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Papers · Switzerland
Updated September 2026

🎓 How do I get my foreign diploma recognised?

Direct answer

Two different things: academic recognition (for further study or a general statement of comparability) and professional recognition (to practise a regulated profession: nurse, teacher, engineer, electrician). Swiss ENIC (swissuniversities) / SBFI (031 335 07 40) — the ENIC-NARIC centre for Switzerland — issues the comparability statement and tells you whether your profession is regulated and which authority recognises it. Regulated professions go to the competent authority per profession; EU qualifications benefit from the automatic or general system. Staatskanzlei des Kantons (Apostillen) / Bundeskanzlei (bk.admin.ch) handles school and higher-education recognition. Your diploma may first need an apostille and a sworn translation — Migrationsamt des Kantons / SEM (sem.admin.ch).

Call firstSwiss ENIC (swissuniversities) / SBFI
Report toStaatskanzlei des Kantons (Apostillen) / Bundeskanzlei
If that failsMigrationsamt des Kantons / SEM

🗣️ What to say

"I hold [diploma], awarded by [institution, country] in [year], and want to [work as … / continue studying in …] in Switzerland. Is the profession regulated, which authority recognises the qualification, and what documents and translations do you need?"

🪜 Step by step

  1. Regulated or not?Check the EU regulated-professions database or ask Swiss ENIC (swissuniversities) / SBFI. Unregulated: employers decide, a comparability statement helps.
  2. Comparability statement: Swiss ENIC (swissuniversities) / SBFIOnline application, copies of diploma and transcript, translation. Weeks to a few months.
  3. Regulated: the competent authoritySwiss ENIC (swissuniversities) / SBFI names it. EU diplomas: recognition within months, possibly with an adaptation period or test.
  4. Apostille and translationOften required for non-EU documents; the apostille comes from the issuing country. See the apostille page.
  5. Refugees and missing documentsThe European Qualifications Passport for Refugees and interview-based assessments exist; ask Swiss ENIC (swissuniversities) / SBFI.

📇 All contacts

Swiss ENIC (swissuniversities) / SBFIRecognition of foreign diplomas, regulated professionsFor recognition of foreign qualifications📞 031 335 07 40🔗 www.swissuniversities.ch/enic
Staatskanzlei des Kantons (Apostillen) / BundeskanzleiApostille by document typeFor documents to be used abroad🔗 www.bk.admin.ch/bk/de/home/dokumentation/beglaubigungen.html
Migrationsamt des Kantons / SEMResidence permits, naturalisationFor residence and citizenship🔗 www.sem.admin.ch
RAV — Regionales ArbeitsvermittlungszentrumRegistration for unemployment insuranceOn the first day without work🔗 www.arbeit.swiss

❓ Frequently asked

Does an EU diploma need recognition?

For a regulated profession yes — but the procedure is faster and often automatic (doctors, nurses, architects…). For an ordinary job, no.

What does it cost?

Comparability statements are cheap or free; professional recognition has fees per authority. Ask before you apply.

My profession is regulated and I am from outside the EU

Recognition is case by case, sometimes with an aptitude test. Start early; it can take a year.

📎 Sources

Last checked: 2026-09-26

🔎 Common searches

Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.

  • “diploma recognition Switzerland”
  • “enic naric Switzerland”
  • “foreign qualification recognised work”
  • “regulated profession recognition Switzerland”
  • “comparability statement diploma”

🧭 Is this still correct?

We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.

🔗 Related questions

📜Apostille→⏳Residence permit delay→🔢National ID number→🪪ID or passport lost→

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