Provisions published in France's Official Journal on Thursday have now changed the recognition process for medical degrees earned outside the European Union. These changes impact nearly 14% of practitioners in France—many of whom, including numerous Moroccan professionals, completed their medical studies abroad. A new decree has changed how doctors with foreign degrees from outside the European Union (PADHUE) can get their qualifications recognized in France. Published by the Ministry of Health on May 29 in the Official Journal, the updated rules apply to doctors, dentists, midwives, and pharmacists with degrees from countries outside the EU and European Economic Area. They also affect practitioners already working in French hospitals. The decree mainly updates the process for knowledge verification exams and provisional authorization to practice. Decree 2025-467 revises the standard procedure for granting practice licenses and introduces a new internal track for these exams, allowing more flexible pathways for skill development for successful candidates. It also adjusts provisional authorizations and includes special provisions for some overseas territories. The goal is to speed up the licensing process, especially for doctors whose skills are already proven on the ground. Until now, many practitioners already working in France have faced a complicated and uneven process, making it hard for them to fit into the new system for non-EU degrees. The old system was seen as overly selective and unstable, excluding many experienced professionals. Starting May 30, 2025, the new rules simplify the process, helping PADHUE doctors secure permanent positions, particularly in hospitals facing staff shortages. The decree sets the evaluation internship length at two years for doctors, and one year for dentists and midwives. It also allows those who have practiced for at least five years in certain territories—and who pass the knowledge exams—to apply directly for full authorization to practice. Ongoing Debate Around the Changes One exception allows the head of the department where a candidate is doing their evaluation internship (minimum six months) to ask the local specialty commission to grant early provisional authorization. This request must be supported by an evaluation report co-signed by the head of the hospital's medical commission. The local commission then informs the training director and the department head of its recommendation. If approved, the candidate can move forward to the main licensing commission to get full authorization. This raises concerns for PADHUE doctors already holding senior roles—like department heads or trainers—because their evaluation internships might require them to do tasks they've been managing for years, often in different departments. Some argue that these experienced professionals should be assessed through a review of their past work, rather than being shuffled into new internships that could disrupt already stretched hospitals. This issue impacts a significant number of doctors: nearly 14% of all doctors practicing in France earned their degrees abroad, many from Morocco. According to Morocco's National Council of the Order of Doctors (CNOM), over 7,000 Moroccan doctors work in France, making up almost 20% of all Moroccan practitioners. French health authorities estimate that about 600 Moroccan medical graduates leave the country every year right after earning their degrees. Around 14,000 Moroccan-trained doctors work abroad, with 6,000 practicing in France alone.
