Working abroad with a Dutch diploma
Checking whether your profession is regulated
Do you want to study abroad with a Dutch diploma? First check whether your profession is a in that country. Choose what applies to you and follow the instructions below:
- You want to work in an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland
- You want to work outside the EU
Regulated profession
If a profession is regulated, this means you must meet certain requirements to be able to exercise the profession. The requirements for a regulated profession are described in the country’s laws. In every country there is an organisation for every regulated profession that verifies whether you meet the requirements. This kind of organisation is referred to as a ‘competent authority’.
You want to work in an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland
- Open the European Commission database.
- Under ‘Country of Qualification’, select 'Netherlands'.
- Under 'Host Country', select the country where you want to work.
- Under 'Profession', fill in the profession you want to work in.
- Then click on 'Refine Results'.
- Is your profession listed under ‘In the host country? In this case, the professionit is regulated there. Go to Your profession is regulated in the EU. What to do next?
- If in doubt, please contact the Assistance Centre for Professional Recognition (AC) in that country. There is an AC in every EU country. An overview of all ACs is available on the website of the European Commission.
You want to work outside the EU
- Contact the ENIC-NARIC in the country where you want to work.
- Does the country not have an ENIC-NARIC? Contact the ministry of education in that country.
- Ask whether your profession is regulated.
- Is your profession regulated? Go to Your profession is regulated in the EU. What to do next?
- Is your profession not regulated? Go to Your profession is not regulated. What to do next?
Your profession is regulated in the EU. What to do next?
You have seen that your profession is regulated in the EU or in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. So, you have to ask permission to work here. This means you have to apply for professional recognition. Below, we explain how you can apply for professional recognition.
Checking whether you can request professional recognition through a European Professional Card (EPC)
For some professions you can request professional recognition through an EPC. You can request an EPC if you want to work in the Netherlands in 1 of the following professions:
- pharmacist
- mountain guide
- physiotherapist
- real estate agent
- nurse
Is there no EPC for your profession? Find out which organisation you need to request permission from
- In the European Commission database, click on the name of the foreign profession under ‘In the host country'.
- There you will see which organisation checks the requirements for your profession. Such an organisation is known as a competent authority.
- Ask the competent authority how you can receive permission to work here.
Application for professional recognition: what does it involve?
You apply for professsional recognition following the instructions of the competetent authority. You often have to take care of different documents, such as:
- a diploma legislation;
- a certificate of conduct, Verklaring Omtrent Gedrag (VOG); and/or
- a declaration by a competent authority in the Netherlands.
Declaration by a competent authority in the Netherlands
Usually you will have to prove that you are allowed to work in the regulated profession. Check the table below what you need for your profession.
| Profession | What do you need to apply for? |
|---|---|
| Architect | Attestation from the Register of Architects |
| Dentist | Certificate of Professional Status (CCPS) |
| Doctor | Certificate of Professional Status (CCPS) |
| Midwife | Certificate of Professional Status (CCPS) |
| Mountain guide | European Professional Card (EPC) |
| Nurse | European Professional Card (EPC) |
| Pharmacist | European Professional Card (EPC) |
| Physiotherapist | European Professional Card (EPC) |
| Real estate agent | European Professional Card (EPC) |
| Teacher | Statement of Teaching Qualification from DUO. Request this by sending an email to diplomadiensten@duo.nl. |
| Veterinarian | Certificate of Professional Status (CCPS) |
| Other professions (higher education level) | AC declaration from us (Nuffic) |
| Other professions (MBO level) | AC declaration from SBB (in Dutch only) |
Your profession is regulated outside the EU. What to do next?
- Ask the ENIC-NARIC or the ministry of education in that country what you need to do to work in your profession.
- It could be useful to apply for a diploma description. For example, when the foreign employer is not sure what your Dutch diploma is worth.
Your profession is not regulated. What to do next?
Your profession is not regulated in the country where you want to work. This means you can usually work without permission (if you do not need a work permit or visa).
Your employer may ask for additional documents. For example, does your employer want to know what your diploma is worth there? In that case, it could be useful to apply for a diploma description.
Want to know more?
Do you still have questions about working abroad with a Dutch diploma? Please contact us.
Nuffic is the Assistance Centre for Professional Recognition (AC) in the Netherlands. As AC, we provide information to people who want to work in a regulated profession in an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.
Do you have complaints about the recognition of your diploma?
Are you experiencing issues with the recognition of your diploma for a regulated profession in an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland? Contact Solvit, the European Commission’s complaints office.
Solvit can help you if you think a government agency in another EU country is not respecting your EU rights.