The number of foreign doctors working in Germany more than doubled over 10 years, according to official figures, highlighting the importance of migration for the health care sector.
In 2024, 64,000 physicians, accounting for 13% of all doctors, did not have German citizenship, compared to 30,000, or 7%, in 2014, the country’s statistical office said.
A total of 121,000 migrant doctors, including those who have since acquired citizenship, worked in general medicine and dentistry in 2024, making up nearly 25% of all physicians.
More than four in 10, or 42%, have been in Germany for less than 10 years, the figures showed.
In 2024, German authorities recognized 7,000 medical degrees obtained abroad, 21% of which were acquired by Germans who had studied medicine abroad.
It is not uncommon for Germans to move abroad to obtain a degree in medicine as tough admissions restrictions apply in the country.
The second largest group among the recognized foreign degrees were Syrian nationals.
Source: dpa
