The UAE employs many nurses from the Philippines in public and private hospitals. The most important thing to know first is that the UAE has three health regulators, and the one you need depends on where your employer is:
- DHA (Dubai Health Authority) for Dubai
- DOH (Department of Health) for Abu Dhabi
- MOHAP (Ministry of Health and Prevention) for the northern emirates and federal facilities. Sharjah also has its own health authority.
All three follow shared national rules, the Unified Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR). This guide uses Dubai (DHA) as the worked example and notes where the others differ. The licence steps below are the same for every nationality. Every fee was checked on 31 Oct 2026 on the official page named next to it.
Quick summary
| Stage | Who runs it | Official fee or rule (checked 31 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility self-assessment | DHA (Sheryan portal) | Free (DHA Get Registered) |
| Primary Source Verification (PSV) | DataFlow Group | Check the official site. DataFlow's DHA guide quoted AED 935 for nurses in 2023 (DataFlow) |
| Licensing exam (CBT) | Prometric, where required | Check the official site |
| DHA registration | DHA | AED 200 credentialing fee, plus knowledge and innovation fees at checkout (DHA) |
| MOHAP licence (MOHAP areas) | MOHAP | AED 100 application and AED 1,000 licence (MOHAP) |
| Work permit and residence visa | Employer, through MOHRE and ICP | Paid by the employer, under UAE rules (u.ae workers' rights) |
Step 1: Check if you are eligible
Start with the free Self-Assessment Tool on DHA's Sheryan portal. It checks your qualification and experience against the PQR for your job title (DHA Get Registered).
In 2022 the UAE health regulators jointly removed the two-year post-qualification experience requirement for registered nurses holding a bachelor's degree in nursing (reported by Khaleej Times, 18 July 2022). Diploma holders and assistant nurse roles have different rules. The PQR is updated from time to time, so confirm your own category in the Self-Assessment Tool before you rely on this.
Good standing. DHA requires a good standing certificate from your nursing regulator, dated no more than 6 months before you apply (DHA licensing manual). For a Filipino nurse, this comes from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). Ask for it close to your application date, not months earlier.
Step 2: Primary Source Verification with DataFlow
The UAE regulators do not accept your certificates at face value. DataFlow Group contacts your school, your regulator and your past employers directly to confirm them. DHA says a registration cannot be processed until the PSV report is complete, and that PSV can run alongside your exam (DHA).
- Fee: check the official site. DataFlow's own DHA page (dated May 2023) quoted AED 935 for nurses and allied health, with extra certificates possibly costing more (DataFlow).
- Time: the same page says reports take 15 to 24 working days. Delays usually come from schools or past employers that are slow to reply, so warn them in advance.
- If a result says "unable to verify", DHA allows re-verification twice. A "discrepancy" can be re-verified once (DHA manual).
Step 3: Pass the licensing exam if required
DHA says a computer-based test (CBT) delivered by Prometric is required for some professionals, depending on the position, and that you must pass within three attempts across the UAE authorities (DHA). MOHAP says its Prometric results are pass or fail, with a minimum passing score of 60%. After three failures you may apply through another authority (MOHAP evaluation).
The exam fee and question count are on the official site. DataFlow's guide describes a two-hour exam of roughly 100 to 150 questions, in English. Practise with our free UAE licence question banks before you book.
Step 4: Get registered, then get your licence activated
In Dubai you apply through Sheryan for Get Registered. DHA lists:
- Fee: AED 200 credentialing fee, plus knowledge and innovation fees at checkout
- Processing time: 5 working days
- Validity: one year. You are not licensed to practise until a DHA-licensed facility hires you and activates your licence
So you can register before you have a job, then use the registration to apply to Dubai employers within the year.
Abu Dhabi (DOH) uses the TAMM portal for new healthcare professional licences (TAMM). MOHAP lists an AED 100 application fee and an AED 1,000 licence fee (MOHAP).
Step 5: Job, work permit and visa
Your employer applies to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) for your work permit. MOHRE lists a 2 working day processing time for the overseas recruitment permit, and nurses need a professional licence from the health authority (MOHRE). After arrival, you complete a medical fitness test, then your Emirates ID and residence visa are arranged through your employer.
Who pays? The UAE government states that charging recruitment fees to workers is illegal, and that recruitment, travel and residence costs are borne by the employer (u.ae workers' rights).
Philippine rules. Overseas employment for Filipino workers also follows Philippine government rules. We did not open the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) pages for this guide, so check the current DMW requirements on dmw.gov.ph before you sign a contract.
Typical timeline
| Stage | Official guide | Planning range |
|---|---|---|
| Self-assessment | Instant | 1 day |
| DataFlow PSV | DataFlow quoted 15 to 24 working days | 3 to 8 weeks |
| Prometric exam | Book while PSV runs | 2 to 6 weeks |
| DHA Get Registered | 5 working days | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Job, work permit and visa | MOHRE permit 2 working days | 1 to 3 months |
Scam warning
- You should not pay for a UAE job. The UAE says charging recruitment fees to workers is illegal. Ask any agency for its licence and check it with the Philippine government before you pay anything.
- Visit visas do not allow work. Arriving on a visit visa does not give you the right to work. Your employer must arrange your work permit.
- Never fake experience letters. DataFlow contacts every employer you list. A discrepancy can block your licence.
- Check the facility's licence. Confirm the DHA, DOH or MOHAP licence of any facility that hires you.
Check any agent with our free fake-agent checker.
Practise free
Our UAE licence question banks for DHA, DOH and MOHAP-style exams are free, always. Take a timed set and download your free PDF report card.
FAQ
Which licence should I get first: DHA, DOH or MOHAP? Get the one for the emirate where you most want to work. A DHA registration lets Dubai employers activate your licence. Moving between authorities later needs a transfer or a new application.
Can I get a DHA registration without a job? Yes. The registration is valid for one year. A licensed facility must then activate it before you can practise.
Who pays for my UAE visa? UAE rules say the employer bears recruitment, travel and residence costs. Ask your employer to confirm this in writing before you sign.
Sources (checked 31 Oct 2026)
- DHA: Get Registered service, Manual for Licensing Healthcare Professionals
- MOHAP: Licence for nursing professionals, Evaluation of health professional
- DOH Abu Dhabi: TAMM licence journey
- UAE Government: MOHRE overseas work permit, Workers' rights
- DataFlow: DHA guide (company page, dated 2023)