Private companies that recruit medical specialists are currently “blooming” in France, mainly targeting specialists from Eastern Europe, especially from Romania, writes French publication L’Union. Even if this is a “relatively new” phenomenon, local authorities and hospital managers in France don’t hesitate to use the services provided by these organizations, be they French or foreign.

Romania’s accession to the EU in 2007 “made our business take off,” said French Sophie Leroy, founder of Arime - the Association for the Finding and Settlement of European Doctors, quoted by L’Union.

The primary reason why private recruitment companies in France are targeting medical specialists from Romania is financial: Romanian doctors earn only EUR 300 or EUR 400 per month in their home country. Another motive is that French is one of the main foreign languages taught in Romanian schools, thus more Romanian doctors have at least a working knowledge of French than their regional counterparts.

According to the French publication, most of the candidates come from the EU as their European diplomas allow them to practice medicine in France, the same as any French doctor. Read the entire L’Union article here.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com