The 16 May 2026 Journal Officiel carried Law 2026-373, “facilitating the practice in France of doctors who began studies in the United Kingdom before Brexit”. The measure amends the Public Health Code so that British medical qualifications started before 31 December 2020 enjoy the same automatic recognition once reserved for EU diplomas. In practical terms, holders of such degrees—estimated at 3,500 French and EU nationals plus several hundred UK citizens—no longer need to pass the demanding ‘épreuves de vérification des connaissances’ or complete a year-long adaptation internship to obtain full registration with the Ordre des Médecins. The law also updates references in sections on dentistry and midwifery to ensure parallel treatment if Brussels and London expand mutual recognition in those fields. For hospitals and tele-medicine providers struggling with staff shortages, the change is immediate: recruiters can issue permanent contracts without waiting for ministerial derogations. Private employers in pharmaceuticals and medical-device sales also benefit because many commercial roles require a French licence to practice. Immigration advisers note that affected practitioners may now qualify directly for the four-year ‘Passeport Talent – Professions médicales’ residence permit instead of shorter, renewable ‘liberal profession’ visas.
![France publishes law easing recognition of UK medical degrees obtained before Brexit]()
Practitioners navigating these new residency pathways can save time by using the visa-processing services of VisaHQ. Their France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) offers step-by-step guidance on compiling the right documents for the Passeport Talent permit, appointment scheduling, and real-time status tracking, all backed by multilingual support that understands medical professionals’ tight deadlines.
The government framed the law as closing a post-Brexit gap that risked driving French-trained doctors to Ireland or Canada. It stops short of granting automatic recognition to UK degrees commenced after 2020, but the Health Ministry signalled it is open to future bilateral deals if training standards converge.
Practitioners navigating these new residency pathways can save time by using the visa-processing services of VisaHQ. Their France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) offers step-by-step guidance on compiling the right documents for the Passeport Talent permit, appointment scheduling, and real-time status tracking, all backed by multilingual support that understands medical professionals’ tight deadlines.
The government framed the law as closing a post-Brexit gap that risked driving French-trained doctors to Ireland or Canada. It stops short of granting automatic recognition to UK degrees commenced after 2020, but the Health Ministry signalled it is open to future bilateral deals if training standards converge.
