Some occupations are regulated (i.e. Medical Doctor, Lawyer, Teacher, etc.), while others are not. Whether you are planning to emigrate permanently,
to go abroad temporarily or to return to your home country to start working
after completing studies abroad, it is imperative that you enquire about the
status of your chosen occupation, how to proceed to have your qualifications
evaluated, and what additional steps you may need to take before you are
authorised to practise.
There are essentially two ways to regulate occupations: the use of specific
titles is controlled (for instance, the title Certified Translator), but
one can practise without other restrictions, or the practice of the
profession is restricted (for instance, Medical Doctor, or Engineer): it is
legally forbidden to practise the profession unless specific requirements are
met.
Additionally, even if an occupation is not formally regulated, there may
still be restrictions to employment, in that employers may impose specific
requirements, like membership in a professional association, or having certain
academic credentials.
With some professions (especially where the
practice is controlled), quotas may also exist.
Finally, if emigrating, you should enquire about residence/immigration
requirements (visas, temporary permits, vaccinations, etc.), and the time
required for the various procedures.
Please note that every country has its own list
of regulated professions.
Further information
The ENIC-NARIC national information centre (see the list of countries to
the right) should be able to assist you or to direct you to the appropriate
source of information.
According to the Directive 2005/36/CE, within the EU countries there
are assistance centres that can give you assistance on the recognition of your professional qualifications and guide you through
the administrative formalities you need to complete. In order to know if a
profession is regulated in a EU country, please visit the Regulated Professions Database: it contains
information on the regulated professions covered by Directive 2005/36/CE, statistics on migrating
professionals, contact points and competent authorities. This applies to
professions regulated in the EU Member States, EEA countries and Switzerland.
For more detailed information on professional recognition procedures in
other countries, please visit the UNESCO section of the present website and/or contact directly the national authority of the country concerned.
See also:
Eures- The European Job Mobility Portal
Euraxess - Researchers in MotionYourEurope