International Recognition of your qualification

The International Confederation of Registers for Exercise Professionals (ICREPs) and the European Register of Exercise Professionals (EREPs) both provide relationships between fitness associations in different countries across the world. This relationship allows international portability enabling fitness professionals to transfer their fitness qualifications within each member country of ICREPs and EREPs. Besides enabling fitness professionals to work within different countries, the purpose of these international registers is to ensure that fitness standards are maintained and are consistent between the countries. ICREPs is recognised by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) as the global body representing national registration bodies of exercise professionals and EREPs is regulated by the European Health and Fitness Association (EHFA) Standards Council to support the professional needs of the European fitness indusrty.

Fitness Australia, an Australian fitness association, is a member of both ICREPs and EREPs. Once a fitness professional has gained registration or a Letter of Portability from Fitness Australia, they are eligible to register and work within the ICREPs member countries. However, in the case for EREPs, professionals will only be supplied with a certificate from EREPs and not a letter of portability.

Fitness Australia provides professional memberships to fitness qualifications provided by the Australian College of Sport & Fitness. Graduates from the College are eligible to work in the member countries of ICREPs and EREPs once they have followed the correct procedure.

Physical Activity is a fitness association in Australia which also provides a letter of portability for fitness professionals to be eligible to work with ICREPs members

Fitness graduates at the College are able to register with Fitness Australia. Registration with Fitness Australia is the benchmark for fitness industry standards across Australia. Students at the College can gain international recognition and directly transfer to work in numerous regions of the world through the portability agreement between Fitness Australia and ICREPs and EREPs. Some of these regions are:

• REPs Ireland
• REPs New Zealand
• REPs South Africa
• REPs United Arab Emirates
• REPs United Kingdom
• REPs United States of America
• NFLA/ANLCP Canada
• REPs Belgium
• REPs Polska

How to gain international recognition

International Recognition in Europe

Students must register with EREPs through their certification and/or portability letter from Fitness Australia. To practise as a exercise professional in European countries, students will need to register with the individual country’s national registration body. They can obtain this by showing their EREPs certification.

Example: International Recognition in France

It is mandatory to get recognition from the French government or one of its specialised sport entities to get a French equivalence to Australian qualifications. In France, fitness is a regulated profession and it is necessary to have a licence to practise. An EREPs (European Register of Exercise Professionals) certificate helps to shoe individual equivalency to the French Brevet d’Etat qualification for a license application.

Students have to apply for “Carte Professionelle” to work in France and may use EREPs Certificate to apply.

How to register with Fitness Australia

Submit the following:

• Completed Registration Form  – Link
• Australian fitness qualification certificate and statement of attainment showing that your qualifications have been formally mapped to Australian requirements.
• Current Australian First Aid and CPR certifications

How to transfer your registration

To register with an ICREPs registered region, you will need to provide either:

• Your Fitness Australia Registration card/certificate

OR

• If you don’t hold current exercise professional registration, you need a letter of portability from Fitness Australia  to verify that your qualifications meet current Fitness Australia registration requirements. This letter will be recognised for registration in any ICREPs member countries. To request this letter, complete the International Portability Application Form and pay an administration fee of $50.

International Portability Application Form – Download

ICREPs has also produced a global matrix that maps each ICREPs member’s registration levels against the others, which provides a clear pathway for exercise professionals considering moving countries.

Global Matrix – Download