Number of Foreign Doctors in Germany Doubles

The number of doctors without German citizenship reached 64,000 in 2024. The recognition of foreign medical degrees and the situation of Syrian doctors are among the key issues drawing attention.

This figure corresponds to 13% of all doctors working in Germany. Ten years ago, the number of doctors holding foreign passports stood at around 30,000, accounting for just 7% of the total.

According to data from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, nearly one quarter of all doctors working in Germany in 2024 were of foreign origin. The total number of migrant-background doctors working in human medicine and dentistry reached 121,000. Of these, 64,000 were not German citizens, while 57,000 had acquired German citizenship over time.

In 2024, German authorities recognized approximately 7,000 foreign medical diplomas as equivalent.

Source: ARTI49