NurseBridgeGUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS
The fast-track procedure for international nurses.
Under § 81a of the Residence Act (AufenthG) the employer applies for recognition, Federal Employment Agency approval and the visa in one bundle at a single foreigners' authority, with set deadlines for each step. This is how it works.
- 01§ 81a Abs. 1 AufenthG
Who applies
The employer applies for the procedure, with a power of attorney from the nurse. As a rule the competent office is the state's central foreigners' authority (zentrale Ausländerbehörde). The employer may authorise a third party, for example its recruitment agency. There is an official model power of attorney.
- 02§ 81a Abs. 3 AufenthG
What the foreigners' authority takes on
Within the procedure the foreigners' authority starts the recognition at the competent body, citing the fast-track, and obtains the approval of the Federal Employment Agency (BA). Once BA approval, recognition and the professional permit (or a binding assurance of it) are in place, it gives advance approval for the visa. This Vorabzustimmung goes to the employer, who forwards the original to the nurse.
- 03§ 47 Abs. 1 Nr. 15 AufenthV
What it costs
The fee is 411 euros. It is due when the agreement between employer and foreigners' authority is concluded and is not refunded, even if recognition fails or the visa is refused. Fees for recognition and the visa come on top.
- 04§ 16d Abs. 3 AufenthG
Can be combined with a recognition partnership
With a recognition partnership the nurse can enter Germany with German at A2 level and complete recognition in the country. Until the professional permit is granted she or he works in an assistant role; care facilities approved under § 72 SGB XI are expressly covered. The § 81a procedure covers this residence purpose as well.
| Step | Deadline | Norm |
|---|---|---|
| Recognition decision | 2 months from complete documents (target) | § 14a Abs. 3 BQFG |
| Federal Employment Agency approval | deemed granted after 1 week unless the BA objects | § 36 Abs. 2 BeschV |
| Foreigners' authority contacts the employer | 3 working days after the bodies respond | § 81a Abs. 3 AufenthG |
| Appointment at the embassy or consulate | within 3 weeks of the advance approval | § 31a Abs. 1 AufenthV |
| Visa decision | as a rule 3 weeks from a complete application | § 31a Abs. 2 AufenthV |
Only the foreigners' authority's deadline is in § 81a itself. The states may deviate from the deadlines for nursing (§ 56(5) PflBG), and there is no entitlement to the visa.
Your agency prepares the § 81a power of attorney and the employment declaration (EzB) from the nurse's profile. You sign through a link and see for each nurse where the procedure stands and when she or he is expected to start. A forecast, not a promise: the authorities decide.
§ 81a AufenthG · § 16d AufenthG · § 31a und § 47 AufenthV · § 36 BeschV · § 14a BQFG · Make it in Germany: beschleunigtes Fachkräfteverfahren
Legal status checked: 2026-07. General information, not legal advice for an individual case. Deadlines, fees and responsibilities change; the linked statutes and the competent authority are authoritative.
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