Your questions, answered without overpromising

It is the examination of a foreign qualification by the competent authority where the profession is regulated. The authority may grant full recognition, partial recognition with a compensation measure, or refuse.

There is no single timeline. Several authorities state about four months for certain complete applications. Timelines are indicative, must be re-checked with the competent authority, and there is no general fast-track route.

It depends on the profession and the post. For a regulated profession, access to the activity is subject to the applicable legal conditions. For a profession that is not regulated, the employer usually assesses your profile.

The documents vary with the authority, the profession and the applicable route. A CV, the qualification, a certified copy, an official translation, a certificate of conformity or a certificate of good standing are possible examples. Always consult the list published by the authority for your situation.

That depends on the language of the documents and on the requirements of the authority. Where they are required, they must come from a professional translator. A translation that is not accepted, or certification placed on the translation instead of the original, can weaken the file.

As a rule, no. The translation must be made by a professional translator, neither by you nor by a relative, however perfectly bilingual: the authority must be able to identify a responsible third party. Swearing in of the translator, on the other hand, is not usually required. What is required is the certified copy of the qualification, two distinct things that are often confused. The instructions of the authority seised prevail in every case.

Fees vary widely. Recognition by MEBEKO of a medical qualification issued in a third country costs CHF 800 to 1’000, plus CHF 50 to 100 per language where a language entry is made. These amounts are indicative and must be checked with the authority.

No. Some professions may benefit from direct sectoral recognition where every condition is met. In other cases the authority compares the level, the duration and the content of the training.

A declaration procedure may replace a separate application for recognition for a temporary service in a regulated profession, for at most 90 actual working days per calendar year, if you are professionally established in an EU or EFTA state and every condition is met. The authority may still verify your qualifications. Beyond that, or if you establish yourself in Switzerland, recognition may be necessary.

That is the purpose of the validation of prior learning, a procedure distinct from the recognition of a foreign qualification. It requires at least five years of professional experience, but exists today in only about fifteen initial vocational programmes and in nine cantons. Our page on the validation of prior learning names them.

For a regulated profession, the authority may require an aptitude test or an adaptation period. The decision sets out the differences and the measure to be completed.

No. Swiss ENIC issues a non-binding statement of level for certain unregulated higher education qualifications. It may help an employer, but it creates no right to practise a regulated profession.

No. Only the competent authority decides. Our role is to identify the right route, check the documentary consistency of the file and conduct the exchanges rigorously.