Work as a Doctor in the UK from Spain
As of July 2026, Spanish-qualified doctors must hold GMC registration with a licence to practise before working in the UK. Automatic EEA recognition ended after Brexit, so the General Medical Council now assesses each application from Spain individually.
How Spanish-qualified doctors register with the GMC to practise in the UK — assessment route, English evidence, and the documents you will need.
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 Spanish-qualified doctors
Most Spanish graduates now register via a GMC-assessed route (PLAB or a recognised postgraduate qualification) rather than automatic recognition.
Spain trains large numbers of doctors, and many complete the MIR (Médico Interno Residente) specialty-training programme. If you hold a Título de Médico Especialista, ask the GMC whether it supports a specialist-registration route, because that can be a faster path than the standard PLAB route for suitably qualified applicants.
For doctors who have not completed specialty training, the GMC will usually direct you to confirm eligibility for the PLAB examination or a recognised postgraduate qualification. As with all EEA sources since Brexit, the automatic recognition that once applied to Spanish degrees no longer exists.
Prepare certified English translations of your Grado/Licenciatura en Medicina, MIR completion documents where relevant, and your registration with your provincial Colegio de Médicos, together with a Certificate of Good Standing.
English-language evidence
Spanish medical degrees are taught in Spanish, so most applicants evidence English through IELTS Academic or OET. The GMC publishes the acceptable tests and current minimum scores — verify them 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 Spanish-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 Spanish medical degree (Grado/Licenciatura en Medicina)
Provide a Certificate of Good Standing from your Colegio de Médicos covering the last five years
Where held, present your Título de Médico Especialista for specialist-route consideration
Confirm your GMC registration route before booking any examination
Evidence English proficiency (usually IELTS Academic or OET) and secure the right to work in the UK
Certificate of Good Standing
You will need a Certificate of Good Standing (Certificate of Current Professional Status) from your provincial Colegio de Médicos (Spanish Medical Council), plus one from any other medical regulator you have been registered with in the last five years.
Right to work / visa
Spanish 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 Spanish-qualified doctors
- Doctors who completed the MIR often have a specialist-registration option worth exploring with the GMC before defaulting to PLAB.
- Certified translations of Spanish-language documents add time to the application — plan for them early.
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
Can Spanish specialists use the specialist-registration route?
Possibly. If you hold a Título de Médico Especialista from completed MIR training, the GMC can advise whether it supports specialist registration. This is assessed individually — confirm it with the GMC before assuming a route.
Do Spanish doctors need PLAB?
It depends on the GMC’s assessment. Doctors without a recognised postgraduate qualification are often directed to PLAB, while completed specialty training may open a different route. Check your position with the GMC first.
What English evidence do Spanish graduates need?
Most sit IELTS Academic or OET because Spanish degrees are taught in Spanish. The GMC sets the acceptable tests and scores — confirm the current threshold on gmc-uk.org.
UK registration guides for other EEA doctors
Prefer to work remotely from Spain?
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 SpainKeep 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.