The decision to live in Italy involves a complexity of decisions and measures to be taken. For those who follow me, you know that I talk a lot about the importance of working when one moves to another country, but I am not only talking about this! I also defend the point of view that we have to work on in our professional area, but many people have difficulty understanding the bureaucratic way to get professional recognition in Italy.
This is very normal! As we know, information is everything and the problem is finding it. With this in mind, I decided to tell everything about professional recognition in Italy. Are you ready?
Professional recognition in Italy
The first thing to understand for professional recognition in Italy is that here professions are divided into two categories: legal “regulated” professions and legal “non-regulated” professions. If you want to know if you are ready to work in Italy, I recommend you follow these steps:
- Understand what regulated and non-regulated profession mean.
- Check if your profession is regulated or not.
- If in case it is regulated, identify the competent Italian authority.
- Activate the recognition procedure.
Shall we go to the first step?
Professional recognition in Italy: non-regulated professions
Non-regulated professions are those that you can practice without the need for holding a specific qualification. These professions are “open” without bias to both Italian and foreign qualification holders. Warning: this does not mean that the professionals in this category do not have to have requirements, but it only means that the requirements will be decided by the company that will hire the professional and not by an entity that establishes the regulation.
If you graduated outside of Italy and your profession is part of the non-regulated professions, it means that it is not necessary to have a legal or formal professional recognition to work here in Italy. In other words, you are ready for the Italian job market.
Which professions do not need professional recognition in Italy? Here is a list of some examples at the moment:
- Advertising sector
- Apartment block administrator
- Art Therapy professionals
- Artistic and musical sectors (ex. interior designer, actor, dancer, composer, orchestral conductor, musician – instrumentalist, designer, fashion designer, artist, director, stage designer, sculptor, etc.)
- Ayurvedic Technician
- Building painter
- Carpenter of wood elements and structures
- Civil Protection Professional (Disaster Manager)
- Communication sector
- e-Reputation manager
- Family mediator
- Financial educator for generic consultancy (one to one)
- Graphic Gesture Educator
- Installer of natural stone floor, wall coverings and ceilings
- Linguistic services (interpreters and translators)
- Management consultant
- Marketing sector
- Massagers
- Nail reconstruction
- Professional locksmiths and safe and vault technicians
- Professional of management control (Controller)
- Professional of kinesiology
- Professional of naturopathy
- Professional of photography and related visual communication
- Professional operating in the field of strategic and operational planning and in management information system in Banks,
- Financial and Insurance companies
- Project manager
- Property valuer
- Social project manager
- Specialist in installation of doors and windows
- Technicians working on household gas cooking appliances
- Wedding planner
- Wood and/or wood-based floorings and claddings installer
Professional recognition in Italy: regulated professions
Regulated professions are those whose practice is regulated by national legislation. The legislation establishes:
- The minimum qualification necessary.
- Requisites of training in the practice of the profession (for ex. internship and/or State exam for a professional license).
- The norms of the professional code of ethics.
The practice of such professions is protected by law and is limited exclusively to qualified persons.
If you hold a foreign professional qualification you need the recognition from the competent Italian authority in order to legally practice the corresponding profession in Italy.
The Italian government Italy recognizes foreign professional qualifications:
Be your qualification emanated from the EU (2005/36/CE and 2013/55/UE directives) or from outside EU (DPR 394/99, Art. 49-50 and the subsequent DPR 334/04), recognition is possible.
If you have a European qualification, you can get more information in the Help Centre for the recognition of professional qualifications at the Department for European Policies of the Prime Minister’s office (Tel. 06 67795322 – 5210 – e-mail: centroassistenzaqualifiche@politicheeuropee.it).
If you graduated from outside the European Union, you should inquire about the Italian authority that regulates your profession. Below is a list of the regulated professions and which authority being in charge for the respective regulation.
Ministry of Health(Ministero della Salute) Professions: Chiropodist (podiatrist), Dental hygienist, Doctor of Medicine (Allergology, Anaesthetics, Biological chemistry, Cardiology, Community medicine, Dermato-venereology, Diagnostic radiology, Gastroenterology, Haematology, Endocrinology, Geriatrics, Medical genetics, Microbiology-bacteriology, Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Occupational medicine, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, Otorhinolaryngology, Paediatrics, Pathological anatomy, Pharmacology, Psychiatry, Radiotherapy, Renal diseases, Respiratory medicine, Rheumatology, Surgery, Urology), Dental assistant/ Dental Nurse, Nursing Assistants and Health Care Assistants, Biologist, Chemist, Dietician, Child care worker, Pharmacist, Physiotherapist, Nurse, Nursing Assistants and Health Care Assistants, Speech and language therapist, Masseur/Massage therapist/Spa therapist, Dental Practitioner, Dental technician, Health care technician, Orthoptist, Midwife, Optician (Dispensing optician), Psychologist, Psychotherapist, Nursery nurse, Hearing aid dispenser / audiometric technician, Cardiovascular physiopathology and cardiovascular perfusion technician, Environmental consultant/ Environmental assessor/ Environmental auditor, Neurophysiology technician, Prosthetist and orthotist / Orthopaedic technician /Surgical truss-maker, Medical/Biomedical laboratory technician, Radiographer / Radiotherapist, Psychomotor therapist, Occupational therapist, Veterinary Surgeon. |
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Ministry of Justice(Ministero della Giustizia) Professions: Accountant/ Tax advisor, Actuary, Agricultural expert/technician, Agricultural expert/technician, Agriculture and forestry advisor/expert, Agronomist / agricultural engineer, Biotechnologist, Civil engineer, Food technologist / chemist, Geologist, Industrial engineer, Information systems engineer, Journalist, Lawyer/Barrister/Solicitor, Social worker, Stockbroker, Surveyor. |
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Ministry of Education / Ministry of University and Research(Ministero dell’Istruzione / Ministero dell’Università e da Ricerca) Professions: Kindergarten teacher/Nursery school teacher/Preparatory school teacher, Primary school teacher, Secondary school teacher. |
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Ministry of Education / Ministry of University and Research(Ministero dell’Istruzione / Ministero dell’Università e da Ricerca) Professions: Architect, Curator of the Architectural and Environmental Heritage (Conservator/Conservator-restorer/Restorer/Renovator), Junior Architect, Landscape architect / designer, Planning and regional development engineer/physical planner. |
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Ministry of Labor and Social Policies(Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali) Professions: Aesthetician/ Beauty care services, Air conditioning technician/Heating/Central heating technician/installer/repairer/Maintenance-Installation of ventilation equipment, Labour law expert. |
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Ministry of Economic Development(Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico) Professions: Car mechanic (mechatronics – engine mechanics/car electrician’s services/car body/tires), Disinfection/insect/rodent control activities, Distribution of food and beverages (catering operations/provision of meals and drinks/ administering beverages and food in bars/cafes/ ice cream parlors/ pastry shops and stores and similar, Forwarding agent / Haulage services, Hairdresser/Barber/Wig-maker, Installation of electrical systems, Installation of electronic systems, Installation of elevator systems, Installation of fire prevention systems, Installation of gas transport systems, Installation of heating systems, Installation of plumbing systems, Intermediary for purchase/sale/hire of vessels, Laundering/Dry-cleaning and dyeing., Real Estate agent/Real estate agency manager/administrator/director, Wholesale intermediary. |
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Ministry of Economic Development(Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico) Profession: Patent Agent / Trademark agent. |
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Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism(Ministero dei beni e delle attività culturali e del turismo) Professions: Tourist guide, Travel Agency Manager (Travel agent). |
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Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism(Ministero dei beni e delle attività culturali e del turismo) Professions: Conservator/Conservator-restorer/Restorer/Renovator. |
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Ministry of the Interior(Ministero dell’Interno) Professions: Control of admission/ routing of the spectators and verification of compliance with the regulations governing use of the facility (Steward), Control of entertainment activities and performances in places open to the public or in public exercise (Doorman), Private detective, Security guard / Warden (Supervision and custody of movable and immovable assets pursued for private owners or private security entities). |
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Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies(Ministero delle politiche agricole, alimentari e forestali) Professions: Coach professionally in horse racing, Sports instructor (mounting / drive professionally in horse racing). |
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Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies(Ministero delle politiche agricole, alimentari e forestali) Profession: Butcher / Butchery. |
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Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport(Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti) Profession: Security guard / Warden (Lifeguard operator). |
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Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport(Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti) Profession: Air traffic controller |
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Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport(Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti) Professions: Ship’s Deck officer class 1 merchant marine, Ship’s Deck officer class I, Marine engineering officer class I. |
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Ministry of Economy and Finance(Ministero dell’Economia e delle Finanze) Profession: Loss adjuster. |
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Ministry of Economy and Finance(Ministero dell’Economia e delle Finanze) Profession: Statutory auditor. |
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Presidency of the Council of Ministers(Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri) Professions: Medium mountain guide, Ski and/or mountain/canyon guide/ mountain leader, Volcano guide, Ski instructor. |
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Presidency of the Council of Ministers(Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri) Professions: Apprentice Coach, Coach/Trainer, Master Coach, Senior Coach, Sports Technical Director (Sports instructor), Fencing Master Coach, Athletic Trainer Expert, Referee in sport, Sport Manager. |
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An ace up the sleeve
It is important to underline that many professions are regulated but depending on what you will do in the area of competence it is not necessary to be registered in the professional register.
For example: I did my master’s degree in psychology. If I wanted to work in clinical psychology, I would have to be registered in the register. However, if I wanted to work in the human resources sector, making selections or training, I would not need to be registered in the register.
Pay attention to this small but important point 😉.
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Best wishes,
Marcela Oliveira
