EU-qualified nurse working in France

Are you a nurse qualified in a European Union country looking to work in France? Here is the key fact upfront: unlike physiotherapists or nursing assistants, EU-qualified nurses benefit from automatic recognition of their qualifications under Directive 2005/36/EC. No examination of your training content, no compensation measure, no DREETS application. Your sole point of contact is the National Order of Nurses (Ordre des Infirmiers) — and the process is significantly faster than for other healthcare professions.

1. Automatic recognition: what Directive 2005/36/EC guarantees

EU Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications establishes two separate pathways. Professions listed in Annex V, point 5.2.2 — which includes nurses responsible for general care — benefit from automatic recognition: the host country's competent authority recognises the diploma directly, without reviewing training content, without imposing a compensatory measure or aptitude test. This contrasts sharply with physiotherapists and nursing assistants, who must go through the general system via DREETS — a longer, less predictable process.

Automatic recognition applies because EU nursing curricula have been harmonised at the European level. This means France trusts that your training meets the minimum standards set out in the directive, as confirmed by your country of origin's competent authority.

2. Your single point of contact: the Ordre des Infirmiers, not the ARS or DREETS

This is the most common source of confusion: EU nurses do not apply through the ARS (Agence Régionale de Santé) or the DREETS. These bodies handle applications from non-EU nationals or professions under the general system. For EU-qualified nurses, the only competent body is the Departmental Council of the National Order of Nurses (Conseil Départemental de l'Ordre des Infirmiers) in the département where you plan to practice. Find your local Conseil at ordre-infirmiers.fr.

Suxens supports EU nurses through every step of their move to France — from file preparation to job placement. Join the waiting list →

3. Step-by-step procedure

Step 1 — Confirm your diploma's compliance with Directive 2005/36/EC

Nursing diplomas issued by EU/EEA member states are generally compliant with the directive, provided they were obtained after the directive was transposed in your country of origin. If your diploma is relatively recent (under 20 years), compliance is almost certain. If you are unsure, your country's competent authority (national nursing council or health ministry) can issue a conformity attestation.

Step 2 — Obtain documents in your country of origin

Two key documents must be obtained before you can file your French application:

• Conformity attestation (attestation de conformité): an official document issued by your country of origin's competent authority (national nursing council or health ministry), confirming that your diploma meets the minimum requirements of Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC.
• Good standing certificate: a professional status attestation issued by your national or regional professional council, certifying the absence of disciplinary sanctions. Valid for 3 months — do not request it too early.
• Original diploma or certified copies.

Step 3 — Assemble the application file

All foreign-language documents must be accompanied by sworn translations into French, performed by a translator certified by a French court. Online or informal translations are not accepted.

Step 4 — Submit to the Departmental Council of the Ordre

File your application with the Departmental Council of the National Order of Nurses (Ordre des Infirmiers) of the département where you intend to practice first. Applications can be submitted in person, by recorded post, or via the Ordre's online portal if available. The Conseil has one month to acknowledge receipt of a complete file.

Step 5 — Receive your RPPS number and Carte de Professionnel de Santé (CPS)

Once your registration is approved, you receive your RPPS number (Répertoire Partagé des Professionnels de Santé — France's national health professional registry). Your Carte de Professionnel de Santé (CPS) is issued a few weeks later. Both are required to practice legally and bill for reimbursable acts under the French health insurance system. Your RPPS number is valid nationwide.

4. Timelines

For a complete EU file without complications, expect 2 to 5 months in total. Some applications are processed in under 2 months. Start the process as soon as you begin your job search — do not wait until you have signed a contract.

5. French B2 level: mandatory

Proof of sufficient French language proficiency is mandatory for all regulated healthcare professions in France. The Ordre des Infirmiers verifies this at registration. The B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is the standard expected. Accepted forms:

• DELF B2 diploma or DALF (Centre CIEP / France Éducation International)
• Test de Connaissance du Français (TCF) at a minimum B2 score
• Degree or studies completed entirely in French
• Language interview organised by the Departmental Council of the Ordre (some Conseils offer this option)

If you do not yet have a B2 qualification, begin preparing it in parallel with your administrative file — both can advance simultaneously.

6. Special case: nurses qualified in Romania

Nurses qualified in Romania benefit from automatic recognition, just like their counterparts from other EU member states: the Romanian asistent medical generalist diploma is listed in Annex V, point 5.2.2 of Directive 2005/36/EC. The procedure goes directly through the National Order of Nurses — not through the ARS. The only nuance: diplomas obtained before 1 January 2007 first require a competency upgrade certificate issued by OAMGMAMR (the Romanian nursing order), following the national upgrading programme (2014-2019), under Directive (EU) 2024/505 and the French arrêté of 10 June 2025. The CNRED, Romania's academic-equivalence body, is not part of this professional procedure.

7. Temporary practice before registration: the Free Provision of Services (LPS)

Directive 2005/36/EC provides a mechanism allowing EU nurses to practice in France temporarily and occasionally before formal registration: the Free Provision of Services (LPS). Conditions: you habitually practice in another EU member state, the French activity is temporary and occasional, and you submit a prior declaration to the National Council of the Ordre des Infirmiers. For permanent or regular practice — including salaried employment — registration with the Ordre and a RPPS number are mandatory.

Official sources

• National Order of Nurses (Ordre des Infirmiers) — registration and EU qualifications
• Directive 2005/36/EC — EUR-Lex (Annex V, point 5.2.2)
• Service-public.fr — Recognition of professional qualifications
• Arrêté of 10 June 2025 — recognition of nurses trained in Romania