Work in Europe

Qualification recognition

Recognising qualifications in Lituânia

Lithuania's qualification recognition system is built around two central bodies: SKVC (Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education) is Lithuania's NARIC/ENIC centre and the primary authority for academic recognition of all higher education degrees; VASPVT (State Accreditation Agency for Health Care Activities) is the licensing body for all healthcare professions. Lithuania implements EU Directive 2005/36/EC via the Profesinių kvalifikacijų pripažinimo įstatymas (Law on Recognition of Professional Qualifications), granting automatic recognition to EEA-trained practitioners in the seven sectoral professions. Third-country nationals and applicants for non-sectoral regulated professions must obtain an SKVC academic recognition decision as a first step before applying to the relevant professional body for a licence or membership.

01

Recognition bodies

SKVC — Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education (Lithuania's NARIC/ENIC)

Academic

SKVC is Lithuania's official NARIC and ENIC centre. It issues academic recognition decisions mapping foreign higher education degrees to Lithuanian qualification levels. The SKVC decision is the foundational document for employer-facing qualification evidence in unregulated roles and the mandatory first step for third-country nationals seeking to enter regulated professions.

www.skvc.lt/en

VASPVT — State Accreditation Agency for Health Care Activities

Regulated profession

VASPVT is the statutory licensing authority for all healthcare professions in Lithuania, including doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, midwives, and other health practitioners. It issues practice licences and handles recognition of foreign healthcare qualifications. EEA-trained practitioners in the seven sectoral professions may apply directly; third-country nationals must present an SKVC academic recognition decision first.

www.vaspvt.gov.lt

Lithuanian Bar Association (Lietuvos advokatūra)

Regulated profession

The Lithuanian Bar Association regulates access to the advokatas (advocate/lawyer) title, which is required for independent legal practice before Lithuanian courts. EEA-qualified lawyers may integrate after three years of practice under their home-country title; non-EEA lawyers must meet Lithuanian professional qualification requirements.

www.advokatura.lt/en

Lithuanian Chamber of Architects (Lietuvos architektų rūmai)

Regulated profession

The Lithuanian Chamber of Architects is the statutory body whose membership is required for independent architectural practice in Lithuania. EEA-qualified architects benefit from automatic recognition; architects from other countries must go through the general-system route and present an SKVC academic recognition decision.

lpr.lt

02

Regulated professions

Profession Governing body Recognition type
Medicine (gydytojas) VASPVT — State Accreditation Agency for Health Care Activities Automatic (EU Directive)
Dentistry (odontologas) VASPVT — State Accreditation Agency for Health Care Activities Automatic (EU Directive)
Pharmacy (vaistininkas) VASPVT — State Accreditation Agency for Health Care Activities Automatic (EU Directive)
Nursing (slaugytojas) VASPVT — State Accreditation Agency for Health Care Activities Automatic (EU Directive)
Midwifery (akušeris) VASPVT — State Accreditation Agency for Health Care Activities Automatic (EU Directive)
Architecture (architektas) Lithuanian Chamber of Architects (Lietuvos architektų rūmai) Automatic (EU Directive)
Law — advokatas title (independent practice) Lithuanian Bar Association (Lietuvos advokatūra) General system
Teaching (mokytojas) — public sector Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of Lithuania General system
Engineering — construction specialists Lithuanian Chamber of Engineers (Lietuvos inžinierių sąjunga) / relevant construction authority under construction law General system

03

Recognition process

1

Apply to SKVC for academic recognition

Submit your degree certificate, transcript, and supporting documents to SKVC (Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education) at skvc.lt. SKVC will issue an academic recognition decision that maps your foreign higher education qualification to the Lithuanian qualification level. This decision is required by all third-country nationals before entering a regulated profession and is the employer-facing document for unregulated roles. Processing normally takes 30 to 60 days.

2

Identify whether your target profession is regulated

Check whether the profession you intend to practise in Lithuania is listed as regulated. Regulated professions (healthcare, law, architecture, certain engineering roles) require a licence or chamber membership before practice is lawful. For unregulated professions, the SKVC academic recognition decision alone is sufficient as employer-facing evidence.

3

For healthcare professions (EEA applicants): apply directly to VASPVT

EEA-trained practitioners in the seven sectoral professions (doctor, dentist, pharmacist, nurse, midwife, and equivalent) may apply directly to VASPVT for a practice licence without a prior SKVC step. Submit the application with your degree, certified transcript, certificate of good standing from your home country authority, and evidence of Lithuanian language proficiency at B2 level for patient-facing roles. VASPVT typically decides complete EEA applications within 4 to 8 weeks.

4

For healthcare professions (third-country nationals): obtain SKVC recognition first

If you trained outside the EEA, obtain an SKVC academic recognition decision for your healthcare degree before approaching VASPVT. Once SKVC has issued its decision, submit it together with your degree, transcript, certificate of good standing, and Lithuanian language evidence (B2) to VASPVT for a practice licence assessment.

5

For architecture: apply to the Lithuanian Chamber of Architects

Present your SKVC academic recognition decision (for non-EEA applicants) or your qualifying certificates (for EEA applicants under the automatic recognition route) to the Lithuanian Chamber of Architects (lpr.lt). Chamber membership is required before independent architectural practice is lawful in Lithuania.

6

For law: apply to the Lithuanian Bar Association

EEA-qualified lawyers may practise under their home-country title in Lithuania and, after three years of regular practice of Lithuanian law, integrate into the Lithuanian Bar (Lietuvos advokatūra). Non-EEA lawyers must meet Lithuanian professional qualification requirements and go through the general-system recognition route, which may include an aptitude test or adaptation period.

7

Receive the licence or registration confirmation

Once the relevant body has completed its assessment, it will issue a practice licence (VASPVT) or membership confirmation (chambers). Keep the original decision document — it is required by employers and may be needed as part of your work permit or residence permit application file.

04

Typical timelines

SKVC academic recognition decision 30–60 days
VASPVT healthcare licence — complete EEA application 4–8 weeks
VASPVT healthcare licence — third-country national (SKVC recognition already obtained) 4–8 weeks after SKVC decision received
Chamber membership (architecture, law) — after SKVC decision received 4–8 weeks depending on the chamber

05

Unregulated qualification route

For professions that are not regulated in Lithuania — such as most software engineering, finance, business management, and many technical specialisations — formal recognition is not legally required before starting work. However, employers and immigration authorities routinely request an SKVC academic recognition decision as evidence of qualification level. SKVC issues these decisions for all higher education degrees from foreign institutions, mapping them to the Lithuanian and European Qualifications Framework levels. The SKVC decision is the standard employer-facing qualification document for unregulated roles. Applications are submitted online at skvc.lt and decisions typically take 30 to 60 days.

06

EU framework notes

Lithuania implements EU Professional Qualifications Directive 2005/36/EC (as amended by 2013/55/EU) through the Profesinių kvalifikacijų pripažinimo įstatymas (Law on Recognition of Professional Qualifications). The seven sectoral professions — doctor, nurse, dentist, pharmacist, veterinary surgeon, midwife, and architect — benefit from automatic recognition for EEA-trained practitioners: the competent Lithuanian authority must accept qualifying certificates from other EEA member states without a substantive curriculum assessment. For other regulated professions, EU and EEA applicants may use the general-system route, which may include an aptitude test or adaptation period. Third-country nationals do not benefit from automatic or general-system recognition under the Directive and must first obtain an SKVC academic recognition decision.

07

Warnings

Warning

A Lituânia vincula estreitamente a autorização de trabalho ao empregador nomeado

As autorizações de trabalho e de residência padrão são específicas do empregador, e mesmo os titulares do Cartão Azul precisam de um fluxo de trabalho de mudança de empregador separado durante o período inicial de emprego, pelo que não deve assumir que pode mudar de promotor casualmente após a chegada.

Warning

As vias de visto não eliminam a necessidade de um plano de permanência mais longa

Os vistos nacionais da Lituânia podem fazer a ponte entre a entrada e o trabalho de média duração, mas têm validade limitada e o próprio trabalho sazonal está limitado a seis meses num período de doze meses, pelo que o emprego mais longo tem muitas vezes de transitar para a via de autorização de residência.

Warning

A logística de consultas ainda é importante após o formulário eletrónico

As páginas lituanas consultadas exigem consistentemente uma submissão eletrónica no MIGRIS seguida de uma comparência presencial com originais e dados biométricos, pelo que um planeamento tardio de consultas pode ainda inviabilizar um processo de resto completo.

08

Official sources

1

Sou um trabalhador altamente qualificado

www.migracija.lt/en/as-esu-aukstos-kvalifikacijos-darbuotojas

official · Lithuanian Migration Department · checked 2026-04-23

2

Pretendo trabalhar ao abrigo de contrato de trabalho e a minha profissão não consta da lista de ocupações com escassez

www.migracija.lt/en/ketinu-dirbti-pagal-darbo-sutarti-ir-mano-profesija-nera-itraukta-i-trukstamu-profesiju-sarasa

official · Lithuanian Migration Department · checked 2026-04-23

3

Pretendo trabalhar ao abrigo de contrato de trabalho e a minha profissão consta da lista de ocupações com escassez

www.migracija.lt/en/ketinu-dirbti-pagal-darbo-sutarti-ir-mano-profesija-yra-itraukta-i-trukstamu-profesiju-sarasa

official · Lithuanian Migration Department · checked 2026-04-23

4

Sou um transferido intraempresarial (Diretiva 2014/66/UE)

www.migracija.lt/en/esu-perkeliamas-imones-viduje

official · Lithuanian Migration Department · checked 2026-04-23

5

Sou investigador

www.migracija.lt/en/esu-tyr%C4%97jas

official · Lithuanian Migration Department · checked 2026-04-23

6

Venho trabalhar como trabalhador sazonal

www.migracija.lt/en/darbas-noriu-gauti-viza

official · Lithuanian Migration Department · checked 2026-04-23

7

Mudança de empregador

www.migracija.lt/en/changing-employer

official · Lithuanian Migration Department · checked 2026-04-23

8

Obrigações do empregador

www.migracija.lt/en/obligations-of-the-employer

official · Lithuanian Migration Department · checked 2026-04-23

9

Trabalhador empregado na Lituânia

home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/eu-immigration-portal/employed-worker-lithuania_en

official · European Commission Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs · checked 2026-04-23

10

Trabalhador altamente qualificado na Lituânia

home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/eu-immigration-portal/highly-qualified-worker-lithuania_en

official · European Commission Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs · checked 2026-04-23

11

Investigador na Lituânia

home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/eu-immigration-portal/researcher-lithuania_en?prefLang=nl

official · European Commission Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs · checked 2026-04-23

12

Trabalhador sazonal na Lituânia

home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/eu-immigration-portal/seasonal-worker-lithuania_en

official · European Commission Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs · checked 2026-04-23

13

Quem faz o quê? Lituânia

home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/eu-immigration-portal/who-does-what/lithuania_en

official · European Commission Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs · checked 2026-04-23

14

Lei sobre o Estatuto Jurídico dos Estrangeiros

e-seimas.lrs.lt/rs/legalact/TAD/TAIS.243642/

legislation · Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania · checked 2026-04-23

15

Lituânia

european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/eu-countries/lithuania_en

official · European Union · checked 2026-04-23

16

Espaço Schengen

home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/schengen-area_en

official · European Commission Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs · checked 2026-04-23

Work permits

Once your qualifications are recognised, check the available work permit routes for Lituânia.

See work permit guide for Lituânia