(FRANCE) France admitted a record intake of doctors trained outside the European Union in 2024, with more than 3,800 passing the mandatory knowledge test to work in French hospitals, according to new figures cited by professional bodies. The increase comes as the country continues to rely on immigrant doctors to fill hospital shifts and specialist posts, even as recognition hurdles remain long and complex for those holding non-French degrees. Immigrant physicians now account for 18% of the medical workforce in France, a share near the OECD average but lower than several peers.
2024 EVC result and immediate impact
The 2024 result marks the highest number ever admitted in a single year through the competitive knowledge exam known as the EVC. Officials and hospital managers describe it as a short-term boost for strained services, especially in emergency medicine, psychiatry, and imaging.
The intake is already visible on rosters in provincial centres, where managers say each additional hire helps reduce backlogs and stabilise out-of-hours coverage. Hospital leaders report that these placements often match the areas where shortages are most acute — particularly outside major cities and in specialties with heavy workloads and lower private earnings.
Long-term workforce trends
The broader workforce picture shows steady growth over the last decade. As of 1 January 2023, France counted 29,238 doctors with non-French degrees among 234,028 total doctors — roughly double the level in 2010. That rise has coincided with mounting pressure to staff regional hospitals and meet demand in specialties where shifts are long and vacancies are hard to fill.
Key points:
– Immigrant doctors: 18% of France’s medical workforce
– Non-French degree doctors (2023): 29,238 of 234,028 total
– Notable growth since 2010 (about double)
International comparisons
France trails countries that have embraced foreign recruitment at larger scale:
- Australia: 54% foreign-born
- Ireland: 49%
- United Kingdom: 41%
- Canada 🇨🇦: 37%
- United States 🇺🇸: 30%
- Germany: 22%
- France: 18% (close to OECD average)
These differences reflect variation in recruitment strategies, registration pathways, and how quickly systems integrate international doctors.
Origins of foreign-trained doctors in France
The workforce is shaped by history and geography:
- Algeria: largest single group at 37%
- Other significant origins: Tunisia, Morocco, Syria
- Within Europe: Romania (17.7%), Belgium (8.9%)
- Continental breakdown: 49.4% of foreign-born doctors come from Africa
These patterns reflect longstanding ties, shared language in many cases, and established professional networks that aid recruitment.
Employment patterns and specialties
Foreign-trained doctors are more likely to be salaried and to work in public hospitals:
- 63.5% of foreign-trained doctors are salaried
- 43.1% of French-trained peers are salaried
Common concentrations:
– Public hospitals (especially regional/provincial centres)
– High-need specialties: radiology, anaesthesiology, emergency medicine, psychiatry
These placements often align with vacancy hotspots and help sustain services such as emergency rooms and maternity wards.
Recognition and career progression challenges
Despite the EVC pass, the pipeline to full professional recognition remains slow for many doctors with non-French degrees.
- Passing the EVC is only one step; it is followed by administrative checks and placements in supervised roles.
- Reports from professional associations describe an average wait approaching a decade for full recognition and equivalent career progression.
- Consequences of delays:
- Shaped pay and mobility
- Limited access to training posts
- Strained morale among hospital teams relying on associate practitioners with uncertain status
“Senior physicians rely on associate practitioners who carry large workloads but still face uncertain status and limited pathways to advancement.” — summary of concerns from hospital teams
France’s regulatory balance and official guidance
France attempts to balance patient safety with workforce needs through the EVC and subsequent supervised placements. Critics say the process is too rigid and slow given hospitals’ dependence on these physicians. Supporters insist the evaluation safeguards standards and aligns training differences.
Official guidance for physicians trained outside the EU is published by the Health Ministry; the ministry explains procedures and requirements on its website at the Ministère de la Santé et de la Prévention.
Regional implications and calls for reform
Departments far from large urban areas have particularly relied on immigrant doctors to sustain services. Hospital leaders note that:
- The 2024 EVC intake buys time but does not fix structural gaps.
- Long recognition journeys for non-EU graduates prevent longer-term planning.
- Managers call for steadier, clearer pathways so teams can plan staffing beyond one-year contracts and stop-gap arrangements.
Unions and patient groups have urged policymakers to streamline the steps after the exam, warning that drawn-out processes risk losing doctors to other EU systems.
Why France lags some peers
Comparative data show that countries like Australia and the UK have long used international recruitment and offer quicker routes to full registration after standardised exams. In France:
- Tighter recognition framework and the attractiveness of salaried hospital roles shape employment patterns.
- Many immigrant doctors enter salaried hospital positions, often under provisional status, which delays full career progression.
The result: a workforce that fills critical hospital slots but remains constrained by years of provisional status.
Immediate outlook and stakes for patients
The record EVC pass number in 2024 suggests growing acceptance of foreign-trained talent amid persistent shortages. Hospital unions and patient groups argue that smoother progression from associate practitioner to full registration would:
- Ease burdens on departments relying on these doctors for continuity and weekend coverage
- Reduce patient wait times for specialist appointments in radiology, anaesthesiology, emergency medicine, and psychiatry
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the 18% share of immigrant doctors underscores how France sits near the middle internationally, even as reliance grows in specific services and regions.
Conclusion — a critical juncture
The central question for policymakers and health managers is how to align training, testing, and recognition with real-time staffing needs. The 2024 EVC milestone shows more doctors with non-French degrees are ready to serve, but their path to full recognition will determine whether hospitals can retain them, expand services, and relieve pressure on stretched teams.
For now, the record intake offers practical relief on the ground — and a reminder that France’s healthcare future will likely depend, in part, on the continued and better-integrated contribution of immigrant doctors.
This Article in a Nutshell
In 2024 France recorded its largest intake of non-EU-trained doctors, with over 3,800 passing the EVC. Immigrant physicians account for 18% of the workforce; 29,238 doctors had non-French degrees in 2023. These doctors predominantly take salaried roles in public and regional hospitals, filling shortages in emergency medicine, psychiatry, radiology and anaesthesiology. However, lengthy recognition and administrative processes delay full registration and career progression, prompting calls from managers and unions for streamlined, predictable pathways to retain staff.
