Doctors, midwives, physiotherapists: three different recognition regimes

Last updated : August 2, 2026

Beyond nurses and care assistants, the other major healthcare professions each follow their own recognition regime in Luxembourg. Here are the three most requested cases.

Midwife: automatic recognition, like nurses

The midwife profession benefits from automatic European recognition: if your qualification is listed in Annex V, point 5.5.2 of Directive 2005/36/EC, no prior recognition is needed — you apply directly for the authorisation to practise (75 €) with the Ministry of Health.

Non-conform qualification or diploma obtained outside the EU? Same logic as for nurses: prior recognition by the MENEJ (secondary level) or the MESR (higher-education level), with possible compensatory measures.

Physiotherapist: MESR recognition mandatory, master's level required

The physiotherapist does not benefit from automatic recognition. Every foreign diploma goes through the MESR (Professional Qualifications Service, 75 €), whatever the country where it was obtained.

Major point of attention: since the law of 2018, access to the profession requires a master's-level qualification in physiotherapy. Lower-level diplomas (former bachelor's curricula) may lead to compensatory measures or even a refusal. Physiotherapists then follow the standard authorisation to practise, and their salaries in institutions are covered by the collective agreements — see our physiotherapist salary page.

Doctor: a regime of its own

For general practitioners and specialists, everything differs:

Conform EU diploma (Annex V, points 5.1.1 to 5.1.4): automatic recognition, direct authorisation application.
Non-conform or third-country diploma: Luxembourg does not process the recognition itself. The qualification must first have been recognised by another EU Member State and confer the right to practise there (law of 28 October 2016, art. 24, 25 and 28) — for example via the PAE procedure in France.
Authorisation to practise: 450 € per professional title (not 75 €), file forwarded to the Collège médical for advice, certificate of good repute from the Collège médical required (less than 3 months old), decision within 3 weeks to 3 months.
After the authorisation: registration in the ministry's professional register and in the register of the Collège médical within one month of setting up, mandatory professional liability insurance, CNS agreement for billing.

The cross-cutting requirements (B2 level in French or German, recent criminal record and medical certificate, sworn translations) remain the same as for the other professions — see Languages and documents.

To see your exact path for your situation, use our interactive assistant.

Official sources

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