Recognition of your qualifications in the UK

European Directive 2005/36/EC applies to all Member State nationals wishing to practice a regulated profession in a  Member State other than the one they obtained their professional qualifications.

You need to contact the appropriate authority responsible for giving access to the profession to obtain recognition of your qualifications. The relevant authority  will require you to provide evidence of your qualifications and professional experience and may ask for other evidence of eligibility in order to assess your application.

Authorities may require certified translations but only for key documents, or where the content is difficult to understand, but should accept informal translations of ancillary documents. It is your responsibility to check the requirements with the authority for your profession.

The authority may charge a fee to assess your application. There is no standard fee, but it must not exceed the actual costs incurred by the authority.

The authority is likely to require some or all of the following documents:

• completed application form (usually in the language of the Member State to which you are applying)
• evidence of identity and nationality (for example copy of birth certificate or passport)
• copy of diploma (awards, plus, where relevant, evidence of successfully completed training and/or evidence of your enrolment on the register of a relevant authority)
• evidence of professional experience
• certificates of good health (obtained from your own doctor); good financial standing (for example from your bank, or some Member States may require a sworn deposition from you that you are not bankrupt); and good professional conduct (for example belonging to a professional association).

The outcome of your application

When you have submitted your application the authority will inform you within one month of receipt if there are any missing documents or that your file is complete. The authority has four months from the date your file is complete to assess your application and notify you of their decision. 

The authority may decide to admit you to the profession at once. It may decide that your qualification covers most of the theory and practice required, but if they decide that there are substantial differences which are essential to the practice of the profession they will require you to make up those differences by undertaking a compensation measure.

The method of the compensation measure will be either a test or a period of supervised practice. With the exception of few professions (mostly legal), the choice is yours.

If the authority decides not to admit you, it must give you reasons for its negative decision and inform you of the appeal procedure to which you are entitled under the Directive.

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