European Professional Card (EPC)

You can apply for the European Professional Card (EPC) if you plan to work in another EU/EEA country as a general care nurse, physiotherapist, pharmacist, real estate agent or mountain guide.

The EPC is not yet implemented in Norway. The Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills will update this page when the procedure is available to individuals with professional qualifications from Norway.

Certified by your home country

Your home country authorities certify the authenticity and validity of your documents.

When you apply for the EPC, your home country authorities certify the authenticity and validity of your documents. Then, the EPC may be shown to authorities and employers in the country in which you plan to work. Applying for the EPC is voluntary.

Does not replace traditional recognition

The EPC may not replace 'traditional' recognition procedures under the Professional Qualifications Directive.

If your profession is regulated in the country in which you want to work, it is important to remember that you may have to apply for authorisation/recognition from the relevant authorities, even if you already have applied for and received the EPC.

In some cases, you may also be required to complete e.g. a language course, before you can work in your profession.

The EPC makes it quicker and easier to apply for authorisation/recognition if your profession is regulated in the country in which you want to work – it does not replace 'traditional' recognition procedures under the Professional Qualifications Directive.

Read more about regulated professions and authorisation/recognition.

Apply for the EPC

To apply for the European professional card, you can soon submit your application through the online EU-portal called Your Europe (europa.eu). After you have submitted your application, you may follow the application process in the online portal.

The European Professional Card for Mountain Guides

Mountain guide is not a regulated profession in Norway, but it is a regulated profession in several other EU/EEA countries.

Work as a mountain guide in Norway

Because mountain guide is not a regulated profession in Norway, there is no authorisation/recognition procedure under the Professional Qualifications Directive for foreign mountain guides who want to work in Norway.

It is therefore not possible to apply for the EPC to work as a mountain guide in Norway. It is up to your employer to assess whether or not you have the necessary qualifications for a vacant position.

Work as a mountain guide in another EU/EEA country

Norwegian mountain guides who want to work in another EU/EEA country can soon apply for a European Professional Card. More detailed information can be found on the Norwegian version of this page.