FOR CANDIDATES

We can help in many ways with your integration in Germany

 

If you are interested in working in Germany, please get back to us.

As experienced relocators (since 2008) we can help you with

  • Advice and coaching
  • Getting in touch with German employers
  • Language learning
  • Application forms for visa and residence issues
  • All the details of your relocation to Germany

For us, fairness and reliability are a fix part of our business.
In order to to define our compliance policy, we have formulated a code of conduct.

We are looking forward to hearing from you.
Welcome to Germany!

Further Information

Questions and answers (FAQ)
concerning nurse recruitment on the Philippines

Recruiting

In the moment we have two agencies in Manila we cooperate with:

They are your points of contact on the Philippines. Our entire recruiting service is certified and supervised by the POEA, to make sure everything works as it should.

We will pay for the processing of the documents. Your employer will pay for your flight ticket (economy class).

During your language training, we match employees and employers, make suggestions to employers and arrange an online job interview between you and the employer. If the first is not successful, we look for other employers either from hospitals or nursing homes.

Language

We have partner language schools in Manila, Iloilo and Cebu. In order to work in Germany as a nurse your German level needs to be B2, with some professional language included. The learning process varies from person to person. If you’re good in English, that’s a good start – as English has about half of it’s vocabulary and grammar structures close to German.

The language training and exam is free. If you fail the exam, you can do it again free of charge.

Visa issues

Start Medicare together with the Philippine agency will assist you with the understanding of the documents and their submission to the authorities.

Start Medicare sends your agency in the Philippines the tentative departure period. The agency will inform you when you can expect to leave the country. Various factors influence the departure date (visa date, recognition process, language requirements, processing time of the authorities and employers, etc.).

If the documents have been submitted in full at the time of the appointment the issue of the visa takes about 2-3 weeks.

Start Medicare and also the employer will assist with translation and understanding of the documents to be submitted for entry.

If the period until departure lasts several months, employment can of course be taken up during this period. Normally, departure will take place relatively quickly after the visa has been issued. However, even after passing the language examination it is recommended to continue attending the extra courses of the language school and to take part in the preparatory courses organized in the Philippines and online.

Family Reunification is generally possible for Germany. In the end every candidate has to decide whether he/she directly wants to bring his/her family with them (depending on the visa requirements; for any legal issues we are happy to put you in contact with a lawyer specialized in immigration law) or at a later point. We think it is not a bad idea to first of all settle on one’s own, finalize the recognition process and the probation period, not to mention the general adaptation period to the new cultural setting, language and working environment. But, as said: you decide and let us and the relocation service know how you want to proceed.

Recognition (“Anerkennung”)

“Anerkennung“ means the recognition of you as registered nurse in Germany. With this recognition you will be recognized as a nurse professional in Germany.

Your Philippine agency and Start Medicare as partners will help you to collect and send the documents to the German authorities. After this, Start Medicare will organize courses in the Philippines and online to prepare you for the exam in Germany.

In order to work as a nurse in Germany official authorization is mandatory. This authorization must be procured through the responsible department in Germany. Authorization will be granted if the training that has been obtained outside Germany is recognized as equivalent. The equivalency is checked on the basis of defined formal criteria, such as the content and duration of the training.

Where there are differences between the foreign credential and the German reference qualification, it is possible to take a so-called knowledge exam or “Kenntnisstandprüfung”. The exam assesses whether the applicant’s knowledge is equivalent to the knowledge required by vocational training in Germany. For this purpose, preparatory courses are offered in Germany. The examination is based on the content of the German state examination for the nursing profession. Once the applicant passes the examination, he or she is permitted to use the job title ‘nurse’ and to work as a nurse.

 Another option is to participate in a so-called adaptation period or “Anpassungsqualifizierung”, i.e. an internship with a final examination.

Until formal state recognition is granted, you are permitted to work as nurse assistants in Germany. In this capacity, you have the opportunity to acquire practical experience and reinforce your nursing skills so that in the end you can pass the exam based on the contents covered during the adaptation period.

To work in Germany, you need do get the recognition of your Filipino nurse exam. To get this, you have to collect and send documents to a German authority. After they checked your documents, they will inform you about the necessary steps for your recognition. You may have to pass an exam called ”Kenntnisstandprüfung“ (knowledge exam). Another option is to participate in a so called adaption period (“Anpassungsqualifizierung”) i.e. an internship with a final examination.

Please also see the question “Does my professional training / diploma need to be recognized in Germany?”

Our partner agency on the Philippines will help you to collect and send all necessary documents.

For a detailed list, contact our partner agency in the Philippines!

As soon as you have signed the agreement with your agency or when you introduce yourself to your agency.

The units are intended to help students learn for the examination that might have to be taken in Germany.

It’s advisable for you to take the unites in preparation to the exam in Germany.

The exam is divided up into two parts: oral and practice. You have to take the exam completely in German.

Approximately one month after your arrival in Germany.

If you will not pass the exam (Kenntnisstandprüfung), you have only one more chance to repeat it. But Start Medicare will support you with a well organized preparation course to make sure that you will pass the exam.

Employer

Our clients in Germany are well known, large institutions (both hospitals and nursing homes) as well as smaller companies. Some are in big cities like Hamburg or Berlin, some are in smaller places. Germany is a decentralized and diverse country, so there are many interesting places to live you won’t know yet.

It varies. Some employers only want to conduct the interview if you have at least a B1 German level.

The employment contract includes, among other things:

  • the remuneration and employment conditions
  • a term of employment as a nurse, or as a nurse assistant

German labour law applies.

Nursing staff are subject to social security obligations and must be properly insured by the employer. For any legal issues we are happy to put you in contact with a lawyer specialized in labour law.

The employer will assist the candidates with the apartment search. It depends on the employer how the support looks exactly. Some employers can provide staff accommodations, others booked in agreement with Start Medicare or the Start Relocation Service, that will help the candidates with the apartment search and other things.

No, employees in Germany run their own households and buy their own food. It’s common that hospitals and nursing homes have canteens where you can eat in breaks. Sometimes you may have to pay for this yourself either.

This depends on the employer. However, more than one Filipino candidate is always being employed by our employers.

This cannot be answered generally and always depends on the respective salary and family status. To find out exactly how the German tax system works and how much tax is to be paid, please contact your Philippine agency. The agencies have information material on the tax system in Germany.

Relocation

We recommend to bring at least EUR 400, better EUR 500 for your start in Germany. That is approx. PHP 25,000 to 30,000.

Some employers have contracts with Start Medicare or Start Relocation Service to help you get relocated. In any way we will make sure that you are well prepared for your first time here, including language and cultural issues.

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