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) pour Dubaï
- DOH (Department of Health) pour Abu Dhabi
- MOHAP (Ministry of Health and Prevention) pour les émirats du nord et les établissements fédéraux. Sharjah dispose également de sa propre autorité de santé.
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.
Résumé rapide
| Étape | Qui l'exploite | Frais ou règle officiels (vérifié le 31 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-évaluation de l'éligibilité | DHA (portail Sheryan) | 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) |
| Examen de licence (CBT) | Prometric, lorsque requis | Consultez le site officiel |
| DHA registration | DHA | AED 200 de frais d'accréditation, plus les frais de connaissance et d'innovation au moment du paiement (DHA) |
| MOHAP licence (MOHAP areas) | MOHAP | AED 100 application and AED 1,000 licence (MOHAP) |
| Permis de travail et visa de résidence | Employer, through MOHRE and ICP | Paid by the employer, under UAE rules (u.ae workers' rights) |
Étape 1 : Vérifier si vous êtes éligible
Commencez par l'outil d'auto-évaluation gratuit du portail Sheryan de la DHA. Il compare votre diplôme et votre expérience aux PQR correspondant à votre intitulé de poste (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.
Étape 2 : Primary Source Verification avec 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).
Étape 3 : Réussir l'examen de licence si nécessaire
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
À Dubaï, vous déposez votre demande de Get Registered via Sheryan. DHA indique :
- Fee: AED 200 credentialing fee, plus knowledge and innovation fees at checkout
- Délai de traitement : 5 jours ouvrables
- 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) utilise le portail TAMM pour les nouvelles licences de professionnels de santé (TAMM). MOHAP indique des frais de dossier de AED 100 et des frais de licence de AED 1,000 (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.
Calendrier type
| Étape | Guide officiel | Fourchette indicative |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-évaluation | Immédiat | 1 jour |
| DataFlow PSV | DataFlow a indiqué 15 à 24 jours ouvrables | 3 à 8 semaines |
| Examen Prometric | Réservez pendant le PSV | 2 à 6 semaines |
| DHA Get Registered | 5 jours ouvrables | 1 à 2 semaines |
| Job, work permit and visa | Permis MOHRE 2 jours ouvrables | 1 à 3 mois |
Avertissement contre les arnaques
- 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.
- Ne falsifiez jamais de lettres d'expérience. DataFlow contacte chaque employeur que vous indiquez. Une discordance peut bloquer votre licence.
- Check the facility's licence. Confirm the DHA, DOH or MOHAP licence of any facility that hires you.
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Nos banques de questions pour la licence aux Émirats arabes unis pour les examens DHA, DOH et de type MOHAP sont toujours gratuites. Passez une série chronométrée et téléchargez gratuitement votre bulletin de résultats en PDF.
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 (vérifiées le 31 Oct 2026)
- DHA : Get Registered service, Manual for Licensing Healthcare Professionals
- MOHAP : Licence pour les professionnels de soins infirmiers, Évaluation des professionnels de santé
- DOH Abu Dhabi: TAMM licence journey
- Gouvernement des Émirats arabes unis : Permis de travail MOHRE pour l'étranger, Droits des travailleurs
- DataFlow: DHA guide (company page, dated 2023)