Professional qualifications from other EU/EEA member states and Switzerland

General information

When registering a regulated trade and/or appointing a manager, evidence of professional competence has to be furnished. If professional qualifications were obtained in other EU/EEA member states, they are recognised in the framework of the diploma recognition procedure (recognition or equivalence in). These procedures are also applicable to qualifications obtained in Switzerland.

If the aspired activity is part of the EU/EWR-Anerkennungsverordnung, the recognition procedure is applied to determine if this activity was effectively carried out outside of Austria.

If the aspired activity cannot be recognised, the authorities have to evaluate individually to what extent the foreign certificate equals the Austrian evidence of professional competence.

The official decision about the recognition or equivalence itself does not entitle the person to carry on a trade. For this purpose the trade has to be registered with the competent trade authority at the place where the enterprise operates.

Requirements

Qualification from EU/EEA Member States or Switzerland

Deadlines

No specific deadlines have to be met.

Competent authority

The competent authority is the provincial governor [Landeshauptmann^{German text}].

Legal bases

• Sections 373c, 373d and 373e of the Gewerbeordnung 1994
• EU/EWR-Anerkennungsverordnung