Saudi Arabia employs many nurses from the Philippines in government and private hospitals. Before you practise, you need a licence from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). The route has four parts: classification and registration with SCFHS, a check of your certificates, the Saudi Nursing Licensure Examination (SNLE), and a work contract with a visa.
This guide follows the steps in order. Each fact below comes from the official page named next to it and was checked on 31 Oct 2026. Rules change, so open the official link before you pay or book anything.
छोटो सारांश
| चरण | यसलाई को ले चलाउँछ | What the official page says |
|---|---|---|
| Classification and registration | SCFHS, through the Mumaris+ system | Classification comes first. Registration must be done before you start work and needs lawful residence in Saudi Arabia (SCFHS Mumaris FAQ) |
| Certificate check | DataFlow, for SCFHS | Certificates from outside the Kingdom are checked by contacting the issuing body (SCFHS practitioner page) |
| Licence exam | SCFHS, delivered by Prometric | 200 questions, pass score 500 on a scale of 200 to 800 (SNLE applicant guide) |
| Work contract and visa | Employer, with Saudi authorities | The employer bears recruitment, residence and work permit fees (HRSD) |
Step 1: Classification with SCFHS
SCFHS says classification is "the first legal step before registering as a healthcare practitioner". You can apply from outside Saudi Arabia. If your qualification is not on SCFHS's recognised list, a qualification study comes before classification (SCFHS Mumaris FAQ).
For a foreign-qualified applicant, the FAQ lists these documents:
- A copy of your qualification, your internship certificate and your academic record.
- Ministry of Education equivalence for certificates issued outside the Kingdom.
- A copy of your licence or professional registration from the nursing board. For a Filipino nurse, this is your Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) licence. If you have none, the FAQ accepts a certificate of experience instead.
- Your passport.
Your ID must be valid when you submit. Keep scans of everything, and keep your originals with you.
Step 2: Check your certificates with DataFlow
SCFHS uses DataFlow to verify certificates. The SCFHS practitioner page says certificates from outside the Kingdom are checked by contacting the issuing body through DataFlow (SCFHS practitioner page). DataFlow's page for SCFHS does not list fees, so use the official portal for the current steps (DataFlow).
Verification takes time, so start early. Ask your school and the PRC for certified copies now.
Step 3: Pass the Saudi Nursing Licensure Examination (SNLE)
The SNLE is the licence exam for nurses. The applicant guide we checked (a 2024 file) gives these rules:
- Eligibility: a recognised primary degree (BSN or equivalent) from an accredited health science programme. The guide also accepts applicants who have started the internship year, and students one year from graduation. The guide does not say whether foreign-qualified nurses can sit, so ask SCFHS before you book.
- Format: 200 multiple-choice questions, with up to 10% unscored pilot items. Four options per question. Two parts of 100 questions, with 120 minutes for each part and a 30-minute break between them.
- Pass score: 500 on a scale of 200 to 800.
- Attempts: you may sit up to four times a year, counting from your first attempt until you pass. You cannot sit twice in the same testing window. If you do, the second attempt counts but gives an invalid result.
- Booking: after your e-application is processed, you get a scheduling permit by email that shows your eligibility period. Booking can open no more than three months ahead. You can test at any SCFHS-approved Prometric centre, in the Philippines or elsewhere.
- Results: posted online 2 to 6 weeks after the testing window closes.
The guide does not show the exam fee. Check the current fee on the SCFHS site before you pay. The SCFHS files show several dates, so make sure you read the latest version.
On test day, bring your permit and ID. Your name must match your ID exactly. Arriving more than 30 minutes late counts as an attempt.
Our free practice is a good place to start before you book a seat.
Step 4: The job contract and the visa
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) sets out who pays what for a foreign worker. The employer bears:
- The recruitment fees for the non-Saudi worker.
- Residence fees.
- Work permit issuance and renewal.
- Exit and return fees, and the return ticket home when the job ends.
- Profession change fees.
The worker bears return costs only in some cases, such as unfitness for work or a return without a legitimate reason (HRSD knowledge centre). The HRSD page does not list visa issuance, so ask your employer to confirm in writing who pays the visa.
SCFHS says you must submit your application for professional registration before you start work in the Kingdom (SCFHS Mumaris FAQ).
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.
सामान्य समयरेखा
These are planning ranges. Only the points marked "official" come from a government or regulator page.
| चरण | What is known | योजनाका लागि अनुमानित दायरा |
|---|---|---|
| Classification | Official: applications can be made from abroad. No processing time on the pages we checked | Several weeks to months, depending on certificate checks |
| प्रमाणपत्र प्रमाणीकरण | No official timeline on the pages we checked | Varies; start early |
| SNLE | Official: booking opens up to 3 months ahead; results 2 to 6 weeks after the window | Plan 3 to 6 months from first document to pass |
| Visa and arrival | Official: registration needs lawful residence in Saudi Arabia | Depends on the employer and the permit |
ठगीको चेतावनी
- Never pay a job fee. The HRSD page says the employer bears the recruitment fees for a non-Saudi worker. A recruiter who asks you to pay should be questioned.
- Check the SCFHS route yourself. Classification, DataFlow checks and the SNLE are all done through SCFHS and Prometric. An agent who promises to "guarantee" a licence is a warning sign.
- Keep your originals. Share copies only through official portals, with your employer, or with the authority that asks for them. Do not hand over your passport or certificates to a stranger.
Not sure about an agent or an offer? Run the details through our free fake-agent checker.
निःशुल्क अभ्यास गर्नुहोस्
NurseFlyAbroad is free for nurses, always. Use the free practice to prepare for your exam questions, and read the Saudi Arabia destination page for the rules we check.
FAQ
How many attempts for the SCFHS exam? The SNLE applicant guide allows up to four sittings a year, counting from your first attempt until you pass. You cannot sit twice in the same testing window.
Do I need experience for Saudi Arabia? The SNLE eligibility in the guide we checked does not mention experience. For classification, SCFHS asks for a copy of your registration from your nursing board. If you have none, it accepts a certificate of experience.
Who pays for my Saudi visa? The HRSD page says the employer bears residence and work permit fees, and it does not list visa issuance. Ask your employer to confirm in writing who pays the visa before you sign.
स्रोतहरू (checked 31 Oct 2026)
- SCFHS: Practitioner page, Mumaris FAQ, SNLE applicant guide (2024 file)
- DataFlow: SCFHS organisation page
- Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD): Who bears the costs (Article 40)