Hiring guides for international medical recruitment
Ten plain-English, source-cited guides for anyone evaluating how to hire an internationally-qualified doctor β whether you are an NHS trust, an independent healthcare group, or a Gulf hospital operator. Each guide names its primary source (GMC, NHS Employers, GOV.UK, WHO, DHA) and links to it so you can confirm the current figure yourself.
How an NHS trust recruits internationally
The real process, timeline and cost when an NHS trust hires an internationally-qualified doctor.
Read the guide βGMC registration routes, for hiring teams
PLAB, GMC-recognised postgraduate qualifications, and sponsorship routes β what each means for your timeline.
Read the guide βWhat international medical recruitment costs
Agency fees, sponsor licence, Certificate of Sponsorship, visa and relocation β a realistic UK cost breakdown.
Read the guide βCertificate of Sponsorship & Skilled Worker visa basics
What a healthcare employer needs to sponsor a doctor: sponsor licence, CoS, and the Health and Care Worker route.
Read the guide βDHA licensing for Gulf employers
The Dubai Health Authority (and DOH/MOH-equivalent) route: DataFlow verification, the Prometric exam, and timelines.
Read the guide βHow to verify a foreign medical qualification
What a primary-source verification, a comparability statement, and a regulator register check each actually prove.
Read the guide βEthical international recruitment & the WHO list
The WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List, the UK red/amber lists, and what "active recruitment" means for doctors.
Read the guide βTypical time-to-hire, internationally
A realistic timeline from first contact to first shift, and the stages that most often slip.
Read the guide βWhat "credential-verified" should actually mean
The specific checks a supplier should be able to name before you accept "verified" on trust.
Read the guide βIn-house vs agency vs a verified candidate pool
A plain comparison of the three main routes to hiring an internationally-qualified doctor, cost and control included.
Read the guide β