International nurses – sustainably integrated, not just placed

Placement through Nursing Austria is free of charge for applicants.

However, the following costs must be covered by the candidates themselves:

• Passport and personal documents (approx. €100)

• Medical certificate in the home country (approx. €50–150)

• Flight ticket to Austria (€500–800 depending on country of origin)

• German language course up to B1 level (approx. €800–1,500 depending on provider)

• Certifications and translations for recognition (nostrification) (approx. €300–600)

The duration mainly depends on the German language course.

• Basic requirement: completed nursing education with at least 1,600 hours (theory and practice)

• A minimum German level of B1 is required

• This can usually be achieved within 6–9 months through an intensive course

• Recognition and administrative procedures in Austria take approx. 3–4 months after all documents are submitted

In total, the process usually takes around 9–13 months until employment in Austria can begin.

Family is very important to us.

For this reason, we do not place candidates with dependent children, as we believe children should remain with their parents during this phase.

Based on our experience, family reunification for spouses only makes sense after receiving the Red-White-Red Card, as this ensures a stable and long-term integration in Austria.

• Pickup from the airport or train station

• Organisation of accommodation (including photos and rental agreement in advance, approx. €450–650/month)

• Support with social integration (mobile phone contract, orientation, personal contact person, etc.)

• Assistance with registration and administrative procedures (residence registration, social insurance, bank account)

• Preparation for nursing school and exams required for full recognition

• Regular follow-up support during the first 3 months

For all presented candidates, the documents are already available in Austria.

This allows the recognition process to start immediately.

• Recognition procedure: approx. 8 weeks (depending on federal state)

• Red-White-Red Card: up to 8 additional weeks

In practice, institutions can expect around 4 months until the candidate enters Austria.

No, several administrative steps are still required before starting work.

Nursing Austria supports all necessary procedures.

Approximately 2 weeks should be planned for these formalities.

1. Provision of accommodation
   → Must be provided at a reasonable rental price
   → For the first 6 months: max. approx. €600

2. Agreement with Nursing Austria
   → Cooperation and provision of required documents

3. Employment conditions
   → Clearly regulated according to collective agreements