In Panama, there are certain professions that cannot be practiced by foreigners. This limitation is legally supported by Article 20 of the Constitution, which states:
ARTICLE 20. Panamanians and foreigners are equal before the law, but the law may, for reasons of labor, health, morality, public safety, and national economy, subject the exercise of certain activities by foreigners to special conditions or deny it altogether. Likewise, the law or authorities, under certain circumstances, may take measures that exclusively affect nationals of certain countries in times of war or in accordance with what is established in international treaties.
In this way, we can mention among the professions reserved for Panamanians, the following:
Profession | Regulation | |
1 | SECURITY AGENT | LAW 56 OF 2011 |
2 | SURVEYOR | LAW 53 OF 1963 |
3 | AGRONOMY | LAW 22 OF 1961 |
4 | AGROSTOLOGY | LAW 22 OF 1961 |
5 | DENTAL ASSISTANT | LAW 21 OF 1994 |
6 | MEDICAL ASSISTANT | DECREE 32 OF 1975 |
7 | BARBERSHOP AND COSMETOLOGY | LAW 4 OF 1956 |
8 | BOTANICAL AGRICULTURE | LAW 22 OF 1961 |
9 | AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES | LAW 22 OF 1961 |
10 | ACCOUNTING | LAW 57 OF 1978 |
11 | DASONOMY | LAW 22 OF 1961 |
12 | LAW | LAW 9 OF 1984 |
13 | ECONOMY | LAW 2 OF 1981 |
14 | AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY | LAW 22 OF 1961 |
15 | EDAFOLOGY | LAW 22 OF 1961 |
16 | VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION | LAW 22 OF 1961 |
17 | NURSING | LAW 1 OF 1954 |
18 | PHARMACY | LAW 24 OF 1963 |
19 | PHYSIOTHERAPY | LAW 47 OF 1984 |
20 | PHYTOGENETICS | LAW 22 OF 1961 |
21 | FITOPALOGY | LAW 22 OF 1961 |
22 | SPEECH THERAPY AND SIMILAR | LAW 34 OF 1980 |
23 | HORTICULTURE | LAW 22 OF 1961 |
24 | AGRICULTURAL ENGINEER | EXECUTIVE DECREE 257 OF 1965 |
25 | ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEER | EXECUTIVE DECREE 257 OF 1965 |
26 | ARCHITECTURE | LAW 15 OF 1959 |
27 | CIVIL ENGINEER | EXECUTIVE DECREE 257 OF 1965 |
28 | MINING ENGINEER | EXECUTIVE DECREE 257 OF 1965 |
9 | ELECTRICAL ENGINEER | EXECUTIVE DECREE 257 OF 1965 |
30 | GEOLOGICAL ENGINEER | EXECUTIVE DECREE 257 OF 1965 |
31 | INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER | EXECUTIVE DECREE 257 OF 1965 |
32 | MECHANICAL ENGINEER | EXECUTIVE DECREE 257 OF 1965 |
33 | CHEMICAL ENGINEER | EXECUTIVE DECREE 257 OF 1965 |
34 | LABORATORY TECHNICIAN | LAW 74 OF 1978 |
35 | MASTER BUILDER | LAW 53 OF 1963 |
36 | MEDICINE | EXECUTIVE DECREE 196 OF 1970 |
37 | VETERINARY MEDICINE | LAW 3 OF 1983 |
38 | NUTRITION | DECREE 362 OF 1962 |
39 | DENTISTRY | LAW 22 OF 1956 |
40 | PSYCHOLOGY | LAW 56 OF 1975 |
41 | CHEMISTRY | LAW 45 OF 2001 |
32 | AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY | LAW 22 OF 1961 |
43 | LABORATORY TECHNICIAN | DECREE 8 OF 1967 |
44 | MEDICAL RADIOLOGIST | LAW 42 OF 1980 |
45 | SOCIOLOGY | LAW 1 OF 1996 |
46 | AGRICULTURAL ZOOLOGY | LAW 22 OF 1961 |
37 | SOCIAL WORK | LAW 17 OF 1981 |
48 | MEDICAL VISITOR | LAW 24 OF 1963 |
49 | ZOOTECHNICS | LAW 22 OF 1961 |