Germany seeks employment solution for future doctors from Ukraine.

The German government considers changes for Ukrainian medical professionals

The German government is working on regulatory changes to facilitate the training of Ukrainian medical students and their subsequent employment as doctors in Germany. This is reported by foreign media, citing the German Ministry of Health.

According to the information, the German government plans to introduce a legislative amendment that will allow Ukrainian healthcare professionals who have not yet completed their education to continue their studies in Germany. However, this change does not apply to doctors who have already completed their education.

The Ministry of Health also noted that no additional legislative changes at the government level are required for federal state authorities to issue professional licenses.

This initiative is a response to demands from government officials and data published by the newspaper Welt am Sonntag. The publication found that more than 1,400 Ukrainian doctors who moved to Germany after the start of the Russian invasion are still waiting to receive their practice licenses.

Since February 2022, 1,674 Ukrainian doctors who moved to Germany because of the war have applied for practice licenses in Germany. Of these, only 187 applications have been approved, while 1,402 are still under review.

The long wait for obtaining a license is typical not only for Ukrainian doctors. Doctors from other countries outside the European Union usually require between 15 months and three years to get permission for medical practice.

According to official statistics, among more than a million Ukrainians living in Germany, over 800,000 are of working age, but only about a quarter of them are employed.