Engineers

The profession of engineer is covered by the “General system for the recognition of professional qualifications”.

Formalities in Spain 

The competent authority for the recognition of engineering qualifications in Spain varies according the branch of the profession in which you wish to work. For example, the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (Ministry of Public Works and Transport) is competent for civil engineers (ingenieros de caminos, canales y puertos), aeronautical engineers (ingenieros aeronáuticos) and telecommunications engineers (ingenieros de telecomunicaciones), while the Ministerio de Industria, Comercio y Turismo (Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism) is competent for industrial engineers (ingenieros industriales), mining engineers (ingenieros de minas) and naval architects (ingenieros navales).

To ascertain the competent authority to which you should send your application for recognition, contact the:

• Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia
  Subdirección General de Títulos, Homologaciones y Convalidaciones
  Paseo del Prado, 28
  E-28014 Madrid
  Tel: +34.1.420.16.93 and +34.91.701.85.00
  E-mail: información@educ.mec.es
  Fax: +34.1.420.33.25

Supporting documents 

The competent authority will supply you with a full list specifying which supporting documents you should append to your application for recognition. You will probably have to produce at least the following:

• a document providing proof of your nationality;
  your qualifications and diplomas;
  a certificate stating the length and content of your training;
• your CV, where appropriate;
• where there is any doubt, you may be asked to provide a certificate issued by the competent authority in your country stating that you are, by virtue of your diploma(s), fully qualified as an engineer;
• a certificate stating that your training was acquired mainly within the European Community (if your diploma was issued by a country in which the profession is regulated);
• a certificate issued by the competent authority in your country stating that you have at least three years' professional experience (only if you obtained your diploma in a non-member country);
• a certificate stating that you have worked as an engineer for at least two of the last ten years (only if the profession of engineer is not regulated in the Member State from which you come).

You must produce either the original documents with copies or copies that have been certified by a Spanish consular establishment in your country or by any other authority in your country which is competent to certify copies. You will be required to supply official translations into Spanish.

If your application is rejected, the rejection decision will indicate the appeal procedures open to you and the time limit for lodging an appeal.

Reference documents 

• Royal Decree 1665/1991 of 25 October 1991 (BOE (Spanish Official Gazette) No 280 of 22 November 1991);
• Ministerial Order of 2 October 1995 (BOE No 240 of 7 October 1995), which sets out a list of documents to be submitted and a standard form to be used when applying for recognition as an industrial engineer, mining engineer, naval architect, industrial engineer/technician, mining engineer/technician or naval architect/technician;
• Ministerial Order of 12 April 1993 (BOE No 94 of 20 April 1993) relating to the professions of civil engineer, aeronautical engineer, telecommunications engineer, public works engineer/technician, topographical engineer/technician, aeronautical engineer/technician, telecommunications engineer/technician and architect/technician;
• Ministerial Order of 21 December 1994 (BOE No 311 of 29 December 1994) relating to the professions of agronomist, forestry engineer, agricultural engineer/technician and forestry engineer/technician.

Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2005
Reproduction is authorised.