Yes - care workers from Bangladesh can work in Germany. However, they can only do so by applying for work themselves: according to Section 38 of the Employment Ordinance (BeschV), private agents are not allowed to recruit them. What this means in concrete terms, how the recognition process works and what you actually earn in Germany - this article explains it on the basis of reliable figures and applicable law. Status: July 2025.
⚠ Legal situation in advance: The recruitment ban according to § 38 BeschV
The WHO lists 55 countries with a critical shortage of health workers - including Bangladesh. Germany has made this list in § 38 BeschV adopted: Private companies, including recruitment agencies, are not allowed to actively recruit or place nursing staff from these countries. Violations are subject to fines - up to 30,000 euros (Section 404 (3) SGB III).
What the ban not forbidden: Nursing staff can self and self-initiated apply for vacancies in Germany. This route is legal and feasible in practice. The rest of this article shows what it looks like in practice.
In Bangladesh, there are two regular routes into care, both regulated by the Bangladesh Nursing and Midwifery Council (BNMC):
After graduation, graduates receive their BNMC registration. According to the official BNMC data sheet (August 2024), there were around 161,000 nursing staff and midwives registered. Practical training mainly takes place in state hospitals, whose facilities vary considerably between urban centers and rural regions.
This is a structural problem that Bangladeshi nursing staff themselves often mention: The promotion system is largely based on years of service, not qualifications. Someone who starts with a B.Sc. is not automatically promoted faster than someone with a diploma. This has direct consequences for career motivation - and for the decision to go abroad.
The Training as a nursing specialist takes three years in Germany. The Nursing Professions Act (PflBG), which came into force on January 1, 2020, merged the previously separate training courses in nursing, geriatric nursing and paediatric nursing into a uniform occupational profile. The training combines theory with structured compulsory placements in hospitals, nursing homes and outpatient services.
At the end there is a state final examination. Nursing in Germany is a regulated profession - Without a state license to practice the profession, no one may use the professional title of nursing specialist or work accordingly. This also applies without exception to internationally trained professionals.
| Feature | Bangladesh | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| Closing forms | Diploma (3 yrs.) / B.Sc. Nursing (4 yrs.) | Nursing specialist (3 years, standardized since 2020) |
| Regulatory authority | Bangladesh Nursing and Midwifery Council (BNMC) | State authorities depending on the state |
| Final examination | BNMC exam / university exam | State final examination |
| Practical part | Significant, especially in hospitals | Integrated, structured mandatory inserts |
| Self-employment in the profession | Predominantly supervised execution | Personal responsibility required |
| Career paths | Very limited, based on years of service | Structured, specialist training possible |
In the public sector - state hospitals and healthcare facilities - the salary is based on the national salary scale. According to Paylab data, the monthly salary ranges between 10,000 and 31,000 BDT (Bangladeshi taka), which at the current exchange rate is approx. 83 to 260 Euro corresponds to. The median value is around 150-180 euros. Private institutions sometimes pay more, but rarely offer regulated social benefits. Pension systems, compulsory health insurance or statutory vacation arrangements, which are a matter of course in Germany, do not exist in this form.
In Germany, the nursing care salary is Collective agreements and statutory minimum wages secured. According to the Sixth Care Work Conditions Ordinance (6. PflegeArbbV), valid until June 30, 2026, a minimum care wage of at least 20,50 Euro per hour for qualified nursing staff - that corresponds to a 39-hour week of around 3,476 euros gross per month.
In the public sector, the collective agreement for the public sector - nursing (TVöD-P) applies. Depending on the institution and qualifications, career starters are assigned to pay groups P5 to P7, which corresponds to a starting salary of between 2,828 and 3,269 euros gross is equivalent. With professional experience, night and weekend bonuses and special payments - including a monthly care allowance of 120 euros, an intensive care allowance of 100 euros and a Christmas bonus - a gross monthly salary of 3,800 to over 4,500 euros is realistic.
| Category | Bangladesh | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| Starting salary (graduate) | 10,000-31,000 BDT/month (approx. 83-260 €) |
from € 3,476 gross/month (Minimum wage for nursing care from July 2025) |
| Experienced specialist | up to approx. 260 € / month | 3,800-4,500 €+ gross/month |
| Allowances | Hardly regulated | Nursing allowance, intensive care allowance, night allowance, Christmas bonus |
| Social insurance | Limited | Complete (KV, RV, UV, PV, ALV) |
| Vacation entitlement | Regulated by law, often not enforced in practice | At least 29 days/year (TVöD-P) |
| Pension system | Weakly pronounced | Statutory pension insurance |
The difference in salary is considerable: depending on the basis of comparison, the German starting salary for the 13- to 25-fold of the Bangladeshi level. This alone explains why Germany is an attractive destination for many Bangladeshi nursing staff - even though the path there is subject to bureaucratic requirements.
State hospitals in Bangladesh are often overworked. The nurse-patient ratio is far higher than what is recommended internationally; overtime is usually neither paid nor recorded. In addition, nurses in public institutions can remain in the same position for years - with no prospect of structured promotion or specialist training. Anyone who has worked at a large hospital in Dhaka or Chittagong and then starts at a German facility with regulated shift schedules and prescribed induction protocols will experience a significant difference - and not just in terms of salary.
Private facilities in the cities offer better conditions, but no improvement across the board. The social status of nursing care is low, especially for women - another factor driving the willingness to migrate.
The workload is also high in German clinics and nursing homes - the Skills shortage is noticeable in everyday life. According to the Federal Employment Agency, in 2023 there were only 26 unemployed nursing staff per 100 registered vacancies in elderly care. The difference to Bangladesh, however, lies in the regulation: working hours and duty rosters are regulated by collective agreements, overtime must be documented and compensated or offset by time off.
Specialist training - for example in intensive care and anesthesia care, wound management or nursing education - is often offered free of charge by providers and enables real career progression. The hierarchies in German nursing teams are flatter than in many other countries: Nursing staff are involved in clinical decisions and contribute independently to the outcome of treatment.
Classification: Why Germany remains attractive despite the burden
The shortage of skilled workers is ultimately a structural advantage for internationally trained nursing staff: entering the German labor market is realistic despite bureaucratic hurdles - provided that the Qualification is recognized and the right language skills. Specialists who have both are in demand.
As Bangladesh is not a member of the EU, there is no automatic recognition. Every nurse from Bangladesh must pass the formal Recognition procedure run through. The process:
Special rule since March 2024 (Skilled Immigration Act)
Since March 2024, nursing staff from third countries have been able to work in Germany without a completed recognition procedure under certain conditions: at least Two years of proven professional experience and a qualification recognized in the home country with at least two years of training are sufficient for entry. Recognition must then be obtained in parallel with employment. More on this in the article Recruiting nursing staff from abroad: Practical guide 2026.
Bangladesh is on the updated WHO 2023 list of 55 countries with a critical shortage of health workers. Germany has made this list legally binding through the Eighth Ordinance amending the Employment Ordinance in § 38 BeschV adopted. In concrete terms, this means
For nurses from Bangladesh who want to take this route, the sequence is as follows: Have your qualification recognized → improve your German language skills to B2 → apply to German hospitals or nursing homes on your own initiative → conclude an employment contract → apply for a visa in accordance with Section 18a or Section 16d AufenthG.
Anyone who is offered a job in Germany by a private agency, on the other hand, should check this critically - such offers are in the gray area or openly violate § 38 BeschV.
| Range | Bangladesh | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| Training path | Diploma (3 yrs.) or B.Sc. Nursing (4 yrs.) | Nursing specialist (3 years, standardized since 2020) |
| Regulatory authority | BNMC | State authorities, state audit |
| Salary (entry level) | 83-260 €/month | from € 3,476 gross/month (minimum wage July 2025) |
| Workload | High, structural understaffing | High, but regulated by collective agreements |
| Career paths | Very limited, based on years of service | Structured, specialist training promoted |
| Social recognition | Low, especially for women | Increasingly high, politically strengthened |
| Social insurance | Weakly pronounced | Complete (KV, RV, UV, PV, ALV) |
| Private recruitment possible? | - | No (§ 38 BeschV); only self-application |
| Visa type | - | § Section 18a AufenthG (no Blue Card) |
Germany offers Bangladeshi nurses what is structurally lacking in the domestic system: a regular salary, clear career paths, social security and social recognition. The difference in salary is real - the German starting salary is 13 to 25 times the Bangladeshi level, depending on the basis of comparison.
The path to this is not short. If you start a German course today, you can realistically expect 18 to 24 months take their first steps in a German care company - provided that the documents are prepared early on and the recognition procedure runs in parallel. This is no small effort. But it is a calculable one.
What does not exist is the simple route via a recruitment agency. The recruitment ban according to § 38 BeschV applies. Anyone who ignores this - whether as an agency or as an applicant who accepts such an offer - risks legal consequences.
The path from Bangladesh requires special legal steps - the self-application process, complete document preparation and the right visa. TalentOrbit accompanies you: from the first question to the first working day in Germany.
Can nursing staff from Bangladesh work in Germany?
Yes - but only through self-application. Private recruitment agencies are not allowed to actively recruit Bangladeshi nurses according to § 38 BeschV, as Bangladesh is on the WHO list of critical health personnel shortages. If you apply to a German employer yourself, you are acting completely legally.
What is the recruitment ban according to § 38 BeschV - and what does it mean for Bangladesh?
§ Section 38 of the Employment Ordinance prohibits private companies from recruiting nurses from countries with a critical shortage of healthcare staff. Bangladesh is on this list. Only the Federal Employment Agency is allowed to recruit from such countries. Violations by private companies are subject to fines of up to 30,000 euros. This does not apply to self-applications by nurses.
Is the nursing degree from Bangladesh recognized in Germany?
There is no automatic recognition. The qualification is checked for equivalence with the German nursing qualification by the responsible state authority. In the event of deficits, an adaptation course or knowledge test follows. According to the BIBB (2020), 87% of all procedures are completed within six months - provided the documents are complete.
What is a deficit notice?
The notice of deficiency - also known as the assessment notice - is the result of the recognition procedure if the foreign qualification is not fully equivalent. It specifies exactly which training content is missing. On the basis of this notice, the nurse chooses between an adaptation course (practical) and a knowledge test (theoretical-practical).
What language level do I need for admission in Germany?
Generally B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Some federal states initially accept B1 for employment, but require B2 at the latest for a license to practice. Good German language skills are essential in everyday nursing care - even for daily communication with patients. For language preparation at TalentOrbit.
How much do I earn as a nurse in Germany?
From July 2025, a minimum nursing wage of 20.50 euros/hour will apply for qualified nursing staff - approx. 3,476 euros gross per month for full-time employees. In the public sector (TVöD-P), starting salaries range from 2,828 to 3,269 euros gross, depending on the grouping. With experience, night and weekend bonuses and special payments, a gross salary of 3,800 to over 4,500 euros is realistic.
How long does the recognition procedure take?
For complete documents, three to six months is a guideline. The responsible federal state has a considerable influence on the duration. If an adaptation period is necessary, the overall process is extended accordingly. Complete, correctly translated and apostilled documents are the most important acceleration factor. More on this in the article Recognition of foreign qualifications in Germany.
Which visa do I need as a nurse from Bangladesh?
With full recognition and a job offer: residence permit according to § 18a AufenthG (qualified employment). The EU Blue Card does not apply to nursing professions. In the case of partial recognition: Visa in accordance with § 16d AufenthG for adaptation training. All visa information for nursing staff at TalentOrbit.