What are the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRA) on nursing, medical practitioner, and dental practitioner?

The implementation of the MRAs on nursing, medical practitioner, and dental practitioner, are undertaken by their respective ASEAN Joint Coordinating Committees (AJCCs) as stipulated in the MRAs, which are overseen and coordinated by the Healthcare Services Sectoral Working Group (HSSWG) under the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Services (CCS). The three AJCCs are:

• ASEAN Joint Coordinating Committee on Medical Practitioners (AJCCM)
• ASEAN Joint Coordinating Committee on Nursing (AJCCN)
• ASEAN Joint Coordinating Committee on Dental Practitioners (AJCCD)

The objectives of these three (3) healthcare-related MRAs are to:

• facilitate mobility of professionals within ASEAN;
• exchange information and enhance cooperation in respect of mutual recognition of these professionals;
• promote adoption of best practices on standards and qualifications; and
• provide opportunities for capacity building and training.

In line with the objectives of these MRAs, works being undertaken by the AJCCs are to:

• Exchange information with regards to laws, practices and developments in the healthcare practice;
• Exchange information with regards to procedures for registration and licensing of domestic and foreign practitioners in each ASEAN Member State;
• Discuss required qualifications;
• Identify and undertake exchange programs;
• Identify potentials areas to facilitate further mobility; and
• Review the MRAs as mandate.

MRAs in the healthcare services do not adopt ASEAN-wide registration system unlike those under the business services. Appropriate form of mobility of healthcare practitioners continued to be explored taking into account patient safety as the paramount consideration. Information on the procedures for registration and licensing of foreign practitioners in each ASEAN Member State has been shared to facilitate registration and licensing of healthcare professionals in ASEAN.

Further information, including available information on the procedures for registration and licensing of foreign practitioners in each ASEAN Member State, is available at the ASEAN healthcare services website at http://www. asean.org/communities/asean-economic-community/category/healthcareservices.