Mountain Guide beings: Hiking Guide - Recognition of Professional Qualifications from other EU/EEA Member States

Hiking guides from other provinces or foreign states may temporarily work in Vorarlberg for occasional excursions without having to obtain a certificate from the Mountain Guides’Association (Bergführerverband), provided that they are legally established as hiking guides in their Austrian province or foreign state of origin. For only temporary and
occasional services in Vorarlberg, the provisions regarding excursion traffic (see the relevant PSC form). If the hike is in the Vorarlberg border area, the excursion provisions do not have to be applied, provided that the hike begins and ends outside Vorarlberg.

Longer-term stays that are not merely temporary are referred to as establishment. In this case, training and examinations must be recognised by the Mountain Guides’ Association.
If there are substantial differences from the qualifications required by the Vorarlberg regulations and if these cannot be compensated for by knowledge gained through professional experience or further professional training (seminars, other forms of further training), applicants have the choice between an aptitude test and an adaptation period. The aptitude test and the adaptation period are conducted by the Vorarlberg Mountain Guides’ Association.

This also applies to evidence of training issued in third countries or to third-country nationals, provided that these are to be treated as equivalent on the basis of EU law or an international treaty.

None

As a rule, no fee is payable. Any aptitude tests and adaptation courses will be charged by the Mountain Guides’ Association according to the expenses incurred.

Section 23 of the Mountain Guides Act (Bergführergesetz)

General Administrative Procedure Act (Allgemeines Verwaltungsverfahrensgesetz) 1991

Vorarlberg Provincial Regulation on Administrative Fees (Verwaltungsabgabenverordnung des Landes Vorarlberg)

Federal Law on Dues (Gebührengesetz) 1957

The application must be accompanied by:

a) training certificates from the competent body,
b) evidence of professional practice and continuing professional development,
c) evidence of the content and scope of the training and examinations completed (curricula and similar),
d) proof of nationality, and
e) where necessary, a certificate documenting a change of name.

Evidence can be submitted both as originals or copies. If there is any doubt about the authenticity of a document, a certified copy may be requested. For evidence listed in letters a) to d), a translation by a certified translation agency must be enclosed upon request for all documents not in German.

Bergführerwesen: Wanderführer - Anerkennung von Ausbildungen und Prüfungen [Mountain Guide beings: hiking guide - recognition of the professional qualifications from other EU/EEA Member States]

The Mountain Guides’ Association will, upon application, recognise diplomas, certificates and other evidence certifying successful completion of training within the meaning of Directive 2005/36/EC that have been issued to a national of a Member State of the
European Union by a competent body of a Member State, as substitutes for examinations and training within the meaning of the respective section of the Mountain Guides Act and the regulations issued thereunder.

If there are substantial differences between the proven qualification and the qualification regulated in the section of the Mountain Guides Act dealing with hiking guides and in the
regulations issued in this respect and if these differences cannot be compensated for by knowledge, in particular on the basis of professional practice or further professional training, the Mountain Guides’ Association will grant recognition on the condition precedent that the acquisition of the missing qualification must be proven by passing an aptitude test or by attending an adaptation course within 4 years.

Personal data is processed in order to handle your case and/or conduct proceedings. Information on data processing and your rights as a data subject can be found in the form.

Vorarlberger Bergführerverband [Vorarlberg Mountain Guides Association]:

Contact: +43(0)6642234935; vorarlberg@bergfuehrer.at; www.bergfuehrer.at/vorarlberg

An electronic or handwritten signature is not required for applications.

Appeals against decisions of the Provincial Government may be lodged with the Regional Administrative Court (Landesverwaltungsgericht). The appeal must specify the contested
decision and the authority that issued it. It must contain a request and set out the grounds on which the allegation of illegality is based.

The appeal must be filed in writing to the relevant competent provincial government within 4 weeks of the date of notification of the
decision and must contain information that makes it possible to assess its timeliness. The appeal may be filed electronically: Appeals in administrative proceedings.

EAP Vorarlberg  

Assistenzzentrum nach der EU-Berufsanerkennungsrichtlinie 2005/36/EG 
Mag. Irene Linke
Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Wirtschaft
Stubenring 1 
1010 Wien 
T +43 1 71100 805446 F +43 1 71100 935446 irene.linke@bmaw.gv.at post.i7@bmaw.gv.at
http://www.bmaw.gv.at/ 

Amt der Vorarlberger Landesregierung
Römerstraße 15
6900 Bregenz

16 October 2019