Sharjah has two medical regulators, and the hospital that hires you decides which one licenses a Singapore-trained specialist. The Sharjah Health Authority (SHA) covers the emirate’s private hospitals, clinics and local government facilities, and the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) licenses doctors in federal hospitals, including Emirates Health Services hospitals in Sharjah and the other northern emirates. Both apply the UAE’s unified qualification requirements, so a JCST exit certificate with SAB accreditation is Tier 1, and neither regulator asks a Tier 1 specialist to sit its exam. Below is how to tell the two apart, what each one charges, and how a Sharjah salary compares with Dubai once rent is paid.
One Emirate, Two Licensing Regulators
In Singapore, one council registers every doctor, whichever cluster or private group employs you. Sharjah works differently. Under a Sharjah Executive Council decision announced on 15 July 2025, SHA licenses doctors in the emirate’s private hospitals and clinics and in local government facilities such as University Hospital Sharjah, while federal hospitals run by Emirates Health Services, Al Qassimi Hospital among them, stay with MOHAP.
The license follows the hospital, not your home address. A doctor who lives in Sharjah and works in a Dubai hospital needs a DHA license, and a doctor at a federal hospital or private facility in Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah or Umm Al Quwain needs MOHAP. Confirm the regulator with the hospital’s HR team first, since the two use different portals, fees and processing times.
Your JCST and SAB Documents Under SHA and MOHAP
SHA and MOHAP read Singapore qualifications the same way as DHA and DOH. The Tier 1 entry for Singapore is the JCST exit certificate together with the certificate of specialist accreditation from the Specialists Accreditation Board, and Singapore is on the exam-exemption list for Tier 1 specialists and consultants.
- Specialist: no further experience needed after Tier 1 accreditation.
- Consultant: two years after the main specialty, or one year after a recognised sub-specialty qualification.
- GP: Singapore GPs sit the licensing exam, because the GP exemption list covers only named exams such as PLAB, USMLE Part III and the AMC exams.
- Practice gap: more than three years away from clinical work removes the exam exemption, and each regulator also sets its own gap limit for licensing (see below).
The MOHAP Route for Federal Hospitals
With MOHAP, you file the professional evaluation in your own name, and the hospital files the license application once it hires you.
- Professional evaluation: reviewed within 5 working days, with the fee shown once you select your profession. DataFlow verification is paid through a link in the application, and every document needs a positive report.
- Exam step: recorded as exempt for Tier 1 specialists. Applicants who sit the MOHAP exam have three attempts, and the UAE rules allow one final attempt with another UAE authority.
- License: filed by the hospital and issued in 1 to 2 working days. MOHAP lists AED 100 plus AED 3,000 (about S$1,082 in total) for private and semi-government facilities, and no fee for government facilities.
- Practice gap: MOHAP’s doctor licensing service sets no professional practice gap longer than two years, or training under the UAE rules is required first.
- Renewal: 40 CME credits a year and current malpractice insurance.
The SHA Route for Private and Local Government Hospitals
SHA uses the same two-stage idea with its own fees.
- Physician assessment: AED 500, about S$174, with 8 working days stated for review.
- Verification: primary source verification of your qualifications and experience.
- Exam step: exemption recorded for Tier 1 specialists; other applicants sit the licensing exam.
- License: AED 3,000 full time (about S$1,047), AED 4,000 part time (about S$1,396) or AED 2,000 for a visiting physician (about S$698), with 8 working days stated.
SHA allows a practice gap of up to three years and asks for an offer letter and malpractice insurance. Passing the MOHAP evaluation or SHA assessment confirms you are eligible; practice starts once the hospital’s license application is approved.
Documents to Request From Singapore
- Medical degree and transcripts
- JCST exit certificate and SAB certificate of specialist accreditation
- Proof of current registration with the Singapore Medical Council
- Experience letters from each cluster or hospital HR department covering your full career
- A Certificate of Professional Status (COPS) from the SMC, which costs S$80, takes about 14 working days and is sent directly to the regulator
- Passport copy and photograph
Your COPS should be no more than six months old when you submit, so time the request to match your evaluation or assessment.
Sharjah Doctor Salary in Singapore Dollars, After Rent
Salaries in Sharjah are paid in dirhams with no income tax, and the biggest difference from Dubai is housing. On Numbeo’s October 2026 figures, a one-bedroom flat in the city centre costs about AED 3,053 a month in Sharjah (about S$1,065) and AED 9,150 in Dubai (about S$3,193). Here is what typical monthly offers look like in Singapore dollars, before and after rent:
| Monthly offer (AED) | Per month (SGD) | After Sharjah rent (SGD) | After Dubai rent (SGD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AED 30,000 | about S$10,468 | about S$9,403 | about S$7,275 |
| AED 40,000 | about S$13,958 | about S$12,893 | about S$10,765 |
| AED 55,000 | about S$19,192 | about S$18,127 | about S$15,999 |
On the same Numbeo data, everyday costs other than rent are 31.7% higher in Dubai than in Sharjah.
Converted at US$1 = S$1.2815 (28 October 2026), with the dirham pegged at AED 3.6725 to the US dollar. Rent figures from Numbeo, October 2026.
Singapore does not tax pay for work carried out in Sharjah, as it is foreign-sourced, but income for any days you work in Singapore still falls under IRAS. A short session with a tax adviser before you leave is worth booking.
Hospitals by Regulator
- MOHAP: Al Qassimi Hospital, which Emirates Health Services describes as the largest government hospital in the UAE, plus federal hospitals and private facilities across Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.
- SHA: University Hospital Sharjah, NMC Royal Hospital, Burjeel Specialty Hospital and the emirate’s other private hospitals and clinics.
Sharjah is four hours behind Singapore, and Sharjah International Airport sits on the edge of the city, with Dubai International a short drive away for more flight options.
Moving From Singapore to Sharjah? Start Your SHA or MOHAP License With Us
Before any Sharjah form is filed, the first question is whether your hospital sits under SHA or MOHAP. Allocation Assist, a medical licensing and career consultancy working with Singapore-trained doctors, confirms the regulator, prepares your MOHAP license or SHA application and supports doctor job placement in Sharjah and the wider northern emirates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which license does a Singapore doctor need to work in Sharjah?
It depends on the hospital. SHA licenses Sharjah’s private hospitals and local government facilities, and MOHAP licenses Emirates Health Services hospitals such as Al Qassimi Hospital.
Do Singapore specialists sit the MOHAP or SHA exam?
No, if they hold the JCST exit certificate with SAB accreditation, which is Tier 1 and exam-exempt with both regulators. Singapore GPs sit the exam.
What are the SHA fees for a doctor?
AED 500 for the physician assessment, about S$174, then AED 3,000 for a full-time license, about S$1,047. Part-time and visiting licenses are priced separately.
Can I live in Dubai and work in Sharjah?
Yes. Your license follows the hospital, so a Sharjah hospital means an SHA or MOHAP license wherever you live, and the extra rent in Dubai comes out of your salary.
Does the SMC send my good standing certificate to MOHAP?
Yes. The SMC issues a Certificate of Professional Status and sends it directly to the overseas licensing authority, not to you.
Can I move from a MOHAP or SHA license to a Dubai job later?
Yes, with a new DHA application. Holding a valid UAE license for the same title makes you eligible for exam exemption when you apply to another UAE regulator.
