Nurses responsible for general care – Recognition

General information

The Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection is the competent authority for the recognition of equivalence of a diploma acquired in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland for nurses responsible for general care.

Working in Austria without the state recognition and the registration in the register of healthcare professionals or employing such persons, is an administrative offence, punishable by a fine. It may also be subject to personal liability consequences under criminal and civil law.

EU Member States alternatively enable a holder of a professional qualification to apply for a European Professional Card – EPC (→ EC).

Requirements

Diploma for nurses responsible for general care, issued on the basis of a state certified training. Diploma have to be issued by the Government of an EEA-State or of Switzerland.

Competent authority

Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection
Radetzkystraße 2
1031 Vienna

email: anerkennung@sozialministerium.at

Procedure

A written application can be submitted in person, by post or by e-mail with an electronic signature. There is also the option to apply for a European Professional Card through an online tool.

In case of significant differences between the national qualification and the Austrian qualification, recognition can be granted only on the basis of compensation measures such as completion of adaptation training or an aptitude test in an Austrian training institution. In this case the recognition process can be expected to take four months.

If there is no training or test required, the recognition process can be expected to take three months.

Appeals may be submitted to the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection in writing within four weeks after receiving the decision.

Required documents

• Application
• Austrian residence permit or Austrian postal address with an authorised recipient for formal delivery (written authorisation!)
• Formal qualification confirming officially recognized and successfully completed training in an EU Member State, EEA-State or in Switzerland
• Attestation certifying that the applicant is legally established in a Member State for the purpose of pursuing the activities concerned and that he/she is not prohibited from practising, even temporarily, at the moment of delivering the attestation
• If possible/available proof of professional experience
• In case the applicant's name differs from the name shown on the diploma or on the certificate, a wedding or divorce certificate or any other official document proving the change of name must be submitted
• Evidence of citizenship, valid passport or personal identification document (copy)

All documents and certificates must be submitted in German or English, either as an original or as a copy authenticated by a court, a notary public or a municipal authority. Only the translations by a certified court translator are accepted.

Non authenticated copies or untranslated documents are not accepted. After processing, all original documents will be returned immediately.

Costs and fees

Administration fees are approximately 250 Euro. The fees have to be paid after completion of the procedure.

Further information

This application is for: Nurses responsible for general care

Legal bases

• sections 28a, 28b, 29 of the Gesundheits- und Krankenpflegegesetz (GuKG)
• Gesundheits- und Krankenpflege-EWR-Qualifikationsnachweis-Verordnung
• section 15 Gesundheitsberuferegister-Gesetz (GBRG)

Link to form

• Online-Application for health professions
• Supplement: Authorization of the recipient