Hebamme oder Entbindungspfleger mit Ausbildung aus EU/EWR/Schweiz, Berufsqualifikation anerkennen

If you want to work as a midwife or maternity nurse in Germany, you need a state permit.

The activity as a midwife or maternity nurse is regulated in Germany. This means that in order to be able to work as a midwife or maternity nurse in Germany, you need a state permit. With this permission, you may use the professional title "midwife" or "maternity nurse" and work in the profession.

Even with a professional qualification from a country of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you can obtain permission in Germany.

The state permit is granted to you by the competent authority (an authority) if your training as a midwife or maternity nurse is equivalent to the German training. Equivalence is an important prerequisite for granting permission. You must meet other requirements, e.g. sufficient German language skills and health suitability.

A professional qualification from the EU, EEA or Switzerland is usually automatically recognised when you apply for the permit. However, there may also be deviations from this rule. It depends on the country in which you completed your training and at what time. If you acquired your professional qualification after your country of training joined the EU/EEA, your professional qualification will be automatically recognised. Then the recognition procedure is shortened.

If your professional qualification does not come from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, other regulations apply.

You can also apply for the procedure from abroad.

The competent authority will tell you which documents you need to submit. Important documents are in general:

• Proof of identity (identity card or passport)
• German-language curriculum vitae in tabular form with your education and professional activities
• officially certified copy of your proof of formal qualifications
• Proof of your relevant professional experience as a midwife or maternity nurse
• Extract from the criminal record or certificate of good conduct from your country of origin as proof of your worthiness and reliability (This proof must not be more than 3 months old at the time of application.)
• Medical certificate of your medical fitness (The proof can be from an authority in your country of training. This certificate must not be more than 3 months old at the time of application.)
• Declaration that you have not yet applied for permission in Germany

The competent authority will inform you which documents you must submit in the original or as copies.

If your documents are not available in German, you must submit German translations of your documents. The translations must be made by translators who are publicly appointed or authorised.

Ask the Regional Council for the specific requirements. In general, the following requirements apply:

• You have a professional qualification as a midwife or maternity nurse from the EU, EEA or Switzerland.
• They are suitable for health. (This means that you can work mentally and physically as a midwife or maternity nurse.)
• They are reliable for working as midwives or maternity nurses and have no criminal record.
• You have the necessary knowledge of German for the job. This is usually level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

The procedure costs money. The competent authority will inform you about the costs. The costs generally depend on the effort for processing.

In addition, additional costs may arise (e.g. for translations or certifications). These costs vary from person to person.

Application

You submit an application for authorisation to use the professional title of "midwife" or "maternity nurse" to the competent authority. The competent authority will check whether your training corresponds to the German training and whether all other requirements are met.

Automatic recognition

As a rule, the automatic recognition procedure applies if you acquired your professional qualification after your country of training joined the EU/EEA. This means that if you also meet all other requirements, your professional qualification will be recognised without an individual assessment of equivalence.

Certificate

Professional qualifications that you acquired before your country of training joined the EU/EEA (or that do not correspond to the legal titles) can also be automatically recognised. To do this, you must submit a certificate from the competent authority of your country of training that your professional qualification meets the minimum standards of the EU ("certificate of conformity"). If your professional qualification does not meet the minimum standards, you must prove your professional experience. You must have worked as a midwife or maternity nurse in your country of origin for 3 consecutive years in the 5 years prior to the application. This must be confirmed by the authority of your country of origin.

Equivalence assessment

If you cannot provide a certificate of conformity or do not have enough professional experience, your training must be checked individually. The competent authority compares your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification as a midwife or maternity nurse. The competent authority will check whether your professional qualification is equivalent. The professional qualification is equivalent if there are no significant differences between your foreign professional qualification and the German professional qualification.

Possible results of the test

If your professional qualification is equivalent, your foreign professional qualification will be recognised. The authority can confirm the result to you in writing. You still have to meet the other requirements and prove your language skills. Then you will be granted permission to use the professional title of "midwife" or "maternity nurse".

If the competent body identifies significant differences, you can compensate for the differences through your professional practice and other knowledge and skills (lifelong learning). You must prove your professional experience. Knowledge and skills must be certified by an authority in your country of origin.

However, it may be that this knowledge is not sufficient. You will then not be able to compensate for the essential differences. Your foreign professional qualification will then not be recognised.

The competent authority will tell you in writing the main differences and why you cannot compensate for the essential differences through your professional practice. The notification of the competent authority also states what level of your training has and what level is necessary in Germany. They are then not allowed to work as midwives or maternity nurses. However, the competent authority offers you to complete an adaptation period or take an aptitude test as a compensatory measure. If you successfully complete this measure, you will be allowed to work in the profession.

Adaptation period or aptitude test

If your professional qualification is not equivalent, you can complete an adaptation period or take an aptitude test. During the aptitude test, you check the essential differences between your professional qualifications. The exam consists of a practical exercise and an exam interview. The contents and the exact procedure of the examination are regulated by law. If you complete the adaptation period or pass the aptitude test, you will be granted permission to use the professional title of "midwife" or "maternity nurse". You must also meet the other requirements and prove your language skills.

Remedy

You can take legal action against the decision of the competent authority. The decision will then be reviewed. Details can be found in the information on the right of appeal at the end of your decision. We recommend that you first talk to the competent authority before taking legal action against the decision.

The competent authority will confirm that your application and documents have been received after a maximum of one month. The competent authority will inform you if documents are missing.

If the documents are complete, the procedure takes a maximum of 3 months.

There are no deadlines to be observed.

Sometimes documents are still missing in the procedure. The competent authority will then inform you by when you must submit the documents. This may prolong the procedure.

• Freedom to provide services
  If you only want to work temporarily and occasionally independently as a service provider in Germany, you do not need a state permit. However, special conditions apply. You must report your work to the competent body before the first activity. The competent body will inform you in detail about the procedure.
   
• Equivalence Notice
  In the licensing procedure, equivalence is checked (recognition procedure). You can apply for a separate notification for the result of the examination.
   
• Electronic application
  You can also submit your application electronically. Applications can be submitted directly to the competent authority. You can also submit the request to the Point of Single Contact. The Point of Single Contact will help you and forward the application to the competent body that carries out the recognition procedure.
   
• Procedure for ethnic German repatriates
  As a Spätaussiedler, you can go through the recognition procedure either according to the law mentioned here or according to the Federal Expellees Act. You can decide for yourself. Your competent body will advise you on this.

You can appeal against the decision of the Regional Council within four weeks.

• In Germany, you need a state permit to work as a midwife or maternity nurse.
• With the permission you can call yourself "midwife" or "maternity nurse" and work in the profession.
• Even with a professional qualification from the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you can get permission in Germany.
• It is important where and when you acquired your professional qualification.
• Responsible is the Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt.

Please contact the Hessian State Office for Health and Care (HLfGP).

Since 01.01.2023, the Hessian State Office for Health and Care (HLfGP) has been responsible.

Ask the responsible regional council for pre-printed applications / forms.