About one in eight doctors in Germany do not have German citizenship - Foreign-trained doctors now make up a quarter of Germany's medical workforce

Germany's medical workforce is changing rapidly, with foreign-trained doctors now playing a much larger role. In 2024, one in four physicians working in the country had immigrated from abroad—double the share from a decade earlier. In 2024, 121,000 physicians—24% of the total adp workforce now—had qualified abroad, compared to just 30,000 (7%) in 2014. Medicine ranks as the second most common profession for foreign qualification recognition in Germany, after nursing. In 2024 alone, 7,600 foreign degrees in human and dental medicine received full approval to practice. The share of doctors working part-time has nearly doubled, rising from 15% in 2014 to 28% in 2024. Despite this, physicians still work longer hours than most, averaging 40.3 hours per week—six hours more than the national average for all employees. The medical workforce is also getting older. By 2024, nearly a third (31%) of doctors were 55 or older, pointing to a wave of retirements in the coming years. To help address future demand, Germany has expanded medical training, with first-year student numbers rising by 30% over the past decade. The 2024/2025 winter semester saw 15,900 new enrollees. Foreign-trained doctors now make up a quarter of Germany's medical workforce, filling critical gaps in the system. With an ageing population of physicians and more shifting to part-time roles, the country continues to rely on international recruitment. Meanwhile, increased medical school enrolment aims to ease long-term staffing pressures.