In Italy, the recognition procedure for a qualification obtained in EU Member States, in a country of the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) or of the Swiss Confederation is different according to the citizenship of the applicant: citizens from the European Union, from the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and from the Swiss Confederation and non-EU citizens.
Right of establishment
If you are a citizen from the European Union, the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) or the Swiss Confederation, you have obtained your health professional qualification in an EU Member State or in a country of the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) or in the Swiss Confederation and you wish to pursue your profession in Italy on a permanent basis, you can apply for the recognition of your qualification under the provision called “right of establishment”.
< link -> See section “right of establishment for EU citizens”>
·Right to free provision of services
You can also provide your professional services on a temporary and occasional basis without permanently establishing in Italy and without enrolling in the relevant Italian Association/Order, Register or professional College; nevertheless, you will abide by the same legal provisions, in terms of obligations and disciplinary sanctions, as your Italian counterparts.
< link -> “See section “free provision of services – EU citizens”>
if you want to know which professionals are entitled to this right and how they can apply.
NON-EU citizens
Qualification recognition
If you are a non-EU citizen, you have obtained your professional qualification in a Member State or in a country of the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) or in the Swiss Confederation and you wish to be authorised to pursue your profession in Italy, you will apply for the recognition of your qualification.
See the information section Forms and services – Recognition of foreigners’ EU qualifications or look for the specific page on the interactive form)
The recognition decree issued for NON-EU citizens has a two-year validity. It expires if the professional does not enrol in the relevant professional Association during the two years, as provided by art. 50, paragraph 8 bis, of Italian decree DPR 31 August 1999, no. 394.
See section “renewal of recognition decree for NON-EU citizens” if you want to know how you can get your recognition decree renewed.
Can I have my documents back?
See the dedicated section: Document return
It is possible to provide occasional professional services without permanently settling in Italy and without enrolling in the relevant Italian professional association (Order, Register or College), but still remaining subject to the same obligations and disciplinary sanctions provided for Italian health professionals.
A person is legally settled in a State when he or she meets all the requirements provided for the pursuit of the profession in the State concerned, and no ban – not even temporary – prevents him or her to practice that profession. For non-regulated professions in the country of origin, the person needs to give evidence of a one-year professional experience acquired during the previous ten years.
In order to deliver professional services in Italy for the first time, a preventive declaration must be sent, attaching all the documentation required by Directive 2005/36/EC. Information concerning procedure, application forms and the list of the required documents can be found at the following link: Recognition of health professional qualifications obtained in EU Member States or equivalent
For the professions with "automatic" recognition:
and for the following professions, no preliminary assessment will be carried out:
As for other qualifications which are not quoted in the above list, this Administration is entitled to carry out a preliminary check on the professional qualification before enabling the temporary and occasional pursuit of the profession.
No later than one month after the receipt of the declaration and the required documents, the applicants will be notified whether their professional qualifications would be verified.
Should the qualifications undergo an assessment procedure, a test may be required if there are substantial differences between the training obtained in the country of origin and that required by Italian regulations.
Before arranging the test, the assessment procedure will also verify any professional experience and/or continuing professional development or any additional training that may compensate for the identified differences.
This Administration will notify the outcome of the preliminary investigation within a period that may vary from one month to four months, the deadline runs from the time of receipt of the full application, complete with all the required documentation; the period varies depending on whether or not the assessment of qualifications is carried out.
Data di ultimo aggiornamento 16 may 2024