Route: nursing (Triple Win)

Step by step from application to recognition, with costs and timing.

Government programme of Indonesia (BP2MI/KP2MI) and Germany (Federal Employment Agency ZAV and GIZ). The programme brochure dates from 2021/22; cost details may have changed. Confirm on the programme page.

Requirements

• Completed nursing education (3-year diploma or 4-year bachelor), valid registration (STR), at least 1 year of work experience, Indonesian citizenship or residence.

Steps

1. Call for applications by BP2MI/KP2MI, two rounds per year. Apply through SISKOP2MI.
2. Formal check and interview with ZAV and GIZ.
3. German course A1 to B1 in Indonesia (Bandung), up to 12 months, free.
4. Short nursing course (4 days) and 1 day of orientation.
5. Bilingual employment contract and approval by the Federal Employment Agency.
6. Visa under § 16d (4) AufenthG. Documents need apostille and translation, see Documents.
7. Arrival: register your address, health insurance, residence permit at the foreigners' office (first 12 months), see After arrival.
8. Recognition of your nursing degree in Germany: application for equivalence, decision after about 4 months, then an adaptation course or knowledge exam. German B2 is required for the licence.

Total time from interview to departure: about 12 to 14 months. Recognition should ideally take at most 12 months, up to 36 months are possible.

Costs for you

• Free: German course A1 to B1, translations; the employer pays the medical check. A 500 € bonus is mentioned in the programme material.
• You pay: BP2MI fees and the psychological test.

Pay before recognition

At least the nursing minimum wage for qualified assistants with one year of training. From 1 July 2026 this is €17.80 per hour (Federal Ministry of Health/Labour press release, 25 Nov 2025; the regulation text itself was not yet found). It does not apply to hospitals. After recognition you are paid as a nurse under the applicable collective agreement.

Midwives, physiotherapists and masseurs are not part of the programme. For nursing assistant routes we found no reliable federal source (state law); ask your employer or the state authority.