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Germany has 140,000+ unfilled nursing positions and is actively recruiting internationally. A nursing Ausbildung pays €1,000–1,300/month during training and leads to a qualified salary of €2,800–3,400 after completion. This guide covers the two nursing programmes, real salary figures, language requirements, Sri Lankan degree recognition, and how to find a hospital employer.
Randima Saiger
Co-founder, MALIROSA
Germany has over 140,000 unfilled nursing positions right now. (Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Engpassanalyse Pflege, 2023) The federal government has responded by opening legal pathways for internationally trained nurses and nursing trainees from outside the EU. For Sri Lankans who want a structured route into the German healthcare system, nursing Ausbildung is one of the most viable and well-paid entry points available.
A nursing Ausbildung pays between €1,000 and €1,300 per month during your training years under the TVöD collective bargaining agreement. (Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit EntgeltatlaS, 2024) After you qualify, starting salaries run €2,800 to €3,400 gross per month. The training takes three years. You are employed and paid from your first day.
This guide covers the two nursing programmes, exact salary data, German language requirements, how Sri Lankan nursing qualifications are assessed in Germany, and the steps to find a hospital employer and apply.
A nursing Ausbildung is a state-regulated, employer-based training programme. You sign a training contract with a hospital, care home, or healthcare facility. They pay you a monthly stipend while you split your time between practical nursing work at the facility and theoretical study at a nursing school (Pflegeschule).
There are two main nursing programmes in Germany. Understanding the difference is important before you apply.
Since January 2020, the Pflegefachmann/Pflegefachfrau qualification replaced the previous separate qualifications in elder care, disability care, and acute nursing. The new unified programme qualifies you for all three care settings. (Source: Pflegeberufegesetz, Federal Ministry of Health, 2020)
Nursing is one of the highest-paying Ausbildung fields in Germany. The sector operates under TVöD (Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst), the public sector collective bargaining agreement that covers most hospitals and care facilities. TVöD rates are published annually and consistently sit well above the BBiG statutory minimum.
The figures below apply to the Pflegefachmann/Pflegefachfrau three-year programme under TVöD rates for 2025–2026. Private hospitals and care homes may offer slightly different rates, but most align closely with TVöD as a benchmark.
Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit salary data (2024) and make-it-in-germany.com nursing sector overview. TVöD Anlage P rates apply to most public and non-profit hospital employers. Private employers typically pay within 5–10% of these figures.
Completing your Pflegefachmann/Pflegefachfrau qualification triggers a significant salary increase. You move from trainee stipend to qualified nurse pay under the full TVöD P-table rates.
A newly qualified nurse (Pflegefachkraft, P8 grade) earns approximately €2,800 to €3,400 gross per month in the first year of employment. (Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit, EntgeltatlaS, 2024)
Night shift work, weekend work, and public holiday shifts carry additional pay supplements under German labour law. In healthcare settings, these supplements are common and meaningful. A nurse regularly working nights and weekends can add €300 to €600 per month to base salary.
With three to five years of experience and a specialisation (intensive care, anaesthetics, surgical nursing), gross monthly salaries of €3,500 to €4,200 are achievable. Senior nursing roles and nursing management positions sit above €4,500.
The German language requirement for nursing Ausbildung is higher than for most other Ausbildung fields. This is not bureaucratic gatekeeping. Nursing requires precise communication with patients, families, and medical teams. Errors in documentation or verbal handover can have serious clinical consequences.
Most hospitals and care homes require a minimum of B2 German for patient-facing nursing roles. The Landesärztekammer (regional medical chamber) in some states requires B2 or higher for professional registration after training.
The officially required minimum under German healthcare regulations is B1 for nursing trainees, but practical reality is different. Most reputable employers in acute care will not accept candidates below B2. Care homes and nursing homes sometimes accept B1 with a clear plan to reach B2 within the first year.
For Sri Lankan candidates, MALIROSA typically recommends reaching B2 before applying to hospital employers. This gives you a materially stronger application and access to a wider range of employers, including larger hospital networks with better training infrastructure and higher TVöD pay rates.
Accepted language certificates include the Goethe-Zertifikat B2, OSD (Österreichisches Sprachdiplom) B2, and the telc Deutsch B2. All three are accepted by German healthcare employers and recognized for visa purposes.
If you already hold a nursing qualification from Sri Lanka, Germany has a formal pathway to assess whether it is equivalent to the Pflegefachmann/Pflegefachfrau standard.
The assessment is handled by state-level recognition authorities. In most German states, this is the Landesamt or regional Gesundheitsamt. The process typically takes three to six months.
There are three possible outcomes from the assessment.
The IQ-Netzwerk (Netzwerk Integration durch Qualifizierung) operates 24 regional advisory centres across Germany offering free counselling on qualification recognition. Their advisers can assess your Sri Lankan nursing documents before you begin the formal process. Website: netzwerk-iq.de
Germany offers an official recognition advisory service called Anerkennungsberatung. This is available to candidates who are still outside Germany and planning to move.
The service helps you understand how your existing qualifications will likely be assessed before you commit to the process. It does not make the final decision, but it gives you a realistic picture of whether your Sri Lankan nursing training aligns with German requirements and what additional steps you may need.
Access Anerkennungsberatung through the BAMF (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge) online portal or through the Make It in Germany website (make-it-in-germany.com). The advisory sessions are free and available in multiple languages including English.
If you are applying through MALIROSA, our consultants will guide you through the Anerkennungsberatung process as part of the placement programme.
Finding the right employer is the most important step in the Ausbildung application process. Your employer pays your stipend, provides your practical training, and ultimately determines the quality of your experience in Germany.
There are three primary channels for finding nursing Ausbildung employers in Germany.
Avoid third-party recruiters who charge Sri Lankan candidates placement fees. Legitimate German employers do not charge candidates for Ausbildung placement. MALIROSA does not charge placement fees to candidates; costs are covered by the employer partnership model.
MALIROSA connects Sri Lankan candidates with verified German healthcare employers for nursing Ausbildung and care sector training positions. The support covers every stage of the process.
Language preparation: MALIROSA provides structured German language training from A1 through B2, including healthcare vocabulary preparation relevant to nursing environments.
Document translation and certification: We handle certified translation of your Sri Lankan nursing certificates, school leaving certificates, and supporting documents for the recognition authority process.
Employer matching: MALIROSA submits your profile to verified German hospital and care home partners actively seeking international nursing trainees. You are not applying blindly; you are being matched to employers who have agreed to sponsor international candidates.
Visa guidance: Once you have a training contract, MALIROSA guides you through the Ausbildung visa application process at the German Embassy in Colombo.
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Written by
Randima Saiger
Co-founder, MALIROSA
Randima Saiger is a co-founder of MALIROSA from Sri Lanka. She brings deep personal understanding of the Sri Lankan education system, family dynamics, and candidate aspirations, bridging local knowledge with Germany-side experience.
© 2026 MALIROSA. All rights reserved. This article is the intellectual property of MALIROSA and may not be reproduced, distributed or republished without written permission.
Submit your profile — we review your language certificate, assess your existing Sri Lankan nursing qualifications against German standards, match you with verified hospital partners who have confirmed international openings, and guide you from document preparation through to visa submission at the German Embassy in Colombo.
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