Key takeaways
  • Doctors need the Approbation, German at B2 and a C1 medical language exam.
  • From 1 November 2026 the knowledge test is the standard route for doctors from outside the EU.
  • Applicants taking the test no longer need translated, certified curricula.
  • Hospitals outside big cities hire doctors from abroad most often.

Germany needs doctors, especially in hospitals outside the big cities. The path is long but clear: German, a medical language exam and the Approbation. A new law makes the knowledge test the standard route from 1 November 2026.

The job market in Germany

Hospitals in many regions struggle to fill positions, especially in internal medicine, surgery, anaesthesia and psychiatry, and outside large cities.

How much German you need

You need strong German. Most states require general German at B2 and a medical language exam at C1 level before you can work as a doctor.

Work permit and recognition

You need the Approbation, the full licence to practise. For doctors from outside the EU, a new law makes the knowledge test (Kenntnisprüfung) the standard route from 1 November 2026, unless you expressly choose a document based equivalence check. Applicants who take the test directly no longer need to submit translated and certified curricula (Federal Ministry of Health, zm-online). A temporary licence to practise can be possible while you prepare.

What to show on your CV

  • Your specialty, years of experience and procedures.
  • Your German level and exam dates.
  • Where you are in the recognition process.
  • Any experience in Germany, for example a hospitation.

Where these jobs are

Hospitals across Germany, especially in smaller cities and rural regions, often hire doctors from abroad.

For salary data by occupation and region, use the official Entgeltatlas of the Federal Employment Agency. For current English speaking jobs, see my live job board.

My plan for you

  1. Learn German to B2, then medical C1. Start early; it takes the longest.
  2. Apply to the state authority for the Approbation. Each federal state has its own authority.
  3. Prepare for the knowledge test. It is now the standard route for non-EU doctors.
  4. Contact hospitals early. Many support doctors through the process.

Common questions

Can foreign doctors work in Germany?

Yes, with the Approbation, which needs German and usually the knowledge test for doctors from outside the EU.

What German level do doctors need?

Usually B2 general German and a medical language exam at C1 level.

Sources

Written by Swapnil (Samadhan Mule)

I moved to Germany for my master's, collected more than 1,000 rejections, and then got multiple job offers within six months. I work in digital marketing in Germany and help international professionals get hired in Europe. Read my story.