by each exam centre and differ from country to country, so check the price list of your nearest Goethe-Institut or telc centre. For Goethe B2, a single module costs less than the full exam.
No. German citizenship needs 5 years of legal residence, B1 German, the citizenship test and the ability to support yourself. There is no faster route for any language level. Skilled workers can apply for a settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) after 3 years.