You're already a doctor. Now let's make it official in Germany or Austria.

Whether your qualification comes from inside or outside the EU, the answer is yes, the route just differs. An EU/EEA medical or nursing qualification is recognized largely automatically under the EU professional-qualifications directive; the main things left are proving your German and registering. A non-EU qualification goes through an equivalence procedure: in Germany the responsible state authority (Landesbehörde) for your Bundesland, with the relevant Kammer where required, assesses whether your training is equivalent; in Austria the path runs through Nostrifikation at a designated institution. For non-EU applicants, whether you land on the document-based equivalence track or the exam (Kenntnisprüfung) track depends on your country of origin, your qualification, and when you apply. One date matters: from 1 November 2026 the federal Approbation reform makes the Kenntnisprüfung the default in Germany, and only applications filed by 30 September 2026 are guaranteed the document-based route first (§15 BÄO). The wizard tells you which authority and which track apply to you.

If your qualification is from the EU/EEA, it's fast, often around six months, since the diploma is recognized largely automatically and the main variable is your German and registration. For non-EU physicians applying for the German Approbation, plan for 12–24 months end to end, with 36 months as a realistic worst case. That covers document procurement and apostille in your home country, sworn translation in Germany, the Fachsprachprüfung (medical-German C1 exam), and, where required, the Kenntnisprüfung. Austria runs on a similar timeline.

Plan for €8,000–18,000 total if you self-pay: apostilles in your home country, sworn translations in Germany (~€2,000 depending on document volume), language coursework and the Fachsprachprüfung (~€2,000–5,000), the Kenntnisprüfung fee itself (roughly €400–1,100 depending on the state), authority filing fees, plus living costs while you are not yet working. Solvia is one line item in that total. Our job is to keep you on the cheapest viable path and prevent the avoidable mistakes that turn an €8,000 process into an €18,000 one: wrong document order, untrusted translators, missed cohort cut-offs.

A homologation plan specific to your country of origin, your profession, and your Bundesland, with the document checklist, the sequence of authorities, and all templates. On top of that, Solvia runs the bureaucracy for you: unlimited document reviews, we draft and file your Antrag under Vollmacht, handle authority correspondence, and manage the Mängelbescheid response. The €1,490 does NOT cover third-party costs (translations, apostilles, exam fees, authority filing fees); those you pay directly to the providers, at preferred rates through our vetted partners.

Often yes. In Germany the Berufserlaubnis is a temporary professional permit that lets you practise under supervision while your full Approbation is still in process, it is typically issued faster and on lighter requirements. In Austria, since the BMA-Erlass of 2022, foreign-trained nurses can be issued a Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte and work in reduced-scope DGKP roles under §32 GuKG during their Nostrifikation, and hospitals actively run this pathway for international candidates. The wizard flags whether an interim permit fits your case.

Compare over 10 years, not 12 months: in the Gulf your license is tied to the contract and the employer, there is no path to permanent residency, and when the contract ends you start over from zero. If your plan really is to maximize cash for 2–3 years and go back, the Gulf may be your best option, and we'll tell you just as plainly: we are not your agency for that. If you want a lifelong career, European citizenship and a plan for your family, Germany or Austria win every row that matters. The full comparison table is on this page.

You can retake both. The Kenntnisprüfung typically allows two retakes (three attempts in total; the exact number varies by authority). The Fachsprachprüfung allows multiple attempts, and Austria's Nostrifikation exams can likewise be repeated. Your Solvia plan includes timing strategy and pointers to the standard prep resources (AMBOSS, Apollon and similar) so you do not sit either exam under-prepared. We do not replace exam prep, we tell you when to enrol, in what order, and how to budget for it.