Recognition of Ukrainian diplomas in the EU in 2026: the European Qualifications Passport and the route via ENIC-NARIC

Millions of Ukrainians under temporary protection in the European Union want to work in their profession — as doctors, teachers, engineers, lawyers. The main barrier is confirming their qualifications, especially when the original diplomas remained in Ukraine. Several official EU and Council of Europe instruments exist for this, and it is important to understand how they differ.

First, about status: temporary protection has been extended until 4 March 2027

The EU Council has officially extended temporary protection for Ukrainians until 4 March 2027. Political agreement was reached on 13 June 2025, and the legally binding act became Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1460, adopted on 15 July 2025. The extension applies automatically — no separate renewal application is required. It is precisely this status (under Council Directive 2001/55/EC) that grants the right not only to live and work in the EU, but also to use the special qualification-recognition mechanisms.

Instrument 1: the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees (EQPR)

The EQPR is a Council of Europe programme that has been running since 2017. Its key advantage: your qualification can be assessed even when you do not have a complete set of documents — for example, if the diploma, supplement or employment record book remained in Ukraine.

How it works:

• You fill in a detailed questionnaire about your academic and professional history.
• If the application is accepted, you go through an interview (about 45 minutes) with two expert assessors from different ENIC-NARIC centres, at least one of whom is familiar with your country and its education system.
• With a positive decision, you receive a standardized document — the qualifications passport.

What is important to know about the EQPR:

• It is free.
• The document is valid for 5 years from the date of issue.
• It is accepted in various European countries — in case of relocation, no reassessment is needed. The programme is supported by more than 20 ENIC-NARIC centres in various countries (including Italy and Greece).
• The right to apply is held by refugees, asylum seekers and persons under temporary protection without documentary proof of their qualifications — that is, Ukrainians with the status.

What the EQPR does not do: it is an assessment of your likely qualification, not formal recognition of a diploma. The EQPR helps an employer or university understand what you studied and at what level, and it eases access to work and further study. But for official recognition of a specific diploma (especially for regulated professions) the next instrument is needed.

Instrument 2: formal recognition through the ENIC-NARIC network

For official recognition of a diploma, you need to contact the national recognition centre — this is the ENIC-NARIC network. Every EU country has its own centre, whose contacts are gathered on the official enic-naric.net portal.

The legal basis is the Lisbon Recognition Convention, to which Ukraine is a party. This means: the country of residence must recognize your diploma if there is no "substantial difference" between your qualification and its local equivalent. The convention also requires countries to be flexible when some documents are missing. For regulated professions, the final decision is made by the relevant competent authority, not only by the ENIC-NARIC centre.

Instrument 3: accelerated recognition under Recommendation 2022/554

Separately, for Ukrainians there is Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/554, adopted on 5 April 2022, on the recognition of the qualifications of people fleeing the Russian invasion. This is a recommendation (a non-binding act), and its application varies from country to country, but it calls on EU countries to:

• accelerate the recognition of both academic and professional qualifications;
• apply a flexible approach to those who do not have the original documents (including accepting digital copies and reissued certificates);
• take into account incomplete studies — recognizing the accumulated credits of those who left without completing their studies.

For the translation of Ukrainian and Russian documents the eTranslation tool has been adapted, and the European Training Foundation (ETF) has created a separate information resource for countries and applicants.

Which course of action to choose

1. Do you have the original diploma and supplement? Contact the national ENIC-NARIC centre in your country of residence directly for formal recognition.
2. Have no documents or only incomplete ones? Apply for the EQPR — free and without the originals. The passport you receive will help with employment and admission.
3. Work in a regulated profession (medicine, law, education)? Check the requirements for recognition of the professional qualification specifically with the country's relevant authority — Recommendation 2022/554 applies here.

All these mechanisms will operate at least until the end of temporary protection — 4 March 2027. Recognition of your qualification opens access to work in your profession and to further study already today.