In a near-unanimous vote late on 16 February, the National Assembly adopted a bill that will allow doctors who started their medical studies in the United Kingdom before Britain left the EU to have their degrees automatically recognised in France. Since 1 January 2021, these practitioners have been treated as “Padhue” – holders of non-EU diplomas – and forced to navigate a lengthy competency review before practising, a hurdle critics say worsens France’s doctor shortage.
Under the new legislation, an estimated one hundred French and EU nationals who enrolled in UK medical schools before the end of the Brexit transition will regain the same recognition rights they originally expected. Proponents, led by rapporteur Vincent Caure, stressed that UK training standards meet EU benchmarks and that immediate access to full licences could help alleviate severe staffing gaps in rural “medical deserts.”
The debate also shone a spotlight on the 19,000 doctors educated outside the EU who still face complex procedures. Opposition MPs urged the government to extend simplified recognition to a broader pool, warning that the health system relies heavily on physicians from Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon and elsewhere already working under precarious statuses.
![French Assembly Votes to Recognise UK-Trained Doctors Who Began Studies Pre-Brexit]()
Whether you’re a healthcare professional relocating to France, an HR manager arranging secondments, or a student planning a clinical rotation, VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork. From securing the appropriate French visas to handling document legalisation and apostilles required by medical boards, their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/france/) provides step-by-step guidance and live support, helping applicants avoid delays that often arise when recognition rules change.
For hospitals, recruitment agencies and corporates that manage international secondments of medical staff, the bill removes a significant administrative barrier and may expand the talent pool for French facilities. Human-resources teams should nevertheless monitor implementing decrees, expected within three months, that will detail proof of study dates and fast-track licence issuance.
While limited in scope, the vote signals a modest softening of France’s post-Brexit stance and could serve as a test case for wider reforms to professional-qualification recognition, an issue crucial to highly mobile sectors such as engineering and architecture.
Under the new legislation, an estimated one hundred French and EU nationals who enrolled in UK medical schools before the end of the Brexit transition will regain the same recognition rights they originally expected. Proponents, led by rapporteur Vincent Caure, stressed that UK training standards meet EU benchmarks and that immediate access to full licences could help alleviate severe staffing gaps in rural “medical deserts.”
The debate also shone a spotlight on the 19,000 doctors educated outside the EU who still face complex procedures. Opposition MPs urged the government to extend simplified recognition to a broader pool, warning that the health system relies heavily on physicians from Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon and elsewhere already working under precarious statuses.
Whether you’re a healthcare professional relocating to France, an HR manager arranging secondments, or a student planning a clinical rotation, VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork. From securing the appropriate French visas to handling document legalisation and apostilles required by medical boards, their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/france/) provides step-by-step guidance and live support, helping applicants avoid delays that often arise when recognition rules change.
For hospitals, recruitment agencies and corporates that manage international secondments of medical staff, the bill removes a significant administrative barrier and may expand the talent pool for French facilities. Human-resources teams should nevertheless monitor implementing decrees, expected within three months, that will detail proof of study dates and fast-track licence issuance.
While limited in scope, the vote signals a modest softening of France’s post-Brexit stance and could serve as a test case for wider reforms to professional-qualification recognition, an issue crucial to highly mobile sectors such as engineering and architecture.
