The rules surrounding the practice of a health profession in France by a foreign Healthcare practitioner vary depending on whether the latter is a national of the European Union or not. The rules surrounding the subject for all Healthcare practitioners have been clarified. The conditions for obtaining the right to exercise in France differ according to your profile.
First, we need to know more about your professional experience, your training, your status and your installation project. You might have first, to have your degree recognized in France.
For EU Healthcare practitioners
A healthcare practitioner who is a national of an EU member state or of a state party to the agreement on the European Economic Area may practice in France, after a procedure for the automatic recognition of his diploma, or at the end of a procedure for authorization to practice.
A third procedure exists for the health practitioner who wishes to practice occasionally and temporarily in France. In this case, the administration has a period of one month from receipt of the candidate’s file to formally acknowledge receipt.
It was specified that it is within this same period that the candidate is informed, if necessary, of the elements missing from his file. In addition, an expertise can be carried out on a candidate to assess his professional qualities. Until now, the deadline for carrying out this expertise could be extended, if necessary.
This extension is now abolished in the context of the mutual recognition of qualifications of candidates under the automatic recognition regime.
Before authorizing certain Healthcare practitioners to practice occasionally in France, the authorities may carry out preliminary checks to ensure the practitioner qualities of the candidate. It has been clarified that these prior checks must have the sole purpose of avoiding endangering the health of patients and must not exceed what is necessary for this purpose.
For Healthcare practitioners from outside the EU
Doctors, dental surgeons, midwives and pharmacists from a country outside the EU and outside the European Economic Area may practice in France following an authorization procedure.
The content of the exercise authorization application file is detailed in regulations. It includes in particular an application form for authorization to exercise, a copy of the diploma and a photocopy of the identity document. All the supporting documents to be provided can be viewed here. The template form has been fixed.
The file must be sent by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt (LRAR), to the National Management Center, competition department, authorizations to exercise.
At the end of the study of the candidate’s file, a course of consolidation of skills may be imposed on him. This is accomplished on a full-time basis, within services or organizations approved for the training of students in the 3rd cycle of medicine, odontology and pharmacy studies or, for midwives, in the unit of obstetrics of a public or private health establishment, of collective or private interest.
This consolidation course can be postponed, within the limit of 18 months, if the candidate justifies one of the following reasons:
- a state of pregnancy;
- health reasons certified by a licensed physician;
- exceptional family circumstances.
The request for postponement is submitted to the Director General of the National Management Center, at the latest 1 month before the start of the skills consolidation course.
Let us assist you and let’s check whether you are allowed to practice in France?
SOURCES:
- Decree No. 2020-932 of July 29, 2020 relating to the procedures for examining applications for recognition of professional qualifications in the health field
- Decree No. 2020-1017 of August 7, 2020 implementing IV and V of Article 83 of Law No. 2006-1640 of December 21, 2006 on the financing of social security for 2007 and relating to the exercise of the professions of doctor, dental surgeon, midwife and pharmacist by holders of diplomas obtained outside of the European Union and the European Economic Area
- Order of August 7, 2020 setting the procedures for submitting applications for authorization to exercise and the model forms and certificates mentioned in Articles 2, 3 and 4 of the Decree No. 2020-1017 of August 7, 2020 implementing IV and V of Law No. 2006-1640 of December 21, 2006 on the financing of social security for 2007 and relating to the exercise of the professions of doctor, surgeon- dentist, midwife and pharmacist by the t holders of diplomas obtained outside the European Union and the European Economic Area