Health professions recognition

It is for anyone considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. By the end, you will know the exact path for your profession, from your foreign title to legal practice.

The pages cover each profession group, the MIR residency exam, proof of Spanish for health work, and the support roles you can take while your recognition is pending. General filing steps and vocational health technician titles are outside this Topic.

Start with "How healthcare qualifications are recognised in Spain". It explains the process that most regulated health professions share and shows where medicine goes its own way. Then move on to the page for your profession.

Key rules

• MIR quota: Non-EU candidates compete for a reserved share of about 4% of places per specialty and call.
• Colegio membership: You must join the provincial colegio to practise medicine, including as an employee in the private sector, and employers in the public sector usually ask for it too.
• Specialist title: You may not use or advertise a specialist title until Spain has recognised it or you hold the Spanish specialist title.
• One mechanism: A ministry reviews your qualification, and the route differs for EU and non-EU origin.
• Non-EU degree: You need homologación of your degree before you can follow the profession's access steps.
• Recognition first: Your recognition resolution comes before the MIR and before joining the colegio.

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Your identity document — Recognition and registration for nurses and midwives

Translations and legal papers

• Translations of your apostilled documents into Spanish — From foreign medical degree to practising as a doctor in Spain
• Your title and other foreign documents with an official translation — Recognition and registration for nurses and midwives
• Your foreign documents legalised or apostilled — Recognition and registration for nurses and midwives

Other documents

• Your academic transcripts
• A certificate of good standing — Recognition and registration for nurses and midwives, How recognition differs for dentists, pharmacists and opticians
• Your nursing or midwifery title — Recognition and registration for nurses and midwives
• A certificate of conformity for your title — Recognition and registration for nurses and midwives
• The syllabus of your nursing studies — Recognition and registration for nurses and midwives
• Your foreign degree file for non-EU dentists — How recognition differs for dentists, pharmacists and opticians
• Your Directive-listed title — How recognition differs for dentists, pharmacists and opticians

Each article lists the other documents it asks for, where you need them.

Health professions recognition: questions that cross several articles

Can I sit the MIR exam before my medical degree is recognised?

No, you need a degree recognised in Spain before you can apply for the MIR, the national residency exam for specialist training. Non-EU candidates also need valid residence in Spain. Read "From foreign medical degree to practising as a doctor in Spain" for the recognition steps, then "Recognising a medical specialty or taking the MIR" for the exam.

Do I need a recognised specialist title if I already trained as a specialist abroad?

Yes, you need Spain to recognise your specialist title before you use or advertise it, and you must have your medical degree recognised first. EU or EEA specialists apply to the Ministry of Health, and titles in the EU directive's list are recognised automatically. Non-EU specialists go through a case-by-case evaluation that may require an exam or extra training. See "Recognising a medical specialty or taking the MIR".

What must I do after degree recognition before I can work as a doctor?

Join the provincial colegio de médicos first, then arrange professional civil liability insurance, which the colegio often offers. After that, show Spanish ability if your employer or region asks, show residence and work authorisation if you are non-EU, and register with your employer and Social Security. Read "From foreign medical degree to practising as a doctor in Spain" and "Proving your Spanish to work in healthcare".

What happens if I practise medicine while my foreign title is not recognised?

You risk a criminal charge of intrusismo profesional, which means practising a regulated profession without the required title. The penalty is a fine of 12 to 24 months, or prison of 6 months to 2 years if you claim to hold the title. Health authorities and colegios can also sanction you. To see what you can do meanwhile, read "Healthcare work you can do before recognition comes through".

Do I need to speak Catalan, Basque or Galician to work in a public hospital?

Not always, but in regions with a co-official language public health services often count it as a merit, and some posts require it. The level depends on the post and the call, so check the regional health service's current call. See "Proving your Spanish to work in healthcare".