Information for persons who wish to acquire a certificate of competence

From which examining bodies can a certificate of competence be obtained? What should be kept in mind?

Under the O-NIRSA, persons performing the treatments using non-ionising radiation and sound listed in Table 1 (see General information) must acquire a certificate of competence from 2024. However, we would urge people to obtain a certificate of competence now as inappropriate treatment can cause injury to the person performing the treatment or to the client.

It is important to note that only one certificate of competence is required for each type of treatment, e.g. laser hair removal (see General information). In other words, without any prior knowledge (Path 1, see Information on structure), for this certificate of competence, the following modules would have to be completed:

1.    the fundamentals module for 4-5 days,
2.    the technologies module for at least 1-2 days, and
3.    a TKS module for at least 2 days.

If a person wished to obtain an additional certificate of competence, e.g. for permanent make-up and tattoo removal, an additional TKS module lasting at least 2 days would have to be completed. However, the person would not have to repeat the fundamentals and technologies modules that they completed previously.

A certificate of competence must be acquired in full from an examining body. Afterwards, further certificates of competence can be acquired from other examining bodies, whereby only the regular TKS module has to be completed and passed.

If a person has already completed a certificate of competence with an extended TKS module, they will only have to complete the regular TKS module for any subsequent certificate of competence as they have already passed the exam for the extended part.

The FOPH has prepared an Ordinance for the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) listing the various certificates of competence. This Ordinance also lists all the relevant examining bodies entitled to conduct the relevant examinations. In order to be included in the FDHA Ordinance, an examining body must submit an application to the FOPH, meet the administrative body’s requirements concerning examination content and regulations, and comply with the FOPH guidance.

The list of current examination centres that may issue certificates of competence for treatments with non-ionising radiation according to O-NIRSA can be found at the following link. The current list is updated every six months.