The Immigration Act for Skilled Workers enables accelerated recruitment of international nurses. So how exactly does the recruitment process work at Careloop?

In recent years, foreign recruitment has become a common practice in Germany, especially in the healthcare sector, due to the shortage of skilled professionals. Therefore, the Immigration Act for Skilled Workers (Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz – FEG) has opened doors for non-EU professionals like nurses to contribute to the German healthcare system. In this blogpost, we will provide a comprehensive guide on how our standard recruitment process works on international nurses. We will focus on the benefits of using the quality seal for fair recruitment – Gütesiegel “Faire Anwerbung Pflege Deutschland”. Careloop received the seal of approval in 2021 which ensures that the recruitment process adheres to fair and ethical standards. This protects the rights of both nurses and employers.

Recruitment process step-by-step:

Step 1: Registration

The first and foremost step for international nurses who want to work in Germany is to register on the Careloop online platform. For this purpose, candidates have to provide their personal contact details. By registering on our platform, they gain access to a network of potential employers and can pave their way to employment in the German healthcare system.

Step 2: First video call

After registration, we ask candidates to schedule an initial video call with one of our candidate managers. In this call – initiated in their native language, they get to learn more about the process with Careloop. We check if the nurses meet all the requirements and also explain the immigration process to them. If not in the process yet, the nurse will start to focus on learning the German language to a stable B1 level in order to be matched with an employer.

Step 3: Profile and documents

If the candidates meet all the requirements, we will admit them to the platform in this step. Now they can complete their profile and provide relevant information. This includes for example education details, work experience and preferences for their future job. In this step, we also request the documents for the recognition process as scans via email or by uploading them to the platform. Eventually, we will let the nurses know if the documents do not yet contain the required information and work together to get them into the required form.

Step 4: Verification

Once we have received all the required documents and the nurses are able to communicate in German at B1 level, we verify them on the platform. Only now is the profile visible to employers looking for talent on the platform. A matching algorithm evaluates the profile of the nurses and matches it with the search profile of potential employers.

Step 5: Offer

After successful screening and evaluation, eligible candidates receive interview offers from potential employers in Germany via the platform. These offers contain details about the position and other relevant information that give the nurses an impression of the employer.

Step 6: Job interview

If the applicants are interested in the offer, Careloop organizes an interview between two parties. This always takes place online. Before the actual interviews, we practice the situation in a mock interview with typical questions from German employers.

Step 7: Contracts

The next step is the mutual agreement to sign an employment contract between the employer and the applicants. The formalities of the contract begin. This will specify the terms of employment, including salary and other relevant information. Careloop also offers a meeting to explain the conditions transparently in the native language of the nurses. The contract is only signed electronically at this stage.

Step 8: Recognition

The following bureaucratic steps contain three parts:

1. Application for the accelerated procedure for nurses
2. Application for recognition of the nursing degree
3. Application for approval by the employment agency

As mentioned earlier, the expedited procedure eases the bureaucratic process of entering Germany through speed and prioritisation. The starting point is the signed employment contract.

In order to enter Germany, international nurses must have their degree at least partially recognized by the German authorities. To obtain the required documents for a nurse from abroad, it is necessary to submit a set of documents certified by the German embassy. Then, a sworn translator in Germany will make certified German translations. With these documents, the competent authority then evaluates the qualifications of the nursing staff. Afterwards they will determine their equivalence with the German degree in nursing. This can lead to full or partial recognition.

With this so-called “Feststellungsbescheid” in hand, we then apply for the approval of the German Employment Agency. This approval confirms that holders of non-EU passports are allowed to work in Germany. For the nursing profession, this step is merely a formality, as the shortage of nursing staff is a well-known matter.

In this step of the recruitment process, the possibilities for the first accommodation in Germany are usually discussed between Careloop, the employer and the applicant.

Step 9: Visa

With the employment contract, the assessment notice and the approval of the Federal Employment Agency, the candidate can apply for a work visa at the German embassy or consulate in their country. Careloop assists in organising the necessary documents for the visa application. We also take care of the registration with a German health insurance company. 

Step 10: Relocation

Once the visa is granted, Careloop coordinates the move to Germany in consultation with the employer. We will also clarify the final housing situation if there has not been a solution.

Step 11: Job integration in Germany

The candidate has arrived in Germany! After arriving in Germany, he/she goes through an orientation and integration process to get used to the new workplace and the local healthcare system. Then, the outcome of the recognition process determines the next important steps:

1. Full professional recognition: If the candidate has not yet achieved the German B2 certificate, this is the final requirement for applying for the recognition certificate.
2. The partial professional recognition: The candidate must pass the B2 exam in German and complete professional training with the help of the employer and/or the Careloop Academy. Only after passing the final knowledge test can one apply for the certificate of recognition.

In the meantime, the nurses should be participating in language courses, cultural integration measures and professional development for several months after their arrival.

From application to professional integration in Germany, the Careloop recruitment process for international nurses involves several steps. The German government is continuously improving the complex process to facilitate access for highly qualified professionals from abroad. With the revision of the FEG, which is set to take effect in 2024, the recruitment process for international nurses is expected to be simplified. When international nurses work with reliable recruitment agencies like Careloop, they have far-reaching career – and advancement – opportunities in Germany. This strengthens both their personal development and the German healthcare system in the long term.