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Papers · Ireland
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). Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) — NARIC Ireland (01 905 8100) — the ENIC-NARIC centre for Ireland — 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. Department of Foreign Affairs — Authentication/Apostille (01 408 2000) handles school and higher-education recognition. Your diploma may first need an apostille and a sworn translation — Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) / Citizenship (01 616 7700).

Call firstQuality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) — NARIC Ireland
Report toDepartment of Foreign Affairs — Authentication/Apostille
If that failsImmigration Service Delivery (ISD) / Citizenship

🗣️ What to say

"I hold [diploma], awarded by [institution, country] in [year], and want to [work as … / continue studying in …] in Ireland. 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 Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) — NARIC Ireland. Unregulated: employers decide, a comparability statement helps.
  2. Comparability statement: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) — NARIC IrelandOnline application, copies of diploma and transcript, translation. Weeks to a few months.
  3. Regulated: the competent authorityQuality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) — NARIC Ireland 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 Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) — NARIC Ireland.

📇 All contacts

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) — NARIC IrelandComparability of foreign qualificationsRecognition of foreign qualifications📞 01 905 8100🔗 www.qqi.ie/what-we-do/qualifications-recognition
Department of Foreign Affairs — Authentication/ApostilleApostille on Irish public documentsFor documents to be used abroad📞 01 408 2000🔗 www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/citizen-services/authenticating-documents
Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) / CitizenshipResidence permissions, citizenship applicationsFor residence and citizenship📞 01 616 7700🔗 www.irishimmigration.ie
Intreo (Department of Social Protection)Jobseeker's Benefit, registration, activationOn the first day without work📞 0818 405 060🔗 www.gov.ie/en/service/1306dc-jobseekers-benefit

❓ 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 Ireland”
  • “enic naric Ireland”
  • “foreign qualification recognised work”
  • “regulated profession recognition Ireland”
  • “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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