Licensing of pharmacists from third countries Issuance

Would you like to work as a pharmacist in Germany? Then you need a state license, the Approbation. You can also obtain a license to practice if you have a foreign professional qualification. To do so, you must have your professional qualification recognized.

The profession of pharmacist is regulated in Germany. This means that in order to work as a pharmacist in Germany without any restrictions, you need a license to practice. Approbation is the state license to practice the profession. This means that you are not allowed to work independently as a pharmacist without a license.

You can also obtain a license to practice in Germany with a professional qualification from a so-called third country. Third countries are all countries that do not belong to the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.

In order to obtain a license to practice medicine, you must have your foreign professional qualification recognized.

In the recognition procedure, the competent authority compares your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification and checks the equivalence. The equivalence of the professional qualification is an important prerequisite for the granting of a license to practice.

In addition to the equivalence of the professional qualification, you must also meet other requirements for the granting of a license to practice. Further requirements are, for example, sufficient German language skills and health suitability.

If your professional qualification comes from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, other regulations apply.

You can also apply for the procedure from abroad.

The Hessian State Office for Health and Care (HLfGP) has been responsible since 01.01.2023.

Please contact the Hessian State Office for Health and Care (HLfGP)

The responsible office will inform you which documents you need to submit. Important documents are generally

• Proof of identity (e.g. passport or identity card)
• Birth certificate and marriage certificate if your name has changed due to marriage
• Curriculum vitae
• Proof of your professional qualifications (e.g. certificates, professional certificate)
• Proof of the content and duration of your education (e.g. diploma supplement, transcript of records)
• Proof of your relevant professional experience as a pharmacist (e.g. job references)
• Information as to whether you have already submitted an application for a license to practice in Germany
• You must provide proof: You are allowed to work in the profession in your country of training.
• You do not yet live or work in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland? Then you must provide proof: You want to work in the profession in Hesse. Proof can be Job applications and job confirmation, proof of your application for an entry visa for gainful employment or personal declaration
  

• Proof of your personal suitability: Criminal record extract or certificate of good conduct from your country of origin. The certificate must not be older than 3 months at the time of application.
• Proof of your health suitability: Medical certificate. The certificate must not be older than 3 months at the time of application.
• Proof of your German language skills: Language certificate.
  General German language skills at level B2 are required for the license to practice medicine. You can also submit the required language certificate during the licensing procedure. You must also take a specialist pharmaceutical language test at level C1 during the licensing procedure.

The competent authority will inform you which documents you must submit as a simple copy, as a certified copy or as an original.

If your documents are not in German, you must submit German translations of your documents. The translations must be made by translators who are publicly appointed or authorized.

Applications and forms can be found at:

• You have a professional qualification as a pharmacist from a third country
• You want to work as a pharmacist in Hesse.
• Personal suitability: You are reliable for working as a pharmacist and have no criminal record.
• Health suitability: You are mentally and physically fit to work as a pharmacist.
• You have German language skills at the required level. This is usually general language skills at level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and pharmaceutical language skills at level C1.

You can take legal action against the decision of the competent authority within a certain period of time (e.g. lodge an objection). The decision will then be reviewed. Details can be found in the information on legal remedies at the end of your decision. We recommend that you first speak to the responsible office before taking legal action against the decision.

Application

You submit an application for a license to practice as a pharmacist to the competent authority. If you have not yet contacted any other offices in Hesse, you should first contact the Central Service Center for Professional Recognition at the Federal Employment Agency (ZSBA). You can hand in the application with the documents to the relevant office or send it by post. The competent office will then check whether your training corresponds to the German training and whether all other requirements have been met. Approval can only be granted if your training from a third country is equivalent to German training.

Examination of equivalence

The competent authority will compare your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification. The competent authority will check whether your qualification entitles you to practice your profession independently in the country of study. The professional qualification is equivalent if there are no significant differences between your foreign professional qualification and the German professional qualification.

Possible results of the examination

If your professional qualification is equivalent and you meet the other requirements, you will be granted a license to practice as a pharmacist.

Are there any significant differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification? You may be able to compensate for the differences through your professional experience, other knowledge or skills (lifelong learning). You must provide evidence of your professional experience. Knowledge and skills must be certified by an authority in the country in which you acquired the knowledge or skills.

However, it is possible that the essential differences cannot be compensated for by this knowledge. The competent authority will tell you the main differences and why you cannot compensate for the main differences with your professional experience.

The decision of the competent authority will also state the level of your training and the level required in Germany. You will then not be allowed to work as a pharmacist in Germany.

Knowledge test

If your professional qualification is not equivalent and you cannot compensate for the differences, you can take a knowledge test. The knowledge test is based on the final examination as a pharmacist in Germany. The knowledge test is an oral examination.

If you pass the knowledge test and meet all other requirements, you will be licensed as a pharmacist.

None.

Sometimes documents are still missing from the procedure. The responsible office will then inform you by when you must submit the documents. This may prolong the procedure.

Granting of a license to practice, depending on the individual case: Fee from 200,00 EUR to 600,00 EUR

Granting of a professional license: Fee from 150,00 EUR to 350,00 EUR

Professionallicense

With the so-called professional license, you can work for a limited period of time under the permanent supervision of a licensed pharmacist without a license. In principle, you must also submit the documents required to apply for a license to practice.

You can apply for a professional license from the competent authority.

Notification of equivalence

During the licensing procedure, the equivalence of your training is checked (recognition procedure). You can apply for a separate notification of the result of the examination.