Recognition of qualifications of regulated professions
Content
What is a regulated profession?
A regulated profession is a professional activity or set of professional activities for which access or exercise requires the possession of certain professional qualifications.
What are professional qualifications?
A professional qualification is the ability to take up or pursue a particular profession officially attested by evidence of training, by a certificate of competence, by formally recognised professional experience, or by more than one of these.
European Regulated Profession Database (REGPROF)
Regulated professions differ between EU countries. To find out if your profession is regulated in Spain, consult the regulated profession database
(REGPROF).
How to use the regulated profession database:
- Choose the EU country where you were awarded your degree
- Indicate ‘Spain’ as the country where you want to work
- Find your profession in your language
If the profession you want to practise is not listed, it may be possible that it is not regulated in Spain.
If you do not find any information about your profession in the database, you can contact the National Assistance Centre for the Recognition of Professional Qualifications , which will be able to help you understand the rules applicable in your case.
Check whether you should apply for recognition of your professional qualifications and what type of application you should file.
Effects of regulated profession recognition
Recognition of your professional qualifications by the competent Spanish authority will allow you to practise the same profession in Spain as that for which you are qualified in your European country of origin and to exercise it with the same rights as Spanish nationals.
European professional card
The European Professional Card (EPC) is an electronic procedure by which you can apply for recognition of your professional qualifications in another EU country.
Once the process has started, you can follow the progress of the application online and reuse the documents already uploaded when submitting new applications.
When the application is approved, you will be able to generate a European professional card certificate in PDF format.
This procedure is currently only available for a limited number of professions:
- nurse practitioner responsible for general care
- pharmacist
- physiotherapist
- mountain guide
- real estate agent
National Assistance Centre
Legal and/or technical references
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European Database of Regulated Professions
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National Assistance Centres for Professional Qualifications
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Royal Decree 581/2017, of 9 June, incorporating into Spanish law Directive 2013/55/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 20 November 2013, amending Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications and Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 on administrative cooperation through the Internal Market Information System (IMI Regulation)
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DIRECTIVE 2013/55/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 20 November 2013 amending Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications and Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 on administrative cooperation through the Internal Market Information System (‘the IMI Regulation’)
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Frequently asked questions on professional qualification recognition
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Frequently asked questions on regulated professions
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European Professional Card. User’s guide for professionals
