Diploma nostrification and qualification recognition

For physical work (warehouse, production, logistics) diploma nostrification is not needed: it does not change access to the position or the pay rate. Recognition of professional qualifications applies only to regulated professions. Formal confirmation of a diploma is additionally useful for the EU Blue Card path, where higher education is a condition. Three different procedures hide under the name "nostrification".

How does diploma nostrification differ from recognition of professional qualifications?

Three paths for recognizing foreign education work independently of each other:

• Recognition by operation of law: automatic, based on international agreements; requires no proceedings before a university or authority.
• Diploma nostrification: proceedings conducted by a university, when automatic recognition does not apply; concerns the academic degree, not the right to practice a profession.
• Recognition of professional qualifications: a separate procedure, concerning only the right to practice a specific regulated profession.

Confusing nostrification with recognition of professional qualifications is the most common reason for months lost: a nostrified diploma by itself does not grant the right to practice a regulated profession.

In the European Union, seven professions are subject to automatic recognition of qualifications through a simplified procedure: doctor, dentist, pharmacist, nurse, midwife, veterinarian, and architect. The application is still filed with the authority competent for the profession. Full procedure applies to the remaining regulated professions.

When nostrification is not worth it

The procedure takes time and documents, while the benefit for physical work is zero. Professional certification often matters more for the rate, e.g. a forklift operator course, which takes a few days. The rate still depends on the specific position and offer.

When it is worth starting the procedure

There are two situations. The first is a regulated profession: medical, construction with licenses, part of technical professions; without formal recognition you cannot work in it according to your trained profession. The second is the EU Blue Card path, where higher education is one of the entry conditions.

Whether a given profession is regulated in Poland is checked in the EU regulated professions database REGPROF. Only after confirming the regulation does further procedure make sense.

How long diploma nostrification takes

The nostrification proceedings are conducted by a university holding scientific category A+, A, or B+ in the discipline the application concerns; the basis is the regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 28 September 2018. It concludes within 90 days of submitting an application meeting formal requirements; this deadline does not include the time for delivering translations or preparing reviews.

How long recognition of professional qualifications takes

The procedure is conducted by the authority competent for the given profession, a different one for each regulated profession. For citizens of the EU, EEA, and Switzerland, the basis is the act of 22 December 2015 on the principles of recognizing professional qualifications, implementing EU directive 2005/36/EC. For qualifications from non-EU countries, national provisions specific to the given profession apply. From receiving a complete application, the authority has 3 months to decide, with a possible extension of 1 month.

Before starting the procedure, check in the offers for employees whether the position even requires formal recognition; in many cases only professional certifications matter.

Frequently asked questions

Is a nostrified diploma needed for physical work in Poland?

No. For physical work (warehouse, production, logistics) a diploma affects neither access to the position nor the pay rate.

Which universities conduct diploma nostrification?

The proceedings can only be conducted by a university holding scientific category A+, A, or B+ in the discipline the application concerns: not every university has such a category in every discipline.

Where to file an application for recognition of professional qualifications?

To the authority competent for the given profession, a different one for each regulated profession. The competent authority can be checked in the EU regulated professions database REGPROF.

Does a diploma from Ukraine need to be nostrified to work in Poland?

Usually not for physical work. Formal confirmation of the diploma matters for a regulated profession, where recognition of qualifications is also needed, and for the EU Blue Card path. Whether the diploma is recognized under an international agreement is confirmed by the university or the competent authority.

Which professions require recognition of professional qualifications?

Regulated professions, meaning those where regulations require specific qualifications, including medical and construction professions with licenses. Automatic recognition in the EU covers primarily seven professions: doctor, dentist, pharmacist, nurse, midwife, veterinarian, and architect. Details are confirmed by the authority competent for the given profession.

This text describes the general rules. What you are entitled to depends on your type of contract: an employment contract (umowa o pracę) or a contract of mandate (umowa zlecenie). Your own contract and payslip are what count.