ready. You are currently on: Recognition of equivalence of a foreign diploma or professional qualifcation (obtained in the EEA or Switzerland) for a regulated profession or professional title in Flanders
Recognition of equivalence of a foreign diploma or professional qualifcation (obtained in the EEA or Switzerland) for a regulated profession or professional title in Flanders
If you want to practise a or work using a in Flanders with a foreign diploma or qualification, you need to have that diploma or qualification recognised.
Did you obtain your diploma or professional qualification in the (EEA) or in Switzerland? Then you can get access to the same regulated profession as you could practise abroad through professional recognition.
There are different types of recognition
Find below where to apply for professional recognition if you obtained your diploma or professional qualification within the EEA or Switzerland.
Application wizard
Do you hold a foreign diploma or qualification?
Do you want to work in Flanders (or with a Flemish employer in Brussels)?
Answer the questions in the application wizard to find out where to apply for recognition.
Conditions
If you meet all the conditions below, you can apply for professional recognition of your diploma or professional qualification from the competent authorities.
- Stap 1
You obtained your diploma or professional qualification in the EEA or Switzerland
- Stap 2
You have the nationality of a country within the EEA or Switzerland
- Stap 3
Your diploma or professional qualification grants access to a regulated profession in the country where you obtained your diploma or professional qualification
These are professions with conditions laid down by law. Entry or pursuit is determined by law in the country where you obtained your diploma or professional qualification.
- Stap 4
The profession is also a regulated profession in Flanders or in Belgium
In Flanders and Brussels, you will find regulated professions in the education and health sectors. A whole range of other professions are also regulated.
Find below (see Procedures) an overview of the regulated professions and the authorities to which you can apply for professional recognition of your diploma or professional qualification.
Do you not meet these 4 conditions?
Procedures
Do you meet the 4 conditions above?
Then follow the procedures below for a regulated teaching profession, a regulated healthcare profession or another regulated profession.
The regulated teaching professions are:
- Kindergarten teacher
- Teacher
These professions can be found in (regular and special) primary and secondary education, part-time art education and adult education centres.
Other regulated professions in education
In addition to the regulated teaching professions, there are various other positions in Flemish education where you can work in another regulated profession (usually in healthcare), such as doctor, psychologist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist or nurse. You apply for access to these professions via the rules of that regulated profession (see below: regulated healthcare professions).
Do you meet the 4 conditions above and is your profession listed below? Contact the authority next to your profession in the list below. Apply there for professional recognition of your diploma or professional qualification. All the authorities have their own procedures.
- Architect: Order of Architects (in Dutch: Orde van Architecten - Vlaamse Raad), Tour & Taxis - Koninklijk Pakhuis, Havenlaan 86c bus 101, 1000 Brussels.
- Accountant: Institute for Tax Advisors & Accountants(opens in new window), Renaissance Building, Emile Jacqmainlaan 135/2, 1000 Brussels.
- Accountant-tax specialist: Institute for Tax Advisors & Accountants (in Dutch)(opens in new window), Renaissance Building, Emile Jacqmainlaan 135/2, 1000 Brussels.
- Company auditor: Institute of company auditors (in Dutch)(opens in new window) (in Dutch: Instituut van de bedrijfsrevisoren), Emile Jacqmainlaan 135/1, 1000 Brussels.
- Corporate lawyer: Institute for corporate lawyers(opens in new window) (in Dutch: Instituut voor bedrijfsjuristen), Stuiversstraat 8, 1000 Brussels.
- Driving instructor (in Dutch: rijinstructeur) and driving examiner (in Dutch) (in Dutch: rijexaminator), Vlaams Huis voor de Verkeersveiligheid – cel rijopleiding en vakbekwaamheid (Departement Mobiliteit en Openbare Werken), Koning Albert II-laan 20/2, 1000 Brussels.
- Expert surveyor: Registry of the Federal Council of Expert Surveyors(opens in new window) (in Dutch: Griffie van de Federale Raad van Landmeters-Experten), City Atrium, 4th floor, Vooruitgangstraat 50, 1210 Brussels.
- Lawyer: Flemish Bar Association (in Dutch: Orde van Vlaamse Balies), Staatsbladsstraat 8, 1000 Brussels.
- Notary: Notary appointment committees (in Dutch) (in Dutch: Benoemingscommissies voor het Notariaat), Leuvense weg 48/3, 1000 Brussels.
- Patent attorney: Intellectual Property Office(opens in new window) (in Dutch: Dienst voor de Intellectuele Eigendom), City Atrium, Vooruitgangstraat 50, 1210 Brussels.
- Private investigator: Federal Public Service Home Affairs (in Dutch)(opens in new window) (in Dutch: Federale Overheidsdienst Binnenlandse Zaken), Directorate-General for Security (DG SAFE), Handelsstraat 96, 1040 Brussels.
- Psychologist: Commission of psychologists(opens in new window) (in Dutch: psychologencommissie), Kunstlaan 3, 1210 Brussels.
- Real estate agent: Professional Institute of Real Estate Agents (in Dutch)(opens in new window), (in Dutch: Beroepsinstituut van Vastgoedmakelaars), Luxemburgstraat 16B, 1000 Brussels.
- Ship’s crew (deck and machinery, sea fishing): Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport (in Dutch: FOD Mobiliteit en Vervoer), DG Scheepvaart - Binnenvaart, Vooruitgangstraat 56, 1210 Brussels.
- Tax advisor: Institute for Tax Advisors & Accountants(opens in new window), Renaissance Building, Emile Jacqmainlaan 135/2, 1000 Brussels.
- Transport commissioner: Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport (in Dutch)(opens in new window) (in Dutch: FOD Mobiliteit en Vervoer), DG Wegvervoer en Verkeersveiligheid, Ondersteuningscel DG, 8ste verdieping, Vooruitgangstraat 56, 1210 Brussels.
- Transport broker: Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport (in Dutch)(opens in new window) (in Dutch: FOD Mobiliteit en Vervoer), DG Wegvervoer en Verkeersveiligheid, Ondersteuningsscel DG, 8th floor, Vooruitgangstraat 56, 1210 Brussels.
- Veterinarian: Order of Veterinarians (in Dutch)(opens in new window) (in Dutch: Orde der Dierenartsen), Driekoningenplein 12, 9820 Merelbeke.
