Recognition of foreign qualifications

How does the recognition of my qualification benefit me?

Is the training you completed abroad comparable with training available in Switzerland? Then recognition of your qualification will give you the right to work in a comparable role in Switzerland, with an equal salary entitlement.

What do I need to do?

Please read through the whole process first, from Step 1 to Step 3. Once you have read it all, you can start with Step 1, the free PreCheck. The PreCheck will tell you whether or not you can apply for recognition.

• Step 1: Complete PreCheck

• Step 2: You will be given a positive or negative PreCheck result.
  → Positive result: You request application documents and apply for recognition.
  → Negative result: We give you information on other options.

• Step 3: We inform you of whether or not your qualification has been recognized.

Step 1: Information about the PreCheck

The PreCheck will give you answers to these questions:

• Is the SRC the competent authority for recognizing my qualification?

• What are the prerequisites for me applying for recognition?

What happens next?

Once you have submitted all the documents, processing will take a maximum of four weeks. Then you can log back into the PreCheck portal. You will be able to view your result. Your PreCheck result will be positive or negative.

Step 2: Applying for recognition

You will have received an initial application form with your PreCheck result. You complete and return this to request the formal application documentation.

What happens next?

• You collect all the necessary documents.

• You pay the required fee.

• You send us all the documents and the signed application form by post.

Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz
Gesundheitsberufe
Werkstrasse 18
3084 Wabern

Once we have received the application together with all documentation and the fee has been processed, your application process for recognition has begun. After three to four months maximum, we will send you a written response. And we will inform you about what happens next.

Step 3: Decision on recognition of your qualification

Your qualification is recognized directly: you do not need to take any further action. The recognition process and your registration are complete.
If your qualification is not recognized directly, you will have the opportunity to top up your qualifications. When we inform you of the decision, we will also inform you what compensatory measures are necessary.

How long does the recognition process take?

Once we have received your complete application, you will receive an initial decision from us within around three to four months.
If compensatory measures are needed, the process will take longer.

Note:
Your dossier will remain open for a maximum of two years.

• 550 CHF if your degree in nursing or midwifery is listed in the EU requirements 2005/36/EC, Annex V (starting on page 124) in the relevant countries. You will receive one invoice.

• CHF 930 if no compensatory measures are required. You will receive two partial invoices.

• CHF 1,000 if compensatory measures are required. You will receive two partial invoices.

• Depending on the profession, an additional CHF 130 may be charged for registration with GesReg / NAREG, the National Register of Healthcare Professions.

Certificate of Current Professional Status / Letter of Good Standing

As part of the application for recognition, we require a certificate stating that the person submitting the application is entitled to carry out their profession.

Why do I need this certificate?

This certificate ensures the quality of healthcare in Switzerland and thus protects patients. When applying for your qualification to be recognized, you need to submit various documents. These include a certificate confirming that you are entitled to carry out your profession in the relevant foreign country, and that there are no sanctions against you. That means you have never been barred from working in your profession, either permanently or temporarily.

Where do I get this certificate?

You get the certificate from the authority in the country that you last worked in. It is your responsibility to obtain this certificate. You will find an overview of the competent authorities here.

When is no CCPS/LoGS required?

If you have been working in your profession in Switzerland for more than five years already, you do not need a CCPS/LoGS.

In this case, you require the following documents instead:

• references

• current extract from the register of criminal convictions in Switzerland

• professional licence to work in Switzerland, professional diploma, registration or work licence

If your qualification has not been registered, the competent authority will not be able to issue a CCPS/LoGS. This could be for the following reasons:

• There is no register in the relevant country.

• You have never worked in your profession in the country you trained in.

In this case, to submit your application for recognition you will need:

• A certificate to prove that you are NOT registered: ‘Certificate of Non-Registration’. You can obtain this certificate from the competent authority.

• You will also need an extract from the register of criminal convictions. This must not be more than three months old.

What information must be included in the Certificate of Non-Registration?

• Name

• Profession/training

• Confirmation that there is no register for that profession or that the applicant is not registered

• Confirmation that the applicant’s qualification entitles them to work in that profession

• Issuing date and authority

• Date, signature of authority

The SRC accepts the following certificates:

Submitting proof of language competency

Depending on your professional qualification and the country you gained it in, you will be asked to submit your proof of language competency at different points during the recognition process. You may have to submit proof of language competency during the recognition process. This is the case if

• your professional qualification is listed in Annex V (from page 124 or page 138 onward) to EU Directive 2004//36/EC and you undertook your training in one of the following countries:

If the above do not apply, you will have to submit your proof of language competency before the recognition process starts. That is to say in Step 1, when you start the PreCheck.

Note:

You will receive more information on language competency when you get your PreCheck result.

Would you like to know what the legal bases are for the recognition process? You will find the key information here.