Germany
Doctor Visa Route
Skilled Worker Visa (Approbation Pathway)
C1 German is non-negotiable; the Approbation process is lengthy but Germany needs thousands of additional doctors.
Minimum Salary
€60,000
Processing Time
6–18 weeks
Path to PR
~4 years
Job Offer
Required
Language requirement:
C1 German (mandatory for Approbation)
Eligibility requirements
- 1Medical degree with detailed academic transcripts — must pass equivalency assessment by state health authority (Landesgesundheitsamt)
- 2Approbation (medical licence) or Berufserlaubnis (limited professional permit while processing)
- 3C1 level German (TestDaF, DSH or Goethe C1) — required for Approbation
- 4Medical Fachsprachenprüfung (specialist medical language exam) in your state
- 5Job offer from a German hospital or clinic
- 6Valid health insurance and clean criminal record
Document checklist
- Valid passport
- Medical degree and all transcripts (certified German translations)
- Equivalency assessment decision from state authority
- German language certificate C1
- Fachsprachenprüfung certificate
- Employment contract from German hospital
- Proof of health insurance
- Police clearance certificate
Step-by-step process
- 1
Have medical degree assessed by the relevant state health authority
- 2
Achieve German C1 (TestDaF or equivalent)
- 3
Pass the Fachsprachenprüfung (medical specialist language exam)
- 4
Apply for Approbation or interim Berufserlaubnis
- 5
Secure a position at a German hospital (Assistenzarzt/Facharzt)
- 6
Apply for Skilled Worker Visa at the German embassy
- 7
Travel to Germany, register, and obtain residence permit
Official source
Always verify requirements directly with the official Germany immigration authority.
Visit official pageSame role, other countries
Full comparison →For information only. Always verify with a regulated immigration adviser. Visa rules change frequently.