Measuring occupational entry regulations: A new OECD approach

This paper explores cross-country differences in the design and stringency of occupational entry regulations (OER) in five professional services, nine personal services and nurses, based on a new composite indicator. The indicator – which is available for a total of 18 OECD countries, India and South Africa, with Canada and the United States being covered at the province-level or state-level – provides a comparative source of information on the various approaches used across countries to regulate entry into services. It notably distinguishes between different areas of regulation (administrative, qualification and mobility requirements) and different types of regulation (licensing, a situation in which only supervisors require a license, and certification). According to these metrics, the stringency of OER varies significantly across occupations, with stark differences emerging between personal and professional services, which are typically subject to far stricter entry requirements.