Nurses: getting an EU diploma recognised

Last updated : August 2, 2026

You are a nurse with a diploma obtained in a European Union country, the European Economic Area or Switzerland, and you want to work in Luxembourg? Good news: in most cases your diploma is recognised automatically.

Automatic recognition (Directive 2005/36/EC)

The profession of nurse responsible for general care benefits from automatic European recognition. If your qualification is listed in Annex V, point 5.2.2 of Directive 2005/36/EC (which is the case for the French diplôme d'État, the Belgian Bachelor in nursing, the German state examination, etc.), you are exempt from any prior recognition procedure.

In practice, you can apply directly for the authorisation to practise with the Ministry of Health and Social Security, via MyGuichet.lu. See the article The authorisation to practise a healthcare profession in Luxembourg.

If your diploma does not conform to the Directive

Some qualifications are not listed in Annex V: training started before your country's reference date, specialised-nurse diplomas without a general-care title, or atypical training paths. In that case, a prior recognition of your diploma is required before applying for the authorisation to practise:

diploma at secondary-education level: application to the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth (MENEJ) — Diploma Recognition Service;
diploma at higher-education level (bachelor's degree, etc.): application to the Ministry of Research and Higher Education (MESR) — Professional Qualifications Service.

Cost and processing time

Fee of 75 € per recognition request (paid online or by bank transfer, proof of payment to be included in the file).
Answer usually within 2 to 6 weeks after the complete file is received, with a maximum of 3 months.
If substantial differences are found, compensatory measures may be imposed: an aptitude test or an adaptation period (300 €).

Documents to prepare

copy of your identity document;
copies of your diplomas and transcripts;
detailed curriculum vitae (Europass format recommended);
work certificates proving your nursing experience;
translations by a sworn translator for any document not in French, German or English;
proof of payment of the fee.

To see your exact path step by step for your situation, use our interactive diploma-recognition assistant.

Official sources

Information provided for guidance only (verified in August 2026). Only the competent administrations are authoritative.