Nursing and health professions
Nursing, midwifery and medicine are regulated professions: you may work in them in Germany only with German recognition. Otherwise you can work as a nursing assistant or take the paths below.
The WHO list and the ban on private recruitment
- The WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List 2023 names 55 countries with the most urgent workforce shortages. WHO recommends refraining from active international recruitment from them; it is voluntary, and passive recruitment and bilateral agreements remain possible (WHO Q&A, list 2023).
- Reports of the 2023 list name 37 African countries, among them Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Kenya is not among them. We read a news report of the African entries, not the WHO document itself; confirm in the WHO PDF. WHO updates the list "every 3 years or earlier if necessary" (WHO Q&A). We did not check whether a newer list exists; check WHO before you rely on this.
- Germany has its own rule: § 38 BeschV says recruitment in, and placement from, the states in the Annex to the ordinance for health and care jobs may only be done by the Federal Employment Agency. Private agencies and employers may not do it; a fine of up to €30,000 applies (§ 39 BeschV with § 404 (2) Nr. 9 and (3) SGB III: "bis zu dreißigtausend Euro").
- The official Annex (BGBl. 2023 I Nr. 353) lists 55 states, for example Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Ethiopia; Kenya (Kenia) is not in it (Anlage, gesetze-im-internet.de). A later change cannot be excluded; check the current text.
- What this means: § 38 BeschV does not stop private recruitment of nurses residing in Kenya. That does not make it safe: fake agencies are common, see Avoiding scams. The decisive state is where you habitually live, not only your passport (state guidance).
Ways to work as a nurse
| Way | In short |
|---|---|
| Recognition first | Apply for recognition from abroad. If training is only partly equivalent, you get a notice naming the missing parts. |
| Qualification measure (§ 16d (1)) | Permit for an adaptation course (Anpassungslehrgang) or an aptitude test (Kenntnisprüfung). German is as a rule at least A2. |
| Recognition partnership (§ 16d (3)) | Needs a concrete job offer and agreement with the employer. |
| Placement agreement (§ 16d (4)) | Only where the BA has such an agreement with the country. None found for Kenya. |
| Nursing Ausbildung (§ 16a) | Three-year training in Germany: Ausbildung. |
Statute: § 16d AufenthG. Visa: recognition measures are handled by TLScontact Nairobi (Visa and Embassy).
Who decides in Berlin
The LAGeSo (Landesamt für Gesundheit und Soziales) for nursing and health professions. Start with the Recognition Finder at anerkennung-in-deutschland.de. Fees, processing times, and how Kenyan nursing qualifications (Nursing Council of Kenya registration, diploma vs. degree) are rated: not confirmed. Employers with the seal Faire Anwerbung Pflege Deutschland commit to fair recruitment. We found no Federal Employment Agency nursing programme for Kenya.
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