Germany’s chronic shortage of doctors and pharmacists took centre-stage in the Bundestag on 18 December when MPs held the first reading of the government’s Bill on Accelerating the Recognition of Foreign Professional Qualifications in the Health Sector. The draft law sets statutory deadlines for the 16 Länder licensing authorities to decide on applications from foreign-trained physicians, dentists, pharmacists and midwives, and obliges them to accept fully digital submissions. A new federal IT-platform, to be piloted in 2026, will route all dossiers through a single portal, ending the current patchwork of paper-based procedures that can keep desperately-needed clinicians waiting up to a year for a licence.
Under the proposal, decisions on straightforward cases must be issued within three months, with a one-time extension of a further three months for complex files. If the deadline lapses, the qualification will be deemed recognised by default. The bill also harmonises language requirements (generally C1 medical German) and foresees federally-funded bridging programmes so that candidates can close any skills gaps without leaving employment.
![Bundestag launches fast-track bill to recognise foreign medical degrees]()
For internationally trained health professionals navigating these new rules, VisaHQ can simplify the process from start to finish. Its German specialists assist with gathering apostilled diplomas, certified translations, and the correct national visa or EU Blue Card, then track each application step with licensing bodies—saving valuable time and reducing the risk of rejection. More details are available at https://www.visahq.com/germany/.
Hospitals and tele-medicine providers ‑ many of which rely on doctors from outside the EU to keep night shifts staffed ‑ welcome the move. The German Hospital Federation estimates that every vacancy costs a clinic about €150,000 a year in lost revenue; faster recognition could therefore save the health system hundreds of millions and cut patient waiting lists, especially in rural areas. HR teams, however, will need to budget for the mandatory electronic fee (capped at €600) and ensure that supporting documents meet the new formatting rules.
The bill now goes to the Health Committee and could pass as early as March 2026. Employers recruiting for 2026 start dates are advised to lodge applications as soon as the portal opens and to align salary offers with the new 2026 Blue Card thresholds. If enacted, Germany would move from the bottom to near the top of the EU league table for recognising foreign medical talent, reinforcing its ambition to be Europe’s “health-care hub”.
Under the proposal, decisions on straightforward cases must be issued within three months, with a one-time extension of a further three months for complex files. If the deadline lapses, the qualification will be deemed recognised by default. The bill also harmonises language requirements (generally C1 medical German) and foresees federally-funded bridging programmes so that candidates can close any skills gaps without leaving employment.
For internationally trained health professionals navigating these new rules, VisaHQ can simplify the process from start to finish. Its German specialists assist with gathering apostilled diplomas, certified translations, and the correct national visa or EU Blue Card, then track each application step with licensing bodies—saving valuable time and reducing the risk of rejection. More details are available at https://www.visahq.com/germany/.
Hospitals and tele-medicine providers ‑ many of which rely on doctors from outside the EU to keep night shifts staffed ‑ welcome the move. The German Hospital Federation estimates that every vacancy costs a clinic about €150,000 a year in lost revenue; faster recognition could therefore save the health system hundreds of millions and cut patient waiting lists, especially in rural areas. HR teams, however, will need to budget for the mandatory electronic fee (capped at €600) and ensure that supporting documents meet the new formatting rules.
The bill now goes to the Health Committee and could pass as early as March 2026. Employers recruiting for 2026 start dates are advised to lodge applications as soon as the portal opens and to align salary offers with the new 2026 Blue Card thresholds. If enacted, Germany would move from the bottom to near the top of the EU league table for recognising foreign medical talent, reinforcing its ambition to be Europe’s “health-care hub”.
