Description
You need a license if you wish to work under one of the protected professional titles listed in alphabetical order in the Federal Republic of Germany.
- Anesthesia technical assistant
- Dietician
- Occupational therapist
- Midwife
- Speech therapist
- Masseur and medical bath attendant
- Medical-technical assistant for functional diagnostics
- Medical technologist for functional diagnostics
- Medical-technical laboratory assistant
- Medical technologist for laboratory analysis
- Medical-technical radiology assistant
- Medical technologist for radiology
- Emergency paramedic
- Surgical assistant
- Orthoptist
- Pharmaceutical-technical assistant
- Physiotherapist
- Podiatrist, podiatrist, medical chiropodist
- Veterinary medical-technical assistant
The use of the professional title is subject to licensing, but not the professional activity itself. By protecting the professional title, the practice of the respective profession is also indirectly protected to a certain extent, as qualified healthcare professionals are generally employed for qualified healthcare work. For some healthcare professions, the activity as such is also protected in addition to the professional title: In the field of obstetrics (midwives) and in the professions of medical-technical assistants, emergency paramedics and nurses, certain activities are reserved for license holders.
Prerequisites
The most important requirements are:
You have fully completed vocational or university training (proof) and passed the final examination.
If you have not been trained in accordance with the law applicable in the Federal Republic of Germany,
- the equivalence of your level of training or knowledge according to the German training and examination regulations applicable to the respective profession is generally required
- good knowledge of the German language must be demonstrated (level CEFR B2).
Reliability
You have not been guilty of any behavior that would make you unreliable to practice the profession (certificate of good conduct).
Health suitability
You are medically fit to practise the profession (medical certificate).
Special notes
General responsibility:
The seven district governments in Bavaria are responsible for issuing professional licenses, depending on where you live or work.
Information on the documents to be submitted can be found in the application forms below; further information can be obtained from the district governments.
Introduction of a specialist language test for foreign qualifications in the healthcare professions:
In Bavaria, proof of the German language skills required for practicing the profession will in future be provided by means of the so-called specialist language examination for persons who have not completed their training in German. This will be successively introduced in the individual healthcare professions.
For applications submitted in the listed professions after the relevant deadline, a specialist language test must generally be taken to prove the required language skills.
Physiotherapist: application received 1.5.2022
Occupational therapist: application deadline 1.5.2022
Further deadlines and more detailed information can be found in the "Related links" tab under the keyword "Fachsprachenprüfung - Bayerisches Landesamt für Pflege (LfP)".
If you require a specialist language test, the respective government will refer you to the Bavarian State Office for Nursing, which organizes the specialist language test in Bavaria, during the permit procedure.
If you select a location under "Localization" the contact details of the responsible authority and, if applicable, locally valid information will be displayed.