6 profession profiles
For international professionals
Prepare well for your next professional step.
Your qualification is the starting point. We assess which route may be realistic for your profession and destination, coordinate German preparation and support you through recognition, entry and arrival. The competent authorities make binding decisions.
No application fee · organised German course without a course fee · arrival support
Your starting point
Where are you from?
Every country has its own degrees, documents and routes. Choose your country to see what applies to you.
Your profession
What is your profession?
For every profession we show how your degree is recognised in Austria, Germany or Switzerland, which German level you need and how long the route takes.
8 profession profiles
Industry & Trades
4 profession profiles
Hospitality
Well prepared
Two topics shape your path
German and recognition differ by profession. Find out early what applies to you.
Your path
Nine steps. Three clear phases.
Some steps build on each other; others can run in parallel. Timing depends on your German level, documents, profession, country of origin and destination.
Your path 01
Apply and clarify your route
- 01Applicationa few minutes
- 02Interview and initial reviewafter reviewing your details
- 03German courseusually 6–14 months
What happens exactly?
Application: You send the key information about your profession, qualification, experience, German level and contact details.
Interview and initial review: We discuss your goals and review certificates, professional licence and experience. We then explain which route appears realistic.
German course: You learn German to the agreed level, on site or online, including language for your profession.
Your path 02
Prepare and coordinate procedures
- 04Employer and contractalongside preparation
- 05Prepare recognitiondepends on profession and country
- 06Residence and visadepends on destination
What happens exactly?
Employer and contract: We present suitable profiles to employers and arrange interviews. Before deciding, you know the role and essential contract terms.
Prepare recognition: You obtain the originals. We support translation, certification and the application; the recognition body decides.
Residence and visa: We prepare the procedure with you and the employer. You attend personal appointments at the embassy or authority.
Your path 03
Arrive and settle into daily life
- 07Entry and first daysarrival usually 1–2 weeks
- 08Complete professional licensingoften several months
- 09Settle into daily lifebeyond the employment start
What happens exactly?
Entry and first days: Travel, arrival, housing and important administrative steps are coordinated in advance. The employer prepares your start with the team.
Complete professional licensing: For regulated professions, further courses, practical periods or examinations may be required in the destination country.
Settle into daily life: After employment starts, named contacts can support you with agreed questions about work, daily life and integration.
Fair and transparent
What is free – and what must be agreed first
You pay no placement fee or course fee for the German course organised by Talent & Care. Any other expenses and who pays them must be clear in writing before you decide.
0 €Placement fee and organised German coursePlacement
You do not pay Talent & Care a placement fee, deposit or service charge. The employer commissions the placement.
Organised German course
There is no course fee for the German course organised by Talent & Care. The target level and examination route depend on your profession and destination.
Documents and authorities
Personal documents, certifications, translations or authority fees may create expenses. Before you commit, it must be documented who pays each item.
Clarity before you decide
Clarity before you decide
What you can rely on
- We review your qualification and key documents before recommending a route.
- You receive the essential contract terms in a language you understand.
- The organised German course prepares you for the agreed target level and professional context.
- You have named contacts during the procedure and when you start with the employer.
What nobody can seriously promise
- Nobody can guarantee recognition: the competent authority or recognition body decides.
- A binding entry date is only possible when language, documents, contract and official procedures align.
- A job offer without checking your qualification and legal requirements would not be a serious promise.
Publicly verifiable
External sources you can check yourself.
Institutions and independent media document different parts of the route. We always state which company and scope each source actually covers.
ÖIF cooperation
The Austrian Integration Fund documents funded nursing-German courses and examinations delivered in cooperation with Talent & Care.
Open ÖIF sourceQuality mark with a defined scope
The German RAL quality mark applies to Bridge4Mobility and nursing recruitment from Colombia to Germany, not automatically to every group service.
Check quality markIndependent reporting
ORF, DATUM, profil, Die Presse, Krone and specialist media cover both progress and real challenges involving language, recognition and arrival.
Media and contextFAQ
Questions from professionals
Do I have to pay for placement or the German course?
No. Talent & Care is paid by the employer. You pay no placement fee, no course fee, no exam fee and no deposit – not even if you drop out of the course. This is a rule of the German seal of quality "Fair Recruitment in Nursing" and of our code of values.
How much German do I really need?
Registered nurse: B2 in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Nursing assistant, technical trades, service, reception: B1. Kitchen, housekeeping, welding: A2. The level is required by law or by employers. You start without prior knowledge; the course takes about 8–10 months to B1 and 13–17 months to B2 at 20 lessons per week.
Will my nursing degree be recognised?
Almost always with a supplement: in Germany most procedures end with a deficit notice and a knowledge test or adaptation course (2025: 45 % with conditions, 44 % full equivalence). In Austria, universities of applied sciences recognise degrees of at least three years; shorter programmes lead via nursing assistant routes. In Switzerland the Red Cross (SRK) checks with a PreCheck. We tell you before any commitment which route is realistic for your degree.
How long does it take from application to arrival?
Typically 8–20 months: Bosnia and Türkiye 8–15, Colombia and Ecuador 12–20, Philippines, Indonesia, India, Tunisia, Kenya 12–24. The German course is the biggest block; recognition and documents run in parallel. If you already speak German, it is faster.
Can I work before my degree is fully recognised?
In nursing, yes: in Austria as nursing (associate) assistant for up to two years, in Germany as a nursing auxiliary under the recognition partnership (§ 16d (3) AufenthG), in Switzerland with an L permit under supervision. You are paid regularly. Technical and hospitality professions can be practised immediately.
Can my family come with me?
Yes. Austria: spouse and children receive a Red-White-Red Card plus; German A1 before entry (with exceptions). Germany: families of skilled workers without a German test and without proof of housing. Switzerland: reunification with a B permit, housing and enrolment in a language course. We accompany the family reunification.
Ready to have your route assessed?
Applying is non-binding and carries no application fee. We review your profession, qualification, experience and language level, then discuss which route appears realistic.