The information on this page applies if you have received a licence to practise as a nurse in Sweden and completed specialist training in an EU Member State other than Sweden or in Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland.
Basic conditions
The specialist nursing titles listed below are protected in Sweden. This means that the titles may be used only by those who have been awarded a Swedish licence to practise as a nurse and who have received formal approval to use one of them. The Swedish training to become a specialist nurse consists of at least one year of higher education.
The recognition of professional qualifications in an EEA Member State * is based on an EC Directive (2005/36/EC). This applies both to employees and independent practitioners in the healthcare sector. The permission to use a protected specialist nursing title can be issued after an assessment based on the Directive’s general system for mutual recognition of evidence of formal qualifications. In the assessment, the professional activities and the level, length and content of the training are compared to those in Sweden.
The permission to use a protected specialist nursing title can only be approved for the following specialisations, as listed in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100):
- Anesthetic nursing
- Intensive care nursing
- Operating room nursing
- Pre-hospital nursing
- Surgical nursing
- Medical nursing
- Oncological nursing
- Paediatric care nursing
- Psychiatric care nursing
- Elderly care nursing
- Primary health care nursing
*EEA Member State refers to a European Union Member State and to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Anything stated about EEA countries also applies to Switzerland.
Send the following documents to Socialstyrelsen (The National Board of Health and Welfare):
1. Completed application form
2. Extract from the Swedish population register
- The extract must not be older than three months.
- If you are not registered in Sweden for population purposes, enclose a certified copy of a valid passport instead. The passport does not need to be translated.
- If you have changed your name, enclose a certified copy of a certificate showing the name change.
- The same certification rules apply as for diplomas, please see below.
3. Certified copy of your diploma
- Attachments, stating the content, length and specialisation of the training should be enclosed with the diploma.
- The copies of the originals must be certified by an organisation, institution or public authority. Copies certified by individuals are not accepted. Nota Bene: There must be an official stamp showing what institution certified the copies.
- The documents have to be translated into Swedish or English by an authorized translator. Documents issued in Denmark or Norway do not need to be translated.
4. Certified copy of the evidence conferring the permission to use a protected specialist nursing title (applies to applicants from countries where the titles are protected)
- The evidence should be issued by the competent authority.
- You also have to send in a translation of the evidence. The same rules of certification and translation apply as for diplomas.
5. Certified copy of certificate of service
- The certificate should be issued by the employer.
- You also have to send in a translation of the certificate. The same rules of certification and translation apply as for diplomas.
Additional information
Nota Bene: You can only acquire the permission to use a protected specialist nursing title after you have been issued a licence to practise as a nurse by Socialstyrelsen (The National Board of Health and Welfare). Read more about applying for a licence to practise as a nurse responsible for general care here. You can send in your application for permission to use a protected specialist title at the same time as you apply for your licence to practise.
Applying for the permission to use a protected specialist nursing title is free of charge.
The certificate conferring the permission to use a protected specialist nursing title within a specific field can only be issued after Socialstyrelsen has received your complete application.
If you have been granted a licence to practise without being registered in Sweden for population purposes, you should send in an extract from the Swedish population register as soon as you receive a complete personal identity number.
The information on this page is not legally binding.