Turkish nursing licence conversion — step by step

Converting your Turkish nursing licence to a European equivalent is not a single process — it varies by country. But the underlying steps are consistent across Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and other Northern European destinations. This guide gives you the complete picture so you can plan properly.

Before anything else, request a certificate of good standing from the Turkish Nurses Association (Türk Hemşireler Derneği) and your provincial health authority. This document confirms you are a licensed, practicing nurse in good standing with no disciplinary record. It takes two to four weeks to arrive and is required by every European country's recognition authority. Request it early.

Your nursing diploma and full academic transcripts must be translated into the language of your target country — or English — by a sworn translator. The translation must then be notarised. In Turkey, notary offices (noter) handle this. Budget approximately 500–800 TL per document and allow one to two weeks.

Each European country has a body that assesses whether your Turkish nursing qualification meets their national standard. In Germany this is handled per Bundesland by the relevant Landesbehörde. In the Netherlands it is CIBG. In Sweden it is Socialstyrelsen.

Submit your translated, notarised diploma and transcripts along with your certificate of good standing, proof of identity, and proof of your current Turkish licence. Processing times range from two months in Sweden to up to six months in some German states.

Every European country requires formal language certification for clinical nursing roles. Germany and Austria require B2 German minimum. The Netherlands requires B2 Dutch. Sweden requires B2 Swedish for most roles though some international hospitals accept English at C1 level. Take your language exam through an accredited centre — Goethe Institut for German, CNaVT for Dutch, Folkuniversitetet for Swedish.

In some cases the recognition authority will determine that your Turkish training has gaps relative to their national standard. They will then require you to complete a compensation measure — either an aptitude test or an adaptation period working under supervision in a clinical setting. This is common and manageable. An adaptation period typically lasts three to six months and is paid.

Once your qualification is recognised you will be entered into the national professional register — BIG in the Netherlands, the relevant Bundesland register in Germany, Socialstyrelsen in Sweden. At this point you have the legal right to practice nursing in that country.

From starting the process to having the legal right to practice: expect 12 to 18 months if you are starting language preparation from scratch. If you already have B2 language level, the process can compress to six to nine months.

Browse current nursing positions on EuroTalent. Many employers listed are familiar with the conversion process and will support you through it as part of your employment package.