This section has been developed to help you determine if your profession is regulated or not in the UK, and what you will need to do in order to come to the UK and pursue your profession.

Any citizen of a Member State of the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland has the right to work, to seek work, to set up business or to provide services in any other Member State, in this instance the UK.

You are free to pursue your profession in the UK as long as no law exists which requires specific national qualifications to access the profession (these professions are unregulated) The majority of professions in the UK are not regulated, however there are currently 102 professions that are regulated mostly clustered within the teaching, medical and legal sectors.

In the UK if the profession you wish to practise is regulated you may be required by the competent authority to obtain professional recognition of your qualifications to be able to practise your profession in the UK.

Is my profession regulated in the UK?

Certain professions are regulated by law; these occupations involve specialist application of knowledge. Individuals are legally required to register with the appropriate competent authority in order to practice their profession in the UK.

A regulated profession is one where access to or practice of a profession is restricted by national law to those holding specific qualifications. Regulated professions are governed by the European Directive 2005/36/EC. The directive outlines clear recognition processes for all regulated professions within the individual member states of the EU. The directive applies to all EU citizens wishing to practice a profession that is regulated in the UK.

Is my profession Unregulated in the UK?

An unregulated profession is one which may be exercised freely and is not subject to possessing a specific qualification.

If you are unsure whether the profession you wish to practice is regulated in the UK please please contact us.