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Professional recognition under EU law and nostrification

You have studied outside of Austria and wish to pursue a profession that requires an Austrian degree by law? For practicing these so-called "regulated professions" (e.g. physician, nurse, kindergarten teacher, teacher) a formal recognition is required. Here you can find out which formal recognition procedure is right for you.

What is professional recognition under EU law and who is responsible for the procedure?

For citizens of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) and nationals of Switzerland, the EU Professional Recognition Directive (Directive 2005/36 /EC) governs access to regulated professions. It provides regulations for the mutual recognition of professional qualifications and thus enables free access to the labor market of the member states. The prerequisite for EU professional recognition is that a qualification grants access to the respective profession in the country of origin. Find out if your profession is regulated and which Austrian body is responsible for the recognition procedure at www.berufsanerkennung.at.

What is nostrification and who is responsible for the procedure?

Nostrification (Nostrifizierung) is the recognition of a foreign degree as fully equivalent to a corresponding Austrian degree and thus also entails the same legal consequences, such as the right to practice a certain regulated profession or to use an Austrian academic degree. Nostrification is only forseen if an Austrian degree is required by law and another form of recognition (e.g. EU professional recognition) is not possible. The Austrian Universities, Universities of applied sciences and Universities of teacher education that offer a corresponding study programme are generally responsible for the nostrification procedure. Find out if your profession is regulated and which Austrian body is responsible for the recognition procedure at www.berufsanerkennung.at.

Any questions left unanswered? Then turn to the contact points for people with qualifications acquired abroad (Anlaufstellen für Personen mit im Ausland erworbenen Qualifikationen). They will support you with free and multilingual advice and assist you in recognition or assessment issues. You can find the contact details at www.anlaufstelle-anerkennung.at.

Legal basis