Key takeaway
How to get your qualifications from another country recognised in Ireland — regulated and unregulated professions, QQI, and what each process involves.
Regulated vs unregulated professions
The first thing to determine is whether your profession is regulated in Ireland. Regulated professions have a statutory body that controls who can practise — doctors, nurses, pharmacists, teachers, social workers, architects, and lawyers are examples. Unregulated professions (most jobs) don't have a legal recognition requirement, though employers may still ask about qualifications.
Regulated professions: who to contact
- Medicine: Medical Council of Ireland — medicalcouncil.ie
- Nursing/Midwifery: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) — nmbi.ie
- Pharmacy: Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland — thepsi.ie
- Teaching: Teaching Council — teachingcouncil.ie
- Social Work: CORU (regulates 17 health and social care professions) — coru.ie
- Architecture: Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland — riai.ie
- Law: Law Society (solicitors) or Bar of Ireland (barristers)
Each body has its own recognition process, required documentation, and fees. Most EU qualifications are recognised under EU directive 2005/36/EC, which facilitates mutual recognition of professional qualifications across EU member states.
QQI recognition for unregulated professions
QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland) provides a Recognition of Prior Learning service that compares your foreign qualification to a level on the Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). This is not mandatory, but useful if an employer asks what Irish level your degree equates to.
The process costs €100–€200 and takes several weeks. Apply at qqi.ie. You'll need official transcripts from your university (apostille-stamped if from a non-EU country) and certified translations if the documents are not in English.
English language qualifications
If your primary language is not English, some professions (particularly healthcare) require a formal English language test. The IELTS Academic test is most commonly accepted in Ireland. Check the specific requirements of your relevant regulatory body.
EU professional qualifications
Ireland's NARIC (National Academic Recognition Information Centre) provides information on the recognition of foreign qualifications and is a useful first port of call if you're unsure where to start. Contact them at qqi.ie.
General guidance only. Always verify with official sources — gov.ie, citizensinformation.ie, hse.ie.