Unions of doctors and hospital administrations in France are urgently demanding the regularization of the status of foreign doctors practicing in the country and graduates from non-European Union universities.
These doctors are considered indispensable, and without them, the healthcare system would collapse.
For over 20 years, hospitals in France have been employing foreign doctors from outside the European Union due to a severe shortage of medical staff.
The current estimated number of foreign doctors in France ranges between 4,000 and 5,000, according to several unions. Their numbers increased during the COVID-19 pandemic when hospitals were under immense pressure.
These doctors, often holding qualifications from outside the European Union, are typically hired on short-term, renewable contracts with low salaries. They perform similar duties to veteran doctors. They have the right to hope for a “full practice license” based on the results of a selective exam known as the “EVC” (Épreuve de Vérification des Connaissances) and the review of their files.
For those who did not pass the exam, an exceptional system allowed hospitals to employ them for a monthly salary ranging from 1,500 to 2,200 euros. However, this system expired on December 31st, and renewing their contracts has become challenging.
Without legal documentation, these doctors are left in a precarious situation. President Emmanuel Macron promised to “regularize the status of some foreign doctors” during a televised conference on Tuesday, without providing further details.
The Ministry of Health has not offered additional clarifications in response to inquiries from Agence France-Presse (AFP).
