FAQ - Qualifications for employment

In my home country, Belgium, my profession is not regulated. Can I work in that profession in France where it is regulated?

If neither your profession nor the training for it is regulated in Belgium, you may have to prove that you have practised your profession for at least 2 of the last 10 years before settling, or even just providing services on a temporary basis, in France. Pay slips or statements from employers must be accepted, as long as they clearly identify your professional activity.

Where should I apply to get my qualifications recognised in another EU country?

To find out which authority is responsible for your profession, you can contact the relevant national contact points for recognition of professional qualifications.

I am Austrian and I finished vocational training to be a professional "masseur" in Belgium. Can I practice the profession of physiotherapist in Portugal?

First, you need to check whether the profession of "masseur" is the same profession that you want to practise in Portugal (physiotherapist). We recommend you to contact the Portuguese contact point for recognition of professional qualifications to find out this. The Belgian contact point for recognition of professional qualifications can also clarify whether your training qualifications meet the Portuguese requirements.

Find out more on the specific requirements for practising the profession of physiotherapist in Portugal.

What if the profession I want to practice in Finland is not regulated there: can I simply go there and work without having to apply for recognition of my Estonian qualifications?

YES — You can begin practicing in Finland subject to the same conditions as the Finns. However, while your profession may not be regulated as such in Finland, it may be not an independent profession but part of another profession which is regulated. Check with the Finnish contact point for recognition of professional qualifications whether your profession is regulated in Finland.

I am a German master craftsman and I want to extend my business to Switzerland. Do EU rules on the recognition of professional qualifications apply?

YES — They apply by extension to the non-EU countries of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) plus Switzerland. However, there are special rules for Switzerland. To find out about these rules, contact the Swiss contact point for recognition of professional qualifications.

I am Italian. I qualified as a doctor in Argentina and later established a practice in Spain. Can I practice medicine in Italy under EU rules?

EU rules concern only the recognition of qualifications issued by EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway — with some special rules also for Switzerland. Spain's recognition of your Argentinean qualifications is not binding on Italy unless you have practiced for at least 3 years in Spain before seeking recognition in Italy.

Since professional qualifications are recognised in the EU, surely I do not have to apply for recognition if I want to establish my activity in another EU country?

YES — You will have to re-apply in the other country. Mutual recognition of qualifications is a general principle and there are nuances in how it applies in practice — i.e. more or less automatically — depending on the profession concerned. In any case it is necessary to apply for recognition.

I am a Romanian midwife and I am applying for recognition of my qualifications in France. What documents should I submit?

The French authorities will require proof of your nationality, and possibly also other documents which are required of holders of French midwifery qualifications. In case of justified doubts they can also require a certificate of compliance issued by the Romanian authorities, certifying that your qualification is the one covered in the relevant directive. If the name of your qualification does not correspond, they will also require a certificate of change of name. You might also be asked to provide a certificate proving at least one year of professional experience — 2 years in certain circumstances.

Three months have passed since I submitted my application file for recognition of my qualifications in Spain and I have not heard back from them. Is that normal?

NO — The competent Spanish authority should acknowledge receipt of your application within 1 month and inform you at the same time of any missing documents. It should then take a reasoned decision on your application after no more than 4 months. If this deadline is not respected, you can call on the EU assistance services.