The core goal of the legislative reform is to de-bureaucratize, standardize, and digitize the recognition procedures. The following points are particularly important for foreign doctors (physicians):

1. The Knowledge Examination becomes the Standard Procedure

Current Situation: Previously, the first step was the document-based comparison of the medical training with the German medical degree (the so-called "Gleichwertigkeitsprüfung" or equivalence assessment). Only if "significant differences" were found did the applicant have to take the "Kenntnisprüfung" (KP) or knowledge examination. This expert report procedure is the bottleneck in the entire process.

Future Change: The possibility is being created to choose the knowledge examination directly, thus waiving the time-consuming equivalence assessment. The direct knowledge examination is intended to become the standard option, especially for physicians from so-called third countries (outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland).

The Acceleration Factor: By eliminating the lengthy expert report process, the "Approbation" (full medical license) can be granted a few months earlier. Instead of waiting for an expert report, physicians can immediately prepare for the knowledge examination.

2. Digitization and Standardization

The draft bill aims to increase the digitization of procedures and further standardize the responsibilities and requirements of the individual federal states ("Bundesländer").

The Advantage for Physicians: More uniform processes mean greater transparency, and digital procedures can also shorten processing times.

3. Temporary Professional Permit (BE) Becomes Unlimited in Exceptional Cases

Another new feature is the possibility of granting the "Berufserlaubnis" (BE) (the temporary permit to practice medicine before receiving the Approbation) for an unlimited period in exceptional cases. This is intended to provide greater legal certainty in special situations (e.g., in the case of certain illnesses).

The Current Situation: Why This Change is Urgently Needed

The necessity of this reform is made clear by the current, entrenched situation:

The Expert Report Backlog at the GfG in Bonn The Expert Office for Health Professions (GfG) in Bonn was the central body for equivalence assessments for many federal states. However, due to the sharp increase in the number of applications and the complexity of the individual case review, the GfG has had a stop on accepting new expert report applications for a long time. Many federal states that relied on the GfG could no longer commission new reports. This has led to massive delays and has forced applicants into a long waiting position, often without the physicians being informed.

Regardless of the acceptance stop, your right to an individual equivalence assessment remains under German and European legal principles. The authorities must show you a path to recognition, even if the direct knowledge examination is currently the more attractive, because faster, alternative route.

The Role of the Federal States This situation once again highlights the federal complexity in Germany: Each federal state has its own licensing authority ("Approbationsbehörde") and sometimes its own structures and requirements for physicians, which leads to the regional differences in waiting times that are being criticized today. The targeted standardization aims to remedy this.

The reform is an overdue step to facilitate the entry of physicians into the German labor market, without compromising the high German standards for patient safety.

What is Important Now for Physicians Who Want to Apply for Their License?

1. Preparation of Documents: The careful and complete preparation of documents (translations, certifications/legalizations, professional scans, etc.) is and remains the key to a quick procedure. Which documents are actually needed can vary from federal state to federal state. A detailed curriculum/study plan/list of subjects, for example, may no longer be required, and thus, the sometimes very expensive translations for these documents may not be needed. YANA clarifies these matters with the authorities to achieve cost savings here while still ensuring a secure review.

2. Preparation for the Knowledge Examination: With this knowledge, physicians should prepare to take the knowledge examination immediately. The law will only be passed next year, but the licensing authorities usually already indicate the knowledge examination in the acknowledgment of receipt.

Our Advice to All Physicians: Don't wait for 2026. Use the current option of the direct knowledge examination to circumvent the expert report backlogs and start faster. Focus on your exam preparations for the "Fachsprachprüfung" (medical language examination) and the knowledge examination, and avoid the frustration of long waiting times.

Helpful Links: https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/presse/pressemitteilungen/anerkennung-berufsqualifikationen-heilberufe-kabinett-01-10-25.html