Read this before signing in Germany

Do not sign a recruiter agreement before it states your maximum cost. It must also say what happens if no German hospital hires you.

A friendly agency call is not a written contract. Foreign doctors often sign while waiting for a licence, visa, or interview.

Then page 4 says they must repay language lessons, documents, or agency work.

Who should pay the recruiter?

The hospital should pay the agency for finding a junior doctor. That is the cleanest arrangement for you.

German law allows recruiters to charge job seekers in some cases. For social insurance jobs, the fee has a legal maximum.

The fee becomes due only after placement. Ask for the total payment in the contract.

Ask for this line: “My total payment includes tax and all services.” Do not accept “costs as incurred” or “reasonable expenses.”

Read every repayment clause

A repayment clause says you owe money later. It may follow language courses, visa help, translations, or hospital introductions.

Some repayment clauses fail under German contract law. They can be unclear or unfair.

That does not help after you sign. A lawyer's letter may arrive months later.

Read the trigger word by word. Does repayment start if you reject one hospital offer?

Does it start if your visa is refused? Does it start if the hospital cancels the job?

Does it start if you leave during probation? These details decide whether you owe money.

A fair clause names one amount and one event. It also names a short time period.

It should say you pay nothing when the agency causes failure. The same applies when the hospital cancels placement.

Do not give one agency every job

An exclusivity clause stops direct hospital applications. It can also stop you using another recruiter.

Some clauses cover every hospital in Germany. That can include hospitals the agency never showed you.

Limit exclusivity to named hospitals and a short written period. Ask for each hospital, department, city, and contact person by email.

Do not sign a fee for a direct hospital hire. A recruiter should not control future applications across Germany.

Make the job promise real

“We will find you a job” is not a job offer. A hospital contract must name the department and job title.

It must also name the start date and pay group. Check the working hours and probation period too.

Ask if the hospital has seen your diploma and language certificate. Ask if the chief has seen your CV.

A recruiter cannot promise an anaesthesia job alone. The chief must decide whether to invite you.

What to do before signing

1. Ask for the full agreement as a PDF before any video call or signature.
2. Mark every sentence containing fee, repay, penalty, exclusive, or withdraw.
3. Ask by email: “What do I owe if no hospital hires me?”
4. Ask by email: “Which hospitals and departments does this agreement cover?”
5. Send the PDF to a German labour lawyer or free migrant advice centre before signing.

A good recruiter explains these 5 points in writing. If the agency avoids clear answers, choose another agency.

Stand: 2026-10-02. This is a guide, not legal advice. Every German state has its own rules, and rules change. Check with your state's [medical chamber (Landesärztekammer)](https://www.bundesaerztekammer.de/aerztekammern) before you act.