Are foreign nursing qualifications recognised in France?
Brexit changed rules for Britons relocating to France
You need a lot of documentation to continue your nursing career in France
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Reader Question: My husband has got a job in Nice, and we are moving there next year. I am a nurse in the UK, and want to continue this career in France – will my qualifications be accepted?
Since Brexit, post-secondary education qualifications from UK institutions are not always recognised in France.
Prior to the UK leaving the EU, qualifications were accepted as part of cross-European accreditation and education agreements, but this is no longer the case.
We recently discussed this topic in terms of general qualifications, which you can read about in the article below.
Read more: Are non-EU degrees recognised in France? Can they be translated?
Nurses must contact French health authorities
Nursing is a strictly regulated profession, meaning qualifications will be closely scrutinised.
Qualifications in the sector from an EU country are accepted in France, but all non-EU degrees in the field are treated equally, with none being automatically accepted.
This includes the UK, despite it being known for a good quality of higher education.
People with non-EU nursing qualifications wishing to work in France must send a dossier to the Agence Régionale de Santé (ARS, regional health authorities) of the department they are planning to work in.
This dossier needs to contain a number of documents, including proof of ID, as well as copies of all of your qualifications – a full list is outlined by the government here in a 2010 decree on non-EU health professionals coming to work in France.
Your qualifications need to be translated by a certified translator if they are not in French.
Read more: Traducteur agréé: how do I find one in France and what are the fees?
The ARS will compare whether your qualifications are as strong as the French equivalents and allow you to work in the country, and will also test your French language skills.
If your qualifications are not deemed proficient, you may be asked to undertake an adaptation period, or additional proficiency tests.
Note you can only apply to one ARS centre, so make sure you know the department you are wanting to work in before making your application.
