Nearly a quarter of doctors newly registered in Belgium hold a foreign qualification, and nearly half of dentists do so. These figures from the Health ministry were provided by Federal Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) in a response to a parliamentary question and reported by L’Echo and De Tijd on Wednesday.
Of the 13,918 professional licences granted by the Health ministry to general practitioners and specialists between 2020 and 2025, 3,014 were awarded to individuals holding a basic qualification obtained abroad, representing approximately 22%.
This recognition is essential to be able to work in the healthcare sector in Belgium, but it does not necessarily mean that the doctor is actually practising in the country.
Among dentists, the proportion is even higher. Over the last five years, 1,265 of the 2,821 new professional licences were awarded to individuals who obtained their master’s degree outside Belgium.
Between 2020 and 2025, this represents 45%, or almost half. Taking doctors and dentists together, the proportion of newly recognised practitioners with a non-Belgian qualification stands at 25.5%.
A significant proportion of qualifications come from Romania, the Netherlands and Italy, whilst France, Portugal and Spain are also featured prominently. Belgians who completed their medical studies in these countries are also included in this group.
