Work as a Doctor in the UK from United Arab Emirates
As of July 2026, doctors currently licensed in the United Arab Emirates who want to practise in the UK must hold GMC registration with a licence to practise. Because many UAE-based doctors qualified elsewhere, the General Medical Council assesses both the primary medical qualification and current good standing.
A guide for UAE-based doctors on GMC registration, the Certificates of Good Standing you need from each regulator, English evidence, and the UK visa route.
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 UAE-based doctors
UAE-based doctors typically register with the GMC via the PLAB examination or a recognised postgraduate qualification (such as certain Royal College memberships), depending on the GMC’s assessment of their primary qualification.
Doctors working in the UAE are frequently international medical graduates who obtained their primary qualification in another country and are licensed by a UAE health authority — the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), the Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DoH), or the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP). The GMC bases your registration route on your primary medical qualification, not your current UAE licence.
Many UAE-based doctors already hold UK Royal College postgraduate qualifications (for example MRCP(UK), MRCS, MRCOG, or MRCPCH) obtained while working in the Gulf. A recognised postgraduate qualification can support GMC registration without the PLAB examination — confirm eligibility with the GMC.
You will need a Certificate of Good Standing from every regulator you have been registered with in the last five years — that usually means both your UAE health authority and the regulator of the country where you first qualified. Gather these early, because multi-regulator good-standing letters are the most common source of delay.
English-language evidence
Most UAE-based applicants evidence English via IELTS Academic or OET, unless their primary medical qualification was taught and examined in English or they have recent English-language clinical practice the GMC accepts. Confirm the current thresholds 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 UAE-based 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 primary medical qualification (the GMC assesses the qualification, not your UAE licence)
Provide a Certificate of Good Standing from your UAE health authority (DHA, DoH, or MoHAP)
Provide a Certificate of Good Standing from the regulator in your country of primary qualification, covering the last five years
Where held, present a recognised postgraduate qualification (e.g. a UK Royal College membership) for a non-PLAB route
Evidence English proficiency and obtain a UK Skilled Worker (Health and Care Worker) visa with a Certificate of Sponsorship
Certificate of Good Standing
You will need a Certificate of Good Standing (Certificate of Current Professional Status) from your UAE health authority (DHA in Dubai, DoH in Abu Dhabi, or the MoHAP), plus one from any other medical regulator you have been registered with in the last five years.
Right to work / visa
UAE-based doctors who are not UK/Irish citizens generally need a Skilled Worker (Health and Care Worker) visa, which requires a Certificate of Sponsorship from a licensed UK employer — see gov.uk. The visa route is separate from GMC registration and both must be completed.
Practical notes for UAE-based doctors
- The primary medical qualification — not the UAE licence — determines your GMC route, so identify your original qualifying country early.
- Doctors whose primary qualification is from a country on the UK’s red list should note the UK Code of Practice restricts active recruitment from those countries; individuals may still apply directly of their own accord.
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
Does my DHA / DoH / MoHAP licence transfer to the UK?
No. UAE health-authority licences are not recognised for UK practice. The GMC assesses your primary medical qualification and requires a Certificate of Good Standing from each regulator you have registered with — including your UAE authority — before granting registration.
Can a Royal College qualification I earned in the Gulf help me register?
Yes, potentially. Recognised postgraduate qualifications such as MRCP(UK), MRCS, MRCOG, or MRCPCH can support GMC registration without the PLAB examination. Confirm whether your specific qualification is accepted with the GMC.
How many Certificates of Good Standing do I need?
One from every regulator you have been registered with in the last five years. UAE-based international graduates usually need one from their UAE health authority and one from the regulator in the country where they first qualified.
Do UAE-based doctors need a UK visa?
Unless you are a UK or Irish citizen, yes — typically a Skilled Worker (Health and Care Worker) visa with a Certificate of Sponsorship from a UK employer. GMC registration and the visa are separate processes.
UK registration guides for other Gulf doctors
Prefer to work remotely from United Arab Emirates?
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 United Arab EmiratesKeep 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.