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Germany's new care assistant training from 2027: what employers need to know
By Birgit M. Schwinn · Last checked: · 5 min
From 1 January 2027, Germany has one federal training for care assistants (Pflegefachassistenz). It replaces the 27 different state trainings for care helpers and assistants, takes 18 months full time and covers all care settings. For hospitals and care homes this means new contracts, new funding rules and a training that looks the same in every state.
The legal basis
The Bundestag passed the Pflegefachassistenzeinführungsgesetz on 9 October 2025 and the Bundesrat approved it on 17 October 2025. It was published on 31 October 2025 (BGBl. I No. 259). Its core is the Pflegefachassistenzgesetz (PflFAssG). The training and examination regulation (PflFAssAPrV) has been in force since 10 June 2026. The funding rules have applied since 1 January 2026.
The training at a glance
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Duration | 18 months full time, at most 36 months part time |
| Placements | Hospital (acute inpatient care), long-term inpatient care, and outpatient acute and long-term care |
| Entry | Lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss), an equivalent, or a completed vocational training; as an exception, a reasoned positive assessment by the nursing school |
| Shortening | By up to one third, for example after equivalent training or at least 18 months of work in care |
| Pay | Mandatory: a reasonable training allowance for the whole training |
| Practice supervision | At least 10 percent of practical hours in each placement |
What care assistants do
After qualifying, they care for people independently in non-complex care situations and assist in complex ones, together with registered nurses. This makes them a fixed part of a care team's skill mix.
What training employers must plan for
- The employer responsible for the practical training can be a hospital or care facility that runs its own nursing school or has a contract with one.
- Because placements cover three care settings, most employers need cooperation agreements with partner facilities.
- Practice instructors need an additional qualification of at least 300 hours and 24 hours of training each year, with transition periods.
- The training allowance is mandatory. Benefits in kind can count for up to 75 percent of the gross allowance.
Funding through the state compensation funds
Training costs are paid through the states' compensation funds (Ausgleichsfonds), using the same levy system as for registered nurse training (§ 24 PflFAssG). This explicitly includes the cost of the training allowance. Each state decides how budgets are calculated and paid; the responsible offices collect forecasts of training places.
Start dates differ by state
The law applies from 2027, but the first courses do not start everywhere in January. Brandenburg plans to start on 1 October 2027, Rhineland-Palatinate on 1 January 2028. State qualifications completed by the end of 2026 stay valid. Ask your state office for your start date.
What this means for international trainees
At 18 months, the Pflegefachassistenz is a shorter, clearly regulated way into care work in Germany, with pay and the same qualification nationwide. Welwitschia Care currently prepares its participants for the three-year nursing training (Pflegefachfrau or Pflegefachmann). In both trainings, language decides most for trainees from abroad, so we prepare to German level B2 and support trainees and teams through every phase. See how it works on the page for hospitals and care homes training with trainees from Namibia.
This article is not legal advice. Rules and amounts change; check the current position with the bodies named.