A Filipino caregiver can work in elderly care in Germany, but the profession is regulated. Germany compares your qualification with its own geriatric nurse qualification (Altenpfleger), and the official recognition procedure asks for German at level B2.
This guide explains the steps in plain words, using official German and Philippine sources. Each point links to its source so you can check it yourself. This is general guidance, not legal or immigration advice.
Which German job is a caregiver?
The official Recognition Finder maps caregiving to the German profession Altenpfleger, also called Altenpflegefachperson (geriatric nurse specialist). It is a regulated profession: recognition of your foreign qualification is necessary to work in it. Your exact qualification decides how your case is judged, so start by checking what you hold against the German profession.
German language: B2
For a third-country applicant, the official recognition procedure for this profession states that knowledge of German at level B2 of the Common European Framework is required. B2 is an upper-intermediate level, so language learning is likely to be the longest part of your preparation if you are at A1 or A2 today.
Three routes a caregiver can use
Professional recognition
The main route. You have your qualification compared with the German one and complete the recognition procedure. The Recognition Finder shows the steps and the authority responsible for your case.
Qualified employment (skilled-worker visa)
Once your qualification is recognized, you can work in Germany on a skilled-worker visa with a job that matches it. The law sets no minimum salary of its own; pay must be comparable to that of a German employee in the same role. If you are 45 or older when you first apply, the salary must be at least EUR 55,770 a year (2026) unless you can show adequate old-age provision.
Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)
A job-search visa for people without a job offer yet, valid for up to one year, with trial work or side work of up to 20 hours a week. With a fully recognized qualification you need no points. Otherwise you need at least 6 of 15 points, and partial recognition of your qualification is worth 4 of them. You must show financial proof of EUR 1,091 a month, EUR 13,092 for a year.
No qualification yet? Training in Germany
If you do not hold a qualification that can be recognized, you can train in Germany instead (Ausbildung; see our Ausbildung guide). You need a specific training place, and the Federal Employment Agency generally has to consent. German at level B1 is required for qualified vocational training and A2 as a rule for other training; either can be replaced at entry by enrolling in a preparatory German course. For the first year you must prove at least EUR 959 a month for school-based training, or EUR 822 net (EUR 1,048 gross) a month for company-based training, for example with a blocked account. If you travel for training, ask the DMW or the nearest Philippine Overseas Labor Office whether the OEC below applies to your case.
The Philippine side: OEC and PEOS
Filipinos who leave to work abroad also need papers from the Philippine government, separate from the German visa.
- Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). It is your exit clearance at Philippine immigration and exempts you from travel tax and the airport terminal fee. The Philippine Embassy in Berlin, through MWO-Berlin, helps with OEC and employment-contract verification for Germany.
- Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar (PEOS), a free online DMW seminar. If this is your first time working abroad, you must complete it before you can get your OEC. Workers who have worked abroad before do not need it.
Where do I start?
- Open the Recognition Finder, choose the geriatric nurse profile (Altenpfleger) and read the procedure for your case.
- Start German now and aim for B2. Book an exam at an approved institute when you are close.
- Gather your caregiving qualification documents for the recognition procedure.
- Decide your route: recognition and a job, an Opportunity Card to search on the spot, or training in Germany.
- Complete PEOS and secure your OEC before you travel.
Want to know exactly where you stand? Answer a few questions and get a free roadmap that shows what you already meet, what is missing and your next steps as a caregiver.
Are you a nurse? Read the guide for Filipino nurses, or the general guide on how to work in Germany from the Philippines.
Official sources
- Recognition Finder: geriatric nurse (Altenpfleger/in) profile
- Recognition Finder: procedure for third-country applicants
- § 18a AufenthG: skilled workers with vocational training
- § 20b AufenthG: Opportunity Card points
- German Federal Foreign Office: Opportunity Card visa information
- Make it in Germany: visa for vocational training
- § 16a AufenthG: vocational training
- German embassy information sheet: national visa for vocational training
- Philippine Embassy Berlin: Overseas Employment Certificate
- DMW: Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar (PEOS)
Last checked: September 20, 2026. This is general guidance, not legal or immigration advice. Figures change, so confirm them on the official pages.