Are you a healthcare assistant qualified in an EU country and considering working in France? Unlike nurses or midwives — who benefit from automatic recognition — healthcare assistants must follow the general recognition system under EU Directive 2005/36/EC. This means your application goes through the DREETS (the regional directorate for economic affairs, employment, labour and social policy) — the French authority responsible for recognising your qualifications. This guide takes you through every step of the process, from gathering documents to starting work in France.
1. Healthcare assistants in France: which recognition pathway?
EU Directive 2005/36/EC establishes two main systems for recognising professional qualifications across the EU:
- Automatic recognition: reserved for seven professions with harmonised EU-level training — doctors, general care nurses, dentists, veterinary surgeons, midwives, pharmacists and architects. These professions do not need to justify the content of their training.
- General recognition system: applies to all other regulated professions, including healthcare assistants. The competent authority (in France: the DREETS) examines the qualification level, training content and duration before granting authorisation to practise.
Practically, this means the DREETS does not simply verify that you hold a foreign diploma recognised in your home country. It compares your training with the French nursing aide programme and may impose a compensatory measure if it finds substantial differences. You then choose between an aptitude test or an adaptation period (supervised placement in France).
Important: unlike nurses (Ordre des Infirmiers) or physiotherapists (Ordre des Masseurs-Kinésithérapeutes), there is no professional order for healthcare assistants in France. The DREETS is your sole contact. Once your authorisation is granted, you can work in any French healthcare setting: EHPAD (residential care homes for elderly), public hospitals, private clinics, home care services (SSIAD, SAD).
2. The DREETS procedure — step by step
Step 1 — Identify the competent DREETS
The competent DREETS is the one in the department or region where you plan to work first. If you already have an employer in mind, contact the DREETS covering their location. You can find contact details for each DREETS on service-public.fr.
Step 2 — Build your application file
A complete file from the start is essential — incomplete applications trigger back-and-forth correspondence that significantly extends processing times. Gather all required documents upfront. Translations must be certified by a sworn (court-approved) translator recognised in France or in your home country.
Step 3 — Submit your file and await a decision
Send your complete file to the DREETS, preferably by registered post with proof of delivery. Keep a full copy of everything you send. The DREETS has a maximum of 4 months to respond from the date it receives a complete application. If no decision is issued within this period, your application is considered automatically approved (tacit agreement).
Step 4 — Compensatory measure (if required)
If the DREETS identifies substantial differences between your training and the French healthcare assistant programme, it may impose a compensatory measure. You then choose between:
- Aptitude test: a written and/or practical exam covering the areas where gaps were identified. Duration varies depending on the specific gaps found.
- Adaptation period: a supervised professional placement in an accredited French healthcare setting, typically lasting 3 to 6 months. An assessment at the end determines whether you can practise independently.
In practice, compensatory measures are most common for professionals whose home-country training is significantly shorter than the French programme. Graduates from countries with long, well-structured healthcare assistant training are often exempt.
Step 5 — Receive your decision and start working
Once you receive a favourable decision — or after successfully completing a compensatory measure — you are authorised to work as a healthcare assistant anywhere in France. There is no compulsory registration with a professional order. Your employer will handle your affiliation with the French health insurance system (CPAM) if required for your sector.
3. Required documents
| Document | Details |
|---|---|
| Healthcare assistant diploma (or equivalent) | Original + certified French translation |
| European conformity attestation | Issued by the competent authority in your home country, confirming your diploma is recognised for professional practice there |
| Transcripts / grade records | Listing subjects studied and training hours — originals + certified translations |
| Professional CV | Healthcare assistant experience, internships, positions held |
| Valid identity document | EU passport or national ID card |
| Proof of address | Dated within the last 3 months |
| French language certificate | Recommended (B2 CEFR level) — some DREETS request this explicitly |
| Criminal record certificate | From your home country (equivalent to French bulletin n°3) |
4. Processing timelines
| Phase | Estimated duration |
|---|---|
| Gathering complete application file | 2 to 6 weeks (obtaining attestations, certified translations) |
| DREETS processing | 1 to 4 months (legal maximum: 4 months) |
| Compensatory measure (if imposed) | 3 to 6 additional months (adaptation period) or a few weeks (aptitude test) |
| Total — no compensatory measure | Approximately 2 to 5 months |
| Total — with compensatory measure | Approximately 6 to 12 months |
Need help navigating the DREETS procedure? Suxens guides EU-trained healthcare professionals through every step of their project to work in France — file preparation, timeline planning, employer identification. Join the waiting list →