Health Certificate for Food Jobs in Germany (Gesundheitszeugnis) – English Guide

If you are starting a job in a German restaurant, café, hotel kitchen, bakery or food delivery service, your employer will ask for a "Gesundheitszeugnis" – often translated as health certificate. Here is what it actually is, and how to get it quickly, even if your German is limited.

What the Gesundheitszeugnis really is

Despite the name, it is not a medical examination and no doctor's visit is required. It is a certificate proving you completed the hygiene instruction under §43 of the German Infection Protection Act (IfSG): a short training about food hygiene, diseases that ban you from working with food (like Salmonella or acute diarrhoea), and your duty to report symptoms. Every employee who handles unpackaged, perishable food in Germany needs it before the first day of work – including part-time staff, students and working holiday makers.

How to get it as a foreigner

The traditional way is an in-person appointment at the local health office (Gesundheitsamt) – held in German, with waiting times of days to weeks depending on the city. The alternative: complete the instruction online in about 10 minutes. You watch a short training video, answer a few comprehension questions and verify your identity with your passport or ID card. The certificate arrives immediately as a PDF and is valid throughout Germany – your employer simply receives the PDF.

Which documents you need

A valid passport, national ID card or German residence permit is enough for the identity check. You do not need a German passport, a work permit copy or any medical records. More details for non-German speakers: Gesundheitszeugnis für Ausländer.

How long it stays valid

The initial instruction (Erstbelehrung) never expires – it stays valid for every future employer in Germany. Only for your very first food job the certificate must not be older than three months. During employment, your employer repeats a short follow-up instruction every two years; your original certificate remains valid.

Cost and languages

The online instruction costs a one-time fee of 25 €. Our landing pages are available in English and many other languages – start here: English information page. The certificate you receive is the official German document ("Bescheinigung über die Erstbelehrung nach §43 IfSG") that every employer recognises.

Weiterführende Themen

• Gesundheitszeugnis – einfach erklärt
• Wer braucht ein Gesundheitszeugnis?
• Wie lange ist das Gesundheitszeugnis gültig?
• Wer zahlt – Arbeitgeber oder Arbeitnehmer?

Dein Gesundheitszeugnis nach §43 IfSG bekommst du komplett online in rund 10 Minuten – ärztlich geprüft und deutschlandweit anerkannt. Einmalig 25 €, ohne Termin beim Gesundheitsamt. Jetzt online starten