Getting a European Professional Card (EPC)

Are you a pharmacist registered in the EU who is considering a career in Ireland?

As a pharmacist, you can have your qualification recognised in Ireland through the use of a European Professional Card. This is not a physical card, but an electronic procedure you can use to have your regulated profession recognised in another EU country. Below, we have outlined the process of the European Professional Card and how it can benefit you to apply for an EPC before you decide to register as a pharmacist or nurse in your country of choice.

Please note that an EPC is not a replacement for registration with the regulatory authority. If you have an EPC, you can go directly to submit your registration application. You will need language competency test results, and you will also need a Certificate of Good Standing from every jurisdiction where you practised.


Advantages of the European Professional Card

  • You will be assisted with completing your application by your home country authorities, who will check that it is correct and complete. They will also certify the authenticity and validity of your documents.

  • For any future applications, you won't have to upload your documents again.

  • You will automatically be granted recognition and be able to generate an EPC certificate from your online account in cases where the host country authorities in charge of your application do not take a final decision within the set deadline.

A young nurse chatting to an elderly patient

If your profession is regulated and you need to apply for the recognition of your professional qualifications, you may also apply for recognition using the European Professional Card (EPC).

If your diploma is listed here and your training started after the mentioned reference date, you can benefit from automatic recognition and don't need any document translations if your qualification was issued in your current home country.
You can click here and use a simulator to find out in advance what documents you will need to submit as part of your application and what fees you’ll have to pay.

 

How does the process work?

  1. Create your EPC profile - Create an account with your personal details and contact details through the Europa.eu website. go to https://ec.europa.eu/epc/

  2. Create and submit an EPC application

You can read the EPC User Guide where you will find a detailed step by step guide, as well as answers to any issues you may come across during the process.

When your application is approved, you will be notified by email and you’ll be able to generate an EPC certificate in PDF format. You can then submit your application for registration using the EPC certificate as proof of qualification with the regulatory authority.

Get in touch

If you are considering a career in Ireland as a pharmacist, we have a team ready to help you. You can start by getting in touch with Lara, our EU Recruitment Consultant, and booking a free one-to-one career consultation.

Lara Lima

EU Recruitment Consultant

Ph: +353 1 211 8739

E: lara@clarityrecruitment.ie

Book a call today