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Working in the UAE and the Gulf

UAE and Gulf health workers moving to UK, EU, US (2026)

For health professionals licensed in the UAE and the wider Gulf, wherever you first trained: what transfers to the UK, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and the USA, what does not, and how to leave your Gulf post with the evidence you need.

United KingdomIrelandGermanyNetherlandsUnited States

Overview

A licence from the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), the Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH), the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS), Qatar's Department of Healthcare Professions (QCHP) or any other Gulf authority does not transfer to the UK, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands or the USA.

Each destination looks back to the qualification that first allowed you to practise and the country where you gained it, then sets its own English or language test and its own exam or assessment. Your Gulf licence still matters a great deal: it is evidence of your registration history, your good standing and your recent experience.

Most people reading this did not train in the Gulf. Gulf hospitals are staffed by nurses, doctors and allied health professionals trained in India, the Philippines, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, Nigeria, Kenya and many other countries. So you have two sets of paperwork: documents and verification from your country of training, and licences, good standing and experience letters from every Gulf authority you have worked under. Read this page alongside the page for your country of training.

What carries over is specific. Gulf clinical experience counts towards the GMC's alternative to an internship and its sponsorship rule of practice in three of the last five years, towards the 1,600 chair-side hours the GDC needs for the ORE, towards the HCPC's standards of proficiency mapping, and towards offsetting gaps in German and Dutch recognition decisions. What does not carry over is just as clear: no destination counts Gulf practice as practice in an English-speaking country, so almost everyone needs IELTS or OET, and Gulf board or specialty certificates do not replace UK, Irish or US exams.

Living in the Gulf also changes how the international recruitment rules apply. GOV.UK says the UK code of practice's rules on active recruitment and direct applications depend on the country where you live when you apply, not your nationality, and no Gulf state is on its red or amber list. Some exams can be taken in the Gulf: PLAB 1 in Dubai and Riyadh, the NMC CBT at Pearson VUE centres, and the Irish Medical Council's PRES Level 2 in Dubai. The NCLEX cannot: no Gulf country is on NCLEX's list of international testing locations.

The practical difference is timing. Certificates of good standing expire quickly (three months for the GMC, the Irish Medical Council and the BIG register), referees move on, and some evidence is far easier to collect while you are still employed and licensed. This page sets out what to gather before you resign, how each destination treats Gulf good standing and verification, and the route to each country from a Gulf post.

Where you can go

United Kingdom

No Gulf licence transfers, but Gulf experience counts in defined ways and two exams can be sat in the region. Doctors use PLAB (PLAB 1 in Dubai or Riyadh) or an accepted UK college qualification, nurses sit the CBT locally and the OSCE in the UK, and allied health professionals apply to the HCPC with a mapping document.

  1. 1Pass IELTS or OET at your regulator's score; Gulf practice does not exempt you.
  2. 2Request good standing from every regulator your UK regulator asks for, timed to its validity window.
  3. 3Sit PLAB 1 in Dubai or Riyadh, or the NMC CBT at a Pearson VUE centre in the Gulf.
  4. 4Collect experience letters and references before you resign.
  5. 5Take PLAB 2 in Manchester or the OSCE in the UK, then apply for registration and the Health and Care Worker visa.

Watch out: A Saudi Board, Arab Board or similar certificate does not replace PLAB; UK college qualifications such as MRCP(UK) or MRCS do if awarded within three years of your registration being approved. The Medical Training Initiative closed to new applicants on 31 March 2026.

Full guide to working in the United Kingdom

Ireland

The Irish Medical Council runs PRES Level 2 in Dubai, which makes Ireland one of the most accessible routes for Gulf-based doctors. NMBI assesses nurses' original training and counts documented experience.

  1. 1Doctors: verify your degree and internship through EPIC and check whether you fit the COE, Higher Qualification or PRES route.
  2. 2Sit PRES Level 2 in Dubai if your route needs it (fee €352), then PRES Level 3 in Ireland.
  3. 3Nurses: apply in MyNMBI, with employment forms from your Gulf employers so your experience can be counted.
  4. 4Arrange good standing from every body the regulator asks for (three months for doctors, six months for NMBI).
  5. 5Secure a job offer of at least two years for the Critical Skills Employment Permit.

Watch out: A GMC PLAB 2 pass exempts doctors from PRES; there is no reciprocal arrangement. NMBI exempts English only for training or practice in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the USA or the UK.

Full guide to working in Ireland

Germany

German recognition looks at your original training, but the law lets the authority offset substantial differences with experience gained through lawful practice in any country, including the Gulf. German is the main hurdle.

  1. 1Start German to B2 while you are still working.
  2. 2Find the competent authority for your profession and state through the Recognition Finder.
  3. 3Get detailed Gulf experience letters showing wards, specialties and hours.
  4. 4Legalise or apostille documents as your authority asks; UAE, Qatari and Kuwaiti documents cannot be apostilled.
  5. 5Apply, then close any gaps through a knowledge test or adaptation period.

Watch out: Good standing and medical certificates must be no more than three months old at submission. North Rhine-Westphalia requires qualified German translations even of English documents.

Full guide to working in Germany

Netherlands

The BIG register's certificate of professional competence route is open to Gulf-licensed professionals, with Dutch as the main requirement. Documented Gulf experience can shorten the extra training the CBGV advises.

  1. 1Reach the Dutch level for your profession (B1 for nurses, B2+ for doctors, dentists and pharmacists).
  2. 2Check that your English reading certificate matches the BIG register's bands; an IELTS from a UK or Gulf application may not map neatly.
  3. 3Apply free through mijn.bigregister.nl with certified copies (not apostilles).
  4. 4Sit the BI-test if your profession has one and complete any internship the CBGV advises.
  5. 5Register with a Certificate of Current Professional Status from each Gulf authority, under three months old.

Watch out: Gulf advanced practice or specialist titles do not transfer directly; Dutch specialist and nurse specialist registers have their own requirements.

Full guide to working in the Netherlands

United States

Gulf-licensed nurses can follow the NCLEX and EB-3 route, but must travel to take the NCLEX because no Gulf country is a testing location. Licensed doctors use ECFMG's Pathway 1 with good standing from each licensing authority.

  1. 1Choose a state board and order its credentials evaluation, listing every licence you have held.
  2. 2Have every Gulf and home-country licensing authority send verification directly to the evaluator.
  3. 3Book the NCLEX-RN at a listed international location, for example Jordan or India, or in the US.
  4. 4Doctors: pass USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK, OET Medicine and Pathway 1 for ECFMG certification.
  5. 5Get VisaScreen ($740) and work with your sponsoring employer on the visa petition.

Watch out: USCIS says a September 2025 proclamation requires a $100,000 payment with certain new H-1B petitions for workers outside the US without a current H-1B visa. Ask your employer's attorney which route applies to you.

Full guide to working in the United States

Documents to gather

  1. A list of every licence you have held, with numbers and dates

    Write down every Gulf authority you have been licensed by (for example DHA and DOH, or SCFHS then QCHP), with licence numbers, categories and start and end dates, plus your home-country registration and any others. Every destination asks you to declare all your registrations, and TruMerit's VisaScreen validates every licence you have ever held, including expired ones. Missing a past licence is a common reason for delay or questions about your honesty.

  2. Certificates of good standing from each Gulf regulator

    Each Gulf authority issues its own certificate of good standing through its licensing services; ask yours about the current process, fee and processing time. SCFHS, for example, issues its Good Standing Certificate through Mumaris+ for SAR 300, in 10 business days. Because the GMC, Irish Medical Council and BIG register want certificates no more than three months old, request each one close to when the destination needs it, and ask whether the authority can send it directly.

  3. Good standing and documents from your country of training

    Destinations verify your original qualification and registration where you trained, not only in the Gulf. The NMC contacts the regulator in the country where you trained, GMC and Irish Medical Council applicants verify their medical degree through EPIC, and TruMerit and ECFMG want documents sent directly by your school and home licensing authority. Contact your home-country council and university early, because they are often the slowest link.

  4. Experience letters and references while you are still in post

    Ask HR and your line manager for letters on hospital letterhead with exact dates, department or unit, grade, specialty and whether you worked full time. The GMC's five-year activity history needs exact dates, the GDC needs clinical references covering at least 1,600 chair-side hours dated within three months of applying, the GPhC wants an employer reference on headed paper with an official stamp, and HCPC referees must have supervised you and be contactable on an official work email. Collect these before your last day, while your director is easy to reach.

  5. MOFA attestation or apostille where the destination asks for it

    The UAE, Qatar and Kuwait are not parties to the Apostille Convention, while Saudi Arabia (since 7 December 2022), Oman (since 30 January 2012) and Bahrain (since 31 December 2013) are. For UAE-issued documents, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers attestation of documents for use abroad, digitally or by courier, through its website or app with UAE Pass. UK regulators ask for certified copies rather than legalisation and the Dutch BIG register does not accept an apostille as certification, but German authorities may ask for an apostille or legalisation, so ask your authority before you pay.

  6. Certified translations of anything in Arabic

    If a licence, letter or certificate is in Arabic, get a certified English translation. The NMC asks for a stamped and signed copy of the original from a translation service, a complete English translation also stamped and signed, and the translator's contact details. Germany needs German translations by a qualified translator, and the BIG register needs a sworn translation of anything not in Dutch or English.

  7. Police clearance from your Gulf country of residence

    CORU asks for police clearance from each country where you lived for one year and one day or longer since age 18, and German authorities ask for a certificate of good conduct, no more than three months old, from Germany and your country of origin. Ask whether your destination also wants one from your Gulf country of residence, and get it before you cancel your residence visa, when it is usually simpler to obtain.

  8. Your end-of-service paperwork

    Your notice period, end-of-service benefits and exit formalities are set by your Gulf contract and the local labour law, not by any destination regulator, so check them with HR before you set dates. Keep your final salary certificate, experience letter and licence cancellation or transfer confirmation together. Avoid resigning before your destination registration and visa are secure.

Verification and good standing

  • DataFlow: Gulf regulators such as DHA, SCFHS and QCHP use DataFlow primary source verification for their own licensing. The destination regulators covered here run their own checks instead: EPIC for the GMC and Irish Medical Council, direct contact with your regulator for the NMC and HCPC, documents sent directly to TruMerit and ECFMG in the USA, and certified documents for the BIG register and German authorities. None of the destination pages we checked lists a DataFlow report as accepted evidence, so expect your documents to be verified again.
  • GMC (UK doctors): a certificate of good standing from every medical regulator you have been registered or licensed with in the last five years, even if you did not work in that country. Each is valid for three months from signature and must still be valid when the GMC approves your application. A regulator you are no longer registered with may send a certificate of past good standing; ask Gulf authorities to email it to the GMC directly where possible.
  • NMC (UK nurses and midwives): declare all registrations and provide your regulator's certificate with a copy of your registration certificate; the NMC contacts the regulator directly, and accepts a statement of entry where a regulator no longer issues certificates. Be ready to provide good standing from each Gulf authority as well as your country of training.
  • GDC, GPhC and HCPC (UK): the GDC wants a current certificate from the dental authority where you last worked; the GPhC wants a letter from the regulator where you qualified and every healthcare regulator from the past five years, valid for six months and received within three months of issue; the HCPC contacts relevant regulators during verification.
  • Irish Medical Council and NMBI: the Medical Council wants a certificate dated within three months from every registration body in the past five years, emailed directly to [email protected] and still in date at activation. NMBI wants a Certificate of Current Professional Status issued in the last six months from every jurisdiction where you registered or practised.
  • USA: ECFMG requires Pathway 1 for anyone who has held an unsupervised licence on or after 1 January 2022, with a certificate or letter of good standing sent directly by each licensing authority; if one arrives before you apply, you must submit your Pathways application within 90 days of its issue date. TruMerit validates every current and past licence for VisaScreen, and boards such as Texas want verification from every country where you have held a licence.
  • Netherlands and Germany: the BIG register asks for a Certificate of Current Professional Status from your country of training and any country where you lived or worked for three months or more, no more than three months old. German authorities ask for a certificate of good standing or equivalent no more than three months old at submission.

English tests

  • Gulf practice does not count for English exemptions anywhere we cover. The NMC's list of majority English-speaking countries (January 2025), the HCPC's list of qualifying countries and the exemption lists of NMBI, the Irish Medical Council and VisaScreen include no Gulf state, and the GMC accepts employer confirmation only from countries where English is the first and native language.
  • If you trained in a country on one of those lists, for example the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand (or Kenya for the HCPC), your exemption comes from where you trained, not from your Gulf work. Check the exact wording on your regulator's page, because NMBI also accepts three years of practice in the last five in one of its five named countries.
English test scores by regulator
NMCUK nurses and midwivesIELTSAcademic 7 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writingOETB, with C+ in writing
GMCUK doctorsIELTSAcademic 7.0 in each skill and 7.5 overallOETMedicine B in each
GDCUK dentistsIELTSAcademic 6.5 in each and 7 overallOETNot stated here: check the regulator
GPhCUK pharmacistsIELTSAcademic 7 in each and overallOETPharmacy B in each (OET@Home not accepted)
HCPCUK allied health professionsIELTS7.0 overall with no element below 6.5, at a test centreOETNot stated here: check the regulator
NMBINurses and midwives in IrelandIELTSAcademic 7.0 overall with 7.0 in three components and 6.5 in oneOETB in three and C+ in one, from one sitting
Irish Medical CouncilDoctors in IrelandIELTSAcademic 7.0 with 6.5 in eachOETMedicine B in each module
VisaScreenUS registered nursesIELTS6.5 overall with 7 in speakingOET360 speaking, 340 reading, 350 writing and 320 listening
ECFMGUS doctorsIELTSNot acceptedOETMedicine only, 350 in listening, reading and speaking and 300 in writing, with no exemptions
  • Test centres: IDP runs IELTS in Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Al Ain, Dibba, Dubai, Fujairah, Khorfakkan, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah, including IELTS for UKVI and One Skill Retake. OET is also delivered in the Gulf; use OET's venue finder for current venues and dates. NMBI and the Irish Medical Council do not accept online versions of IELTS or OET.
  • Germany and the Netherlands do not use English for licensing. You need German (usually a B2 certificate plus a professional language exam) or Dutch (B1 for nurses, B2 or B2+ for other professions). Gulf workplaces run in English and Arabic, so most people start these languages from scratch, and it is usually the longest stage.

Sitting exams from here

  • PLAB 1 (UK doctors): held at British Council centres overseas, including Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and Dubai in the UAE, as well as in UK cities, Dublin and Madrid. Bookings for overseas centres close about six weeks before the exam. PLAB 2 is held only in Manchester.
  • NMC CBT (UK nurses and midwives): delivered by Pearson VUE, including at centres in the Gulf. The OSCE is held only at NMC-approved centres in the UK.
  • Irish Medical Council PRES Level 2: held in Dublin and Dubai, with Dubai sittings on 6 August and 5 November 2026; you book by emailing the application form to the Council. PRES Level 3 is held in Ireland.
  • NCLEX-RN (USA nurses): no Gulf country is on NCLEX's current list of international testing locations. Listed countries include India, Jordan, Pakistan, the Philippines, the UK and others, with a $150 international scheduling fee on top of the registration fee.
  • USMLE (USA doctors): Step 1 and Step 2 CK are taken at Prometric centres; FSMB adds a $210 (Step 1) or $235 (Step 2 CK) region fee outside the US and Canada. Use Prometric's locator to check Gulf centres. Step 3 is taken only in the US.
  • UK-only and Europe-only assessments: both parts of the GDC's ORE, the NMC OSCE, the RCSI aptitude test (Dublin), Germany's Fachsprachprüfung and Kenntnisprüfung, and the Netherlands' BI-test cannot be taken in the Gulf. The HCPC's test of competence, if you are referred to one, is usually online on Microsoft Teams.

Ethical recruitment rules

  • WHO: no Gulf state is on the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List 2023. GOV.UK's red list is drawn from that list, and none of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain or Kuwait appears on the red or amber list in the UK code of practice (updated 27 March 2025).
  • Where you live is what counts: GOV.UK says the code's rules on active recruitment and direct applications are based on the country where you reside when you apply. If you are a national of a red-list country, such as Nigeria, Pakistan or Ghana, but live and work in the Gulf, the red-list restriction is tied to residence, not to your passport. Check how your employer or agency applies this.
  • Direct applications are always possible: GOV.UK says employers may consider a direct application from someone resident in a red-list country if the person applies on their own behalf without a third party. The rules govern recruiters and employers, not your right to apply to a regulator or a job.
  • Fees: international health and social care staff must not be charged fees for recruitment services relating to getting a job in the UK. Employers may choose to pay visa fees, and repayment clauses must be transparent, proportionate, time-limited and flexible, reclaiming only genuine, evidenced costs. NHS Employers keeps an ethical recruiters list, which does not make an agency a preferred supplier.
  • Leaving the Gulf: end-of-service benefits, notice and exit formalities are governed by your contract and the labour law of the country where you work, and public-sector employers may have their own rules. Check them with HR before you resign, and keep your licence active and in good order until the destination has verified it.

Questions

No. No destination we cover registers you on the strength of a Gulf licence. Each assesses your original qualification and sets its own exams; your Gulf licence counts as evidence of registration history, experience and good standing.

Often yes. The GMC and the Irish Medical Council want every regulator from the last five years, the GPhC every healthcare regulator from the last five years, NMBI every jurisdiction where you registered or practised, and VisaScreen validates every licence you have ever held. Check your destination's exact rule before ordering.

SCFHS issues its Good Standing Certificate through Mumaris+ for registered and classified practitioners. Its service page gives a fee of SAR 300 and a processing time of 10 business days. Time the request so the certificate is still valid when your destination needs it.

The destination regulators we checked run their own verification and do not list a DataFlow report as accepted evidence. Doctors verify through EPIC for the GMC and Irish Medical Council or ECFMG for the USA, the NMC contacts your regulator, and TruMerit wants documents sent directly by your school and licensing authorities.

No. Regulators decide English exemptions by country lists, and no Gulf state is on any of them. Plan to take IELTS or OET at your regulator's score, unless you trained in a country on its list.

Yes. PLAB 1 is held at British Council centres including Dubai and Riyadh, and the NMC CBT is available at Pearson VUE centres in the Gulf. PLAB 2 and the OSCE are held only in the UK.

No. No Gulf country is on NCLEX's current list of international testing locations. You can test in the US or in a listed country such as Jordan, India or the Philippines, with a $150 international scheduling fee.

Only if your destination asks for legalisation. UK regulators ask for certified copies and the BIG register does not accept apostilles as certification, but German authorities may ask for legalisation. The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so UAE documents are attested through MOFA rather than apostilled.

GOV.UK says the code's rules on active recruitment and direct applications are based on the country where you live when you apply, not your nationality, and no Gulf state is on the red list. You can also always apply directly to an employer yourself.

No. The GMC's list of acceptable overseas postgraduate qualifications contains no qualification awarded by a GCC body, and US certification needs USMLE and ECFMG. Your board training can still support a GMC Portfolio pathway application if you meet its criteria.

No regulator requires it, and it is easier to collect references, experience letters and good standing while you are still employed and licensed. Check your notice period and end-of-service terms with HR, and avoid resigning before your registration and visa are secure.

It can. German law lets the authority offset gaps in your training with experience from lawful practice in any country, and the Dutch CBGV considers work experience when it advises on extra training. Ask for letters showing wards, specialties and hours, not just dates.

Sources

  1. 1GOV.UK: Code of practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel in England (updated 27 March 2025)
  2. 2NHS Employers: Code of practice for international recruitment (March 2025)
  3. 3WHO: Health workforce support and safeguards list 2023
  4. 4SCFHS: Issue Good Standing Certificate
  5. 5SCFHS: Services directory
  6. 6Dubai Health Authority
Show all 43 sources
  1. 7Department of Health Abu Dhabi
  2. 8Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP)
  3. 9Qatar Ministry of Public Health: Department of Healthcare Professions
  4. 10UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Attestation
  5. 11HCCH: Apostille Convention status table
  6. 12DataFlow Group
  7. 13GMC: Your certificate of good standing
  8. 14GMC: Check if your practical training (internship) is acceptable
  9. 15GMC: Acceptable postgraduate qualifications
  10. 16GMC: Providing a reference from your employer (English)
  11. 17GMC: When and where can I take PLAB 1?
  12. 18NMC: Provide qualification and registration information
  13. 19NMC: List of accepted English-speaking countries (January 2025)
  14. 20NMC: Test of Competence for nurses and midwives
  15. 21GDC: How to apply for the ORE
  16. 22GPhC: Non-EEA qualified international pharmacists
  17. 23HCPC: International applications
  18. 24HCPC: Certificate of English language proficiency
  19. 25GOV.UK: Health and Care Worker visa
  20. 26Medical Council: PRES Level 2 exam dates
  21. 27Medical Council: First time registration applicants
  22. 28NMBI: English language requirements
  23. 29NMBI: Applicant User Guide (PDF)
  24. 30CORU: International applicants
  25. 31DETE: Critical Skills Employment Permit
  26. 32Bezirksregierung Münster: Approbation, training in a third country
  27. 33Gesetze im Internet: PflBG § 40
  28. 34Anerkennung in Deutschland: Recognition Finder
  29. 35BIG register: Certificate of professional competence
  30. 36BIG register: English reading skills
  31. 37NCLEX: Testing locations
  32. 38TruMerit: VisaScreen
  33. 39ECFMG: 2027 Pathways, Pathway 1
  34. 40USMLE: Apply for exams (fees)
  35. 41USCIS: H-1B specialty occupations
  36. 42Texas Board of Nursing: licensure by examination
  37. 43IDP IELTS UAE

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