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Recognition of professional qualification of a paramedic (trained in EU/EEA)

  • Professional qualification
  • Nationwide
  • Public service

Paramedic is not a protected professional title or subject to licensing in Finland, and Valvira does not enter paramedics in the Central Register of Health Care Professionals. Valvira makes a decision on formal eligibility based on the documents demonstrating the formal qualification needed to practise the profession, and, upon application, grants the recognition of a professional qualification of ...

Do the following

The application can be free-form. The application must be written in Finnish, Swedish or English, signed and dated.

Fill in and submit the form by post with the following documents:

- If you have not taken your vocational training or general education in Finnish or Swedish, a copy of the Finnish National Certificate of Language Proficiency or State Administration Language Examination. The copy is required if you apply to be registered in the central register of healthcare professionals. If you are unable to attach a certificate of the required language skills to your application for a right to practise a profession, Valvira may only recognise the professional qualification.

- Copy of a valid passport or another document issued by an authority verifying your citizenship*.

- If your current name is different than the one on any of the attachments, a copy of a document verifying the name change*.

- Copy of the original degree certificate*.

- Copy of the diploma supplement or transcript of records*.

- Certificate issued by a competent foreign authority indicating the right to practise the profession in their country. The certificate must indicate that the right to practise the profession has not been limited or removed. It must not be older than three months. If the right to practise the profession has been granted in several countries, a certificate from each country is required. You may submit either the original certificate or a copy. OR if you have practised the profession in a country where practitioners of the profession are not registered, a certificate issued by the competent authority of the said country, which verifies that the country does not register the practitioners of this profession, or another reliable account of it. You may submit either the original certificate or a copy.

- Certificates of professional experience*.

- Translations of the above documents made by a translator authorised in Finland or another EU/EEA state. Translations must be either in Finnish, Swedish or English. You may submit either the original translations or copies of them.

When necessary, Valvira may ask you to provide further clarification and they may verify the authenticity of the qualification. You can find more information about how qualifications are verified by visiting Valvira’s website.

  • the copy must be a certified copy officially recognised in Finland or another EU/EEA state.

More information: terhikki@valvira.fi

To whom and on what terms

In order for your professional qualification to be recognised, you must have completed an education required for the profession of a paramedic in an EU/EEA Member State other than Finland. If you do not have a Finnish personal identity code at the time of applying, you must notify Valvira as soon as you receive it.


Deadline

Apply for the recognition of a professional qualification well in advance before starting to practise the profession in Finland. You have no right to work in Finland without a recognition of a professional qualification granted by Valvira.

Background information

Directive 2005/36/ec of the European parliament and of the council on the recognition of professional qualifications

The service is provided by

National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health

Responsible for the service

National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health
Text edited by: National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health
Updated: 21/4/2023