Medical professionals
Nurses moving to Dubai
For NMC-registered nurses. The DHA route in order, the exam, the documents, which groups hire, and what to ask before you accept. Last reviewed 22 October 2026.
An NMC-registered nurse can typically obtain a DHA licence in 8 to 16 weeks: documents attested in the UK, DataFlow verification, the Prometric exam, an eligibility letter, then activation by the hospital or clinic that hires you. Most groups sponsor the visa. The DHA is the authority; last reviewed 22 October 2026.
How does a UK nurse get a DHA licence?
Attest documents in the UK
Nursing degree or diploma, NMC certificate of good standing under six months old, specialty certificates and family certificates: FCDO, UAE Embassy, Arabic translation and notarisation.
Register on Sheryan
Open a healthcare professional account on the DHA Sheryan portal, choose Registered Nurse or the specialty category, upload documents and pay the fee.
DataFlow verification
DataFlow verifies your qualification and NMC registration; two to four weeks is typical.
DHA Prometric exam
Most registered nurses sit the computer-based Prometric assessment; the DHA publishes the blueprint.
Eligibility letter
Valid for a year.
Facility activation
Your employer uploads the contract and malpractice cover; the DHA activates your licence.
Visa and Emirates ID
Medical fitness test, biometrics, visa stamp, Emirates ID.
Sources: DHA Sheryan professional licensing guidance, DataFlow, Prometric. Reviewed 22 October 2026. Timelines are typical, not promised; the regulator decides.
What documents will I need?
- Passport with at least six months' validity
- Nursing degree or diploma and transcript, attested
- NMC certificate of good standing, issued within the last six months
- Experience letters covering at least two years post-registration
- Specialty certificates where relevant, attested
- Basic Life Support certificate
- CV with photo
- DataFlow report and exam result, once obtained
- Attested marriage and birth certificates if family are coming
Where do nurses work in Dubai?
Hospital groups in Dubai Healthcare City, Oud Metha, Jumeirah, Al Barsha, Al Garhoud and Dubai Hills recruit the largest numbers, often in cohorts with licensing and visas handled in-house. Day-surgery centres, polyclinics, home-care providers and school nursing services hire steadily too. Pay and housing packages vary more between employers than between areas, so compare offers on the whole package.
What should I ask before I sign?
- Basic salary and whether housing is provided, allowed for, or neither.
- Who pays DataFlow, the exam, licensing and the visa, and whether any of it is clawed back.
- Shift pattern, hours, and overtime terms.
- Health insurance level; whether family are covered.
- Flights, leave and end-of-service gratuity.
- Probation and notice periods.
- Whether accommodation, if offered, is shared.
Where would I live?
Rent first, buy later is the usual order. The area guides describe twelve communities for medical professionals with commute notes; for current rent and price figures I pull DLD and DXB Interact data on the call and date it in your written summary. If you are considering buying at AED 2 million or more, read the Golden Visa page first.
What is the next step?
Book a 30-minute call. We go through your licence position, your timeline and your housing budget, and you get a written summary within 48 hours. The nurse relocation pack is free with your email in the free packs section.
Questions people ask
Do UK nurses need the DHA Prometric exam?
Usually yes. Registered nurses typically sit the DHA assessment unless they meet an exemption in the DHA's current criteria; check Sheryan before you plan around it.
How much experience does the DHA ask of a nurse?
The DHA's published criteria have required a recognised nursing degree or diploma and two years' post-registration experience for registered nurses, with specialty experience for specialist roles. Check the current criteria; reviewed 22 October 2026.
How long does licensing take for a nurse?
Typically 8 to 16 weeks, and often towards the shorter end when a hospital group's licensing team handles activation. DataFlow is the usual bottleneck.
Who hires UK nurses in Dubai?
Hospital groups, day-surgery centres, polyclinics, home-care providers and school health services. Many groups recruit in cohorts and sponsor licensing and the visa.
What should a nursing contract include?
Basic salary, housing or a housing allowance, health insurance, flights, leave, shift pattern, and who pays licensing. Shared accommodation is still offered by some groups; ask exactly what is meant. I do not publish salary figures without a reliable source.
Can I bring my family?
Yes, on a dependant visa with attested marriage and birth certificates, subject to the salary threshold the ICP sets for sponsoring dependants. Check the current threshold with your employer.
Figures are indicative, dated and sourced where shown; they are not advice and not a guarantee. Dubaiesque is a broker, not a tax, legal, immigration or financial adviser. Take independent advice before you commit.
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