Recognition of professional qualifications in Ireland

You must have the required professional qualifications to work in certain regulated professions in Ireland. You can check if your profession is regulated in Ireland (and in other EU member states, EEA countries and Switzerland) on the European Commission’s regulated professions database.

Some examples of regulated professions in Ireland are:

• Electrician
• Teacher
• Architect
• Doctor
• Accountant
• Pharmacist
• Estate agent
• Gas installer
• Dental hygienist
• Security guard

This page gives an overview of how professional qualifications are recognised in Ireland and Europe.

Learn about getting your foreign academic qualifications recognised in Ireland.

Coming from Ukraine

If you are coming to Ireland from Ukraine, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) has information (in Ukrainian) about its NARIC database of foreign academic qualifications (pdf).

If you qualified as a teacher in Ukraine and have been granted EU Temporary Protection, you can apply to work as a teacher in Ireland under The Teaching Council’s tailored registration process for teachers from Ukraine.

Each EU member state sets its own national system of education and training that leads to its own professional qualifications.

The EU has systems for recognising diplomas and training that enable you to make full use of your training and skills in another EU country. The basic principle is that if you are qualified to work in a profession in your home country, you are qualified to work in the same profession in any other EU country.

However, if the profession is regulated in the country where you want to work, you will need to register with the regulator for that country before you can start work. The bodies that regulate professions may also be called ‘competent authorities.’ See ‘How are professional qualifications regulated in Ireland?’ below.

If your profession is not regulated in the country where you want to work, you do not need to have your qualification recognised.

What professions are automatically recognised in Ireland?

Some professions are automatically recognised in the EU. These professions are known as 'sectoral professions'. Qualifications from the following professions are automatically recognised in Ireland:

• Architects
• Dentists
• Doctors
• Midwives
• Nurses
• Pharmacists
• Veterinary surgeons

If you are looking for work in one of the above 7 professions, you still need to register with the relevant professional body to practice in Ireland. You can find out more in the European Commission’s FAQ on regulated professions.

Since 1 January 2021, mutual recognition of professional qualifications (MRPQ) between the EU (including Ireland) and the UK no longer applies. If you are an Irish citizen who got your professional qualification in the UK, you now need to get that qualification recognised in Ireland or in any other EU member state where you intend to work. UK nationals must also do this.

Qualifications from the UK were automatically recognised in Ireland during the transition period (from 1 February to 31 December 2020). If your qualification was recognised during this time, you do not have to do anything and can continue to practice in Ireland or the EU.

If you have a query about your UK qualification being recognised in Ireland since Brexit, contact the regulatory body for your profession.

The European Professional Card (EPC) is an electronic procedure you can use to have your EU professional qualifications recognised in another EU country. It is not a physical card. It is electronic proof that you have passed administrative checks.

After you get the EPC, and before you take up employment in Ireland, you must register with the relevant competent authority.

You can use the EPC procedure if you are a:

• Nurse responsible for general care
• Pharmacist
• Physiotherapist
• Mountain guide
• Real estate agent

The European Commission has published a video that explains the basics of the EPC. You can also read the EPC user guide (pdf) for more information,

For more information on the EPC, see the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science's FAQ.

The Department of Education and Youth coordinates the recognition of professional qualifications in Ireland.

It provides online information on regulated professions and relevant EU legislation. It also keeps a database of competent authorities, which are the professional bodies that can validate professional qualifications you received outside Ireland.

How do you get your foreign qualification recognised?

The first step to getting your foreign qualification recognised is to contact the competent authority for that profession. You must do this whether or not your profession is automatically recognised in Ireland. You must also do this if you have an EPC.

If you do not find your profession on this list of competent authorities, you can email qualifications@dfheris.gov.ie.

What happens after you apply?

After you apply, the competent authority may accept your qualification, reject it, or apply a ‘compensation measure.’

A compensation measure means the competent authority has decided that your training has gaps when compared to Irish requirements. You may be asked to get additional professional experience to complete your training, including taking a training course or an aptitude test.

The Point of Single Contact (PSC) has a full list of regulated professions in Ireland that includes the contact details of the competent authorities.

The European Union has a guide explaining Directive 2005/36/EC (pdf), which is the main EU legislation for the recognition of professional qualifications. There is also an FAQ about regulated professions.

For further information, contact the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science by email: qualifications@dfheris.gov.ie.

The Teaching Council of Ireland has information about registering as a teacher when you have qualified outside Ireland.

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) has registration information for nurses and midwives who trained outside Ireland.