Work as a Doctor in the UK from Portugal
As of July 2026, Portuguese-qualified doctors must hold GMC registration with a licence to practise to work in the UK. Since Brexit ended automatic EEA recognition, the General Medical Council assesses each Portuguese application individually.
How Portuguese-qualified doctors register with the GMC, evidence English, and understand the post-Brexit visa position.
Which GMC route applies to you?
Answer two questions for a plain-English summary of the likely registration route and English-evidence options. This is general educational guidance only — the General Medical Council makes the final decision on every application.
The GMC route for Portuguese-qualified doctors
Portuguese graduates register through a GMC-assessed route — the GMC confirms whether PLAB, a recognised postgraduate qualification, or specialist registration applies.
Portugal trains doctors to a well-regarded standard, and its specialty-training system (internato médico) produces recognised specialists. If you hold a specialist title, ask the GMC whether specialist registration is available before defaulting to the PLAB route.
For doctors earlier in their careers, the GMC will usually confirm eligibility for the PLAB examination or a recognised postgraduate qualification. Automatic EEA recognition no longer applies to Portuguese qualifications.
Prepare certified English translations of your Mestrado Integrado em Medicina, your specialist title where held, and a Certificate of Good Standing from the Ordem dos Médicos.
English-language evidence
Portuguese medical degrees are taught in Portuguese, so most applicants evidence English via IELTS Academic or OET. The GMC publishes the acceptable tests and scores — verify the current threshold on gmc-uk.org.
Your registration steps, in order
Confirm your GMC route
Contact the General Medical Council (gmc-uk.org) to confirm which registration route your primary medical qualification and any postgraduate qualifications support — the PLAB examination, a recognised postgraduate qualification, or specialist registration.
Meet the knowledge and skills requirement
Complete the route the GMC confirms — for example, passing both parts of the PLAB examination, or holding a postgraduate qualification the GMC accepts.
Evidence your English
Provide the English-language evidence the GMC accepts for your circumstances — usually IELTS Academic or OET, or evidence that your qualification was taught and examined in English. Confirm current thresholds on gmc-uk.org.
Gather Certificates of Good Standing
Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing (Certificate of Current Professional Status) from every medical regulator you have been registered with in the last five years.
Apply to the GMC and arrange the right to work
Submit your GMC application with your evidence. If you are not a UK or Irish citizen, secure the right to work — typically a Skilled Worker (Health and Care Worker) visa with a Certificate of Sponsorship from a UK employer (gov.uk).
What Portuguese-qualified doctors need
These are the obligations the GMC and, where relevant, UK Visas and Immigration place on applicants. Confirm the current detail on the official websites.
Hold a recognised Portuguese medical degree (Mestrado Integrado em Medicina)
Provide a Certificate of Good Standing from the Ordem dos Médicos covering the last five years
Where held, present your specialist title for specialist-route consideration
Confirm your GMC registration route before booking examinations
Evidence English proficiency and secure UK right-to-work
Certificate of Good Standing
You will need a Certificate of Good Standing (Certificate of Current Professional Status) from the Ordem dos Médicos (Portuguese Medical Association), plus one from any other medical regulator you have been registered with in the last five years.
Right to work / visa
Portuguese citizens with EU Settlement Scheme status can work without a separate visa; others generally need a Skilled Worker (Health and Care Worker) visa with a Certificate of Sponsorship — see gov.uk.
Practical notes for Portuguese-qualified doctors
- Completed internato médico may support a specialist-registration route — confirm with the GMC.
- Budget time for certified translations of Portuguese-language documents.
Important: this is information, not recruitment
GeraClinic is a telemedicine platform operated by Gera Services Ltd. This page is free educational information for doctors who independently want to understand the UK registration pathway. GeraClinic does not place doctors into NHS jobs, is not a recruitment agency, and charges no fee to read this guidance. Registration, employment, and visa decisions rest with the General Medical Council, individual employers, and UK Visas and Immigration. Individuals may always apply directly, of their own accord. Requirements, fees, and timelines change — always confirm the current position on the official GMC website (gmc-uk.org) and gov.uk.
Frequently asked questions
Do Portuguese doctors need PLAB?
It depends on the GMC assessment. Doctors without a recognised postgraduate qualification are often directed to PLAB; a specialist title may open another route. Confirm your position with the GMC.
Are Portuguese qualifications automatically recognised in the UK?
No longer. Since Brexit the GMC assesses Portuguese qualifications through its international-application framework rather than recognising them automatically.
What English evidence do Portuguese graduates need?
Most sit IELTS Academic or OET because the degree is taught in Portuguese. Confirm the accepted tests and scores on gmc-uk.org.
UK registration guides for other EEA doctors
Prefer to work remotely from Portugal?
While you work through UK registration, you can keep practising as a remote telemedicine doctor with GeraClinic — see patients online, set your own hours and fee, and get paid within 3–5 business days.
Remote telemedicine jobs for doctors in PortugalKeep earning while you plan your move to the UK
GeraClinic is free to join for licensed doctors. Work from home, set your own hours and fees, and see online patients — from wherever you are registered today.