The host country where you wish to work is responsible for recognition of Swiss qualifications abroad. In many cases, a recognition body in the host country will require a certificate from the competent body in Switzerland – e.g. the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), the Swiss Red Cross (SRC), the Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK), etc. This certificate usually provides information about the level that the given qualification holds within the Swiss education system. For EU/EFTA citizens, specific certificates attesting to professional activity or experience may also be issued at the request of foreign recognition bodies.
SERI is the competent authority for issuance of certificates on behalf of holders of Swiss qualifications who seek recognition abroad (i.e. Swiss upper-secondary vocational qualifications, Swiss tertiary-level professional qualifications and Swiss higher education qualifications). Certificates for recognition bodies in EU/EFTA member states are issued in accordance with EU directives. While Switzerland is under no legal obligation to issue certificates to competent authorities of third countries, the competent authority of a third country may ask SERI to issue such a certificate (e.g. attesting to state recognition of a given Swiss qualification or to the level that this qualification holds within the Swiss education system) in order to facilitate processing of a recognition application.