Getting your qualification recognised

First question: is your profession regulated?

In every EU country, some professions are regulated: you need official recognition (or a licence) before you can work in them. Examples include doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, teachers, lawyers, architects, and in some countries engineers or electricians.

Other professions are not regulated: software engineers, most business roles, many technicians. You can work without formal recognition, although employers and immigration authorities may still ask for proof that your degree is comparable.

The EU's Regulated Professions Database shows which professions are regulated in which country.

How it works in the main destinations

Germany. Use the official "Recognition in Germany" finder to identify the competent authority. University degrees can be checked in the anabin database; if your university and degree are listed as equivalent, you may not need more. Otherwise apply for a Statement of Comparability. Regulated professions such as nursing go through state authorities.

France. ENIC-NARIC France issues certificates of comparability for foreign diplomas. Regulated professions have their own bodies, for example the regional health agencies for healthcare.

The Netherlands. Nuffic and IDW evaluate foreign diplomas. Healthcare professionals register through the BIG register process.

Spain and Portugal. University degrees are recognised through the education ministries (homologación in Spain, reconhecimento in Portugal). Nurses and other health professionals need recognition before they can register with the professional body.

Typical outcomes

• Full recognition: your qualification is treated as equivalent.
• Partial recognition: you are told what is missing and how to close the gap, through an adaptation period, a knowledge or aptitude test, or extra training.
• No recognition: rare for well-documented degrees from established institutions, but possible for very different training.

Partial recognition is not a failure. In Germany it can even earn points for the Opportunity Card and lead to a visa for completing the missing parts.

Preparing your documents in India

• Degree certificates and full transcripts (mark sheets for each year or semester)
• Syllabus or course content for regulated professions, stamped by your institution
• Experience letters on letterhead with dates, role, hours and duties
• Registration certificates (for example State Nursing Council registration)
• Apostille: India is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Educational documents are usually first verified by the issuing state and then apostilled by the Ministry of External Affairs.
• Translations by sworn or certified translators where required. Germany and France often require them.

Start this at least three to six months before you plan to apply for a visa.