Yes. India is not on the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List, so recruiting nurses from India is fully permitted under the WHO Global Code of Practice. Ethical recruitment means contracts are clear and honest, candidates are supported through the German Anerkennung (recognition) process, and the partnership benefits everyone — the nurse, India, and the European employer welcoming skilled new staff.

European care homes are competing for a shrinking pool of qualified nurses, and recruiting from India is one of the most practical ways to close that gap. For an HR lead or care-home director, the natural first question is: is this ethical and legal? The short answer is yes — and here is what you need to know.

1. What is the WHO Code of Practice?

The WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel is the global reference point for fair recruitment of foreign nurses. Adopted by all WHO Member States in 2010, it is a voluntary framework of ethical principles that protects health systems in source countries while allowing skilled workers to build careers abroad. Germany and the UK translate it into their own national codes, so a reputable partner already works within it. In May 2026 the Code was strengthened to explicitly cover care workers and to encourage co-investment for mutual benefit.

2. Is India on the WHO safeguards list?

This is the most important compliance question — and the answer is reassuring. The WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List identifies 55 countries facing the most pressing health-workforce shortages, which employers are asked not to actively target. India is not on that list. The listed countries sit mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, the Western Pacific and the Eastern Mediterranean, so active recruitment of nurses from India is fully permitted under the Code. A refreshed list is expected later in 2026, so a good partner keeps an eye on status for you.

3. What does ethical recruitment of nurses from India look like?

For an employer, it comes down to three simple hallmarks — and a good recruitment partner takes care of all three on your behalf:

Transparent contracts

The nurse understands the role, salary, location, recognition timeline and language requirement before committing. Clear expectations mean smoother onboarding and stronger retention.

Support through recognition and integration

Candidates are guided through qualification recognition (Anerkennung), German-language training to B1–B2, and practical help settling in — so your new colleague is ready to contribute sooner.

Mutual benefit, not brain drain

India trains far more nurses than its own system can currently employ, so structured, transparent migration is a win for the nurse, for India, and for the European employer.

4. Anerkennung and ANABIN: the recognition process, made simple

Two German terms cause the most confusion: ANABIN and Anerkennung. ANABIN is a free government database that shows how a foreign qualification is assessed in Germany — it answers “is this degree comparable?” Anerkennung is the separate, formal recognition decision for a regulated profession. Nursing is a regulated profession, so an ANABIN entry alone does not let a nurse practise; every internationally trained nurse completes formal Anerkennung. Most Indian nurses receive partial recognition first and complete the remaining step — usually a language test or bridging module — often after arrival. This is mainstream: Germany issued 81,858 recognition decisions in 2024, roughly one in four in nursing and care.

5. Pillar 2 and the pathways that get nurses working sooner

Germany’s Skilled Immigration Act is built on three pillars: the Skilled Labour pillar (Pillar 1), the Experience pillar (Pillar 2), and the Potential pillar (Pillar 3, the Opportunity Card). Pillar 2 lets skilled workers immigrate on professional experience — but only in non-regulated occupations, so it does not replace recognition for nurses. The route that matters is the Recognition Partnership (Anerkennungspartnerschaft), introduced in 2024, which lets a qualified nurse enter Germany and begin working while completing Anerkennung in parallel. For a care home, this shortens time-to-ward while keeping the hire fully compliant.

Also Read:- Hiring Indian skilled workers in Germany: A practical guide for employers

6. How IndiaWorks helps

IndiaWorks was built around these hallmarks, so European care homes can hire from India with both the paperwork and the principles taken care of:

• WHO-Code aligned sourcing from India.
• Early ANABIN pre-check, so the recognition path is clear before an offer.
• Recognition and language support through Anerkennung and German training to B1–B2.
• Transparent contracts, set out plainly before the candidate commits.

Employer concerns, answered

“Is recruiting from India fair to India?”

India is not on the WHO safeguards list, and since 2026 the Code encourages co-investment — so it is both permitted and beneficial for everyone.

“Will the nurse be fully qualified to practise?”

Nursing is regulated, so every hire completes formal Anerkennung, with an ANABIN check done up front.

“How soon can they start on the ward?”

The Recognition Partnership (2024) lets qualified nurses begin working while finishing recognition in parallel.

“Will they be ready for German-speaking wards?”

A good partner ensures German at B1–B2 before deployment and supports integration afterward.