1. Role of Academic Information Centre in the recognition of professional qualifications in Latvia
Baiba Ramiņa
Academic Information Centre
Latvian NCP
Latvian ENIC/NARIC
Baku, 19 October, 2016

2. Types of recognition Academic recognition
De jure professional recognition
De facto professional recognition
Diploma holder would like to continue studies
Diploma holder would like to work in profession, which requests certain level of education
For access to regulated professions
For access to the non-regulated parts of the labour market.

3. Regulated professions
Definition in directive 36/2005
Free definition
‘regulated profession’: a professional activity or group of professional activities, access to which, the pursuit of which, or one of the modes of pursuit of which is subject, directly or indirectly, by virtue of legislative, regulatory or administrative provisions to the possession of specific professional qualifications; in particular, the use of a professional title limited by legislative, regulatory or administrative provisions to holders of a given professional qualification shall constitute a mode of pursuit.
regulated profession – a profession to be employed (practise) in it person need definite type of education or evidence of professional qualification

4. System before directive 36/2005
Two groups of directives
Sectoral directives
Medical Doctors
Nurses
Dentists
Midwives
Pharmacists
Veterinarians
Architects
Lawyers
General recognition system directives
System for the recognition of higher-education diplomas awarded on completion of professional education and training of at least three years' duration

5. Directive 2005/36/EC ( )
consolidates and modernizes the rules currently regulating the recognition of professional qualifications.
replaced more than 10 existing Directives in the field of the recognition of professional qualifications.

6. Law on Regulated Professions and Recognition of Professional Qualifications (2001, amendments 2010)
to ensure the conformity of professional activities with specific quality requirements and criteria, if these activities are related to the protection of public interests, the safety and the protection of health
to protect individual socially important professions from the involvement of unqualified persons therein, determining higher requirements for these professions;
to ensure the opportunity for professional qualifications obtained in the Latvia to be recognised in foreign states and vice versa
to promote free movement of persons

7. Requirements for USSR Education
Evidence of education and formal qualification issued by the educational institutions of the former U.S.S.R. shall be recognised in the Republic of Latvia, except:
1) the documents issued by educational institutions of the former Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the All Union Leninist Communist Youth League; and
2) the documents which do not conform with the requirements put forward for education and professional qualification in the international conventions and international agreements approved by the Saeima.

8. Regulated professions in Latvia (69)
Transport
Health care
Others
Driver of power-driven vehicle;
Driver of a vehicle carrying dangerous goods by road;
Engine driver – instructor;
Engine driver (machinist);
Engine – driver`s assistant;
Master (of the ship);
Ship`s engineer;
Sailor;
Radio specialist(in maritime);
Pilot;
Flight navigator;
Pilot radiotelephone operator;
Cockpit flight engineer;
Air traffic controller;
Civil aviation security inspector;
Aircraft technical maintenance specialist;
Consultant of dangerous goods transportation.
Medical Doctor;
Dentist;
Pharmacist;
Nurse of general care;
Midwife;
Doctor assistant;
Pharmacist`s assistant;
Laboratory assistant;
Dental technician;
Dental hygienist;
Physiotherapist;
Ergo therapist;
Optometrist;
Physiotherapist`s assistant;
Ergo therapist’s assistant;
Hippo therapist;
Hippo therapist`s assistant;
Technical orthopaedist;
Cosmetician;
Dentist assistant;
Nurse in dentistry
Speech therapist;
Radiologist`s assistant
Nutrition specialist.
Architect;
Construction work manager;
Construction technician;
Veterinarian;
Teacher;
Sport specialists;
Electrical engineer;
Electric mounter;
Electro technician;
Lawyer;
Sworn auditor;
Sworn land surveyor;
Estate surveyor;
Welder of metallic materials;
Defectoskopist;
Tourist guide;
Detective;
Security officer.

9. Professional recognition applications by profession in the field of regulated professions, 2015

10. Law about Academic Information Centre
provides functions of information institutions in the field of regulated professions where the higher education is compulsory in of Latvia or abroad
provides and maintain website with actual information on recognition of professional qualifications in regulated professions in Latvia. Website provides information on recognition procedures and relevant regulations.
Website includes regulated professions data base where more detailed information on regulated professions and recognition is included.

11. Law about Academic Information Centre II
provide consultations and support in the field of regulated professions;
issue and withdraw European professional card
cooperate with competent bodies and provide information to other EU countries and vice versa on professional qualification holders which has limited rights or forbidden to practice in concrete regulated profession.

12. Applicant should submit
1) an application; 2) copy of passport; 3) documents approving education and professional rights in profession; 4) certificate from competent home institutions on rights to exercise profession; 5) certificate on work experience in home state; 6) a certificate of good conduct (doctors, nurses, dentists, midwives, pharmacists, architects, veterinary surgeons) not more than 3 months old.

13. Documents which are not in Latvian should be translated into Latvian
Documents which are not in Latvian should be translated into Latvian. Documents issued outside EU (except Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Kirgyzstan, Moldova) should be legalised in Latvia.

14. Dental practitioners (example from directive 36/2005/EC)
Basic dental training
Admission requirement: certificate giving rights to study in university,
At least 5 years full time theoretical and practical studies covering at least programme in annex 5.3.1
Specialist dental training
Admission requirement: 5 years studies in dentistry should be completed
Placement: university or medical teaching hospital, or health establishment
Length: not less than 3 years

15. Doctors(example from directive 36/2005/EC)
Basic medical training for doctors
- Admission requirement: certificate giving rights to study in university,
-6 years studies or 5500 hours theoretical and practical training
-knowledge and skills are defined in this directive

16. Doctors - Specialist medical training
Theoretical and practical training
Admission requirement: 6 years studies in medicine should be completed
Placement: university or medical teaching hospital, or medical care establishment
Length: not less than stated in annex V
Certificate: awarded by institution stated in annex V point 5.1.2

17. Professional qualification recognition procedure in Latvia
1) the special system for the recognition of professional qualifications;
2) the general system for the recognition of professional qualifications; or
3) the recognition of professional qualifications on the basis of the professional experience of the applicant.

18. Special System for the Recognition of Professional qualifications
applies to the regulated professions, for which the qualification requirements are determined by the international agreements, i.e., seafaring professions, civil aviation, airport employee professions and following regulated professions as well architect, doctor, dentist, pharmacist, nurse (general care nurse), midwife, and veterinary surgeon
unified minimum requirements for the acquisition of the evidence of education and formal qualifications in the European Union Member States
If the home country of the applicant has not joined the international agreements referred to special system, the professional qualification of the applicant shall be recognised only if education and level of professional experience, in terms of the content and duration, does not differ significantly from the requirements specified for the relevant profession in the Republic of Latvia.

19. General System for the Recognition of Professional Qualifications
-to the professions referred to Special System for the Recognition of this Law, if the evidence of education and formal qualifications of the applicant does not conform with the requirements for the Special System for the Recognition; and
-to other regulated professions in the Republic of Latvia.

20. Role of information centre for regulated professions
gathers applications for professional qualification recognition, assess submitted educational documents and prepare informative notice for the competent authority that will come up to the decision on issuing qualification certificate

21. Role of Latvian ENIC/NARIC
-performs the assessment of academic documents, -determines the level of the educational document - Is higher education institution or study programme quality assured

22. Latvian ENIC/NARIC statements in the field of regulated professions, 2015

23. Professional recognition applications by country in the field of regulated professions, 2015

24. www.aic.lv http://nki-latvija.lv
Information