Regulated professions in mining

The recognition of qualifications for authorisation to practice regulated profession in mining

President of the State Mining Authority (hereinafter referred to as “competent authority”) is responsible for the recognition of qualifications for authorisation to practice regulated profession in mining which were acquired in the EU and EFTA states, and Switzerland.

1. The procedure for the recognition of qualifications is initiated on the application.
2. The procedure for the recognition of qualifications should end with the issue of decision not later than three months from the date of presentation of complete documentation. However, in exceptional cases this deadline may be extended by one month. The running of the time limit is suspended when the applicant is required to complete an adaptation period or take aptitude test.
3. The application for the institution of procedure for the recognition of qualifications for authorisation to practice regulated profession (with all necessary attachments) should be submitted to the competent authority.
4. The applicant shall submit the application on a form given free of charge by the competent authority or by an information centre (Ministry of Science and Higher Education, 20 Hoża Street, 1/3 Wspólna Street, 00-529 Warsaw, tel.:00 48 22 628 67 76).
5. The competent authority shall acknowledge receipt of the application within one month of receipt the application. In a case of any missing document, the applicant will be called to complete the application in pain of leaving the application without recognition.
6. The applications in the course of procedure for the recognition of qualifications shall be submit in Polish.
7. All letters and documents in the course of procedure for the recognition of professional qualifications shall be submit in Polish or accompanied by a sworn translation into Polish.
   The translation into Polish is not required in the case of documents confirming such datas as:
   1. name, surname, date and place of birth of the applicant,
   2. citizenship and name of the state of applicant.
8. The application for the institution of procedure for the recognition of qualifications should contain in particular the following:
   1. name, surname, date and place of birth of the applicant,
   2. citizenship and name of the state of applicant.
   3. name of regulated profession,
   4. information on acquired qualifications and titles,
   5. information on gained regulated education and training,
   6. list of documents attached to the application.
9. When the applicant submits the application, he is obliged to pay the stamp duty on the decision on the recognition of qualifications. The applicant is obliged to attached the proof of payment no later than 3 days from the date of submitting the application.
   The stamp duty is 523 zl (according to the wording of the point 25 of part I of the Annex to the Law of 16 November 2006 on the stamp duty (Journal of Laws No225, item 1635 as amended).
   The stamp duty should be paid into an account of Katowice City Hall in Bank Śląski O/Katowice 46 1050 0099 5593 0211 1111 1111.
10. In the course of the recognition procedure the competent authority verifies:
    1. adequate level of education,
    2. the qualifications that grant the right to pursue the profession in the Member State where they were acquired.
    If the competent authority founds:
    1. substantial differences in education or training;
    2. that the duration of the education or training pursued in the home Member State is at least one year shorter than that required by the host Member State;
    3. that the scope of professional activities covered by the profession is substantially different between the home and the host Member State,
    it has to analyse all the evidence of formal qualifications to check whether the knowledge and competence acquired by the applicant in the course of his professional career, is of a nature to cover, in full or in part, the substantial difference in question.
11. If the competent authority finds that the difference is still not covered, it has the right to apply compensation measures:
    • to complete an adaptation period of up to three years, or
    • to take an aptitude test.
12. The competent authority by the way of provision may oblige the applicant to complete an adaptation period or to take an aptitude test. In that provision the competent authority shall specify, in particular, the duration of adaptation period, its programme and the scope of aptitude test.
13. When the applicant receives the provision, he shall make a choice between the adaptation period and the aptitude test. He shall submit the application to complete adaptation period or to take the aptitude test to the competent authority
14. The applicant bears the costs of adaptation period or the aptitude test.
15. The procedure for the recognition of qualifications is terminated by the decision.
16. According to the provisions of the Code of Administrative Procedure (Journal of Laws of 2000, No 98, item 1071, as amended), the applicant may request to the competent authority for the review of the case within 14 days of its delivery.