One DOH license lets you work in Abu Dhabi city and Al Ain, and Germany-trained specialists and consultants with a Facharzt certificate and an Oberarzt designation qualify for it without sitting the licensing exam. The Department of Health applies the UAE’s unified licensing rules, which place that combination in Tier 1. You apply through the TAMM government platform, any exam runs through Pearson VUE, and the license is issued for two years as soon as you pay. Below is the TAMM route step by step, the fees DOH publishes, and what an Abu Dhabi offer is worth against German hospital pay. France-trained doctors’ DOH license is also recognized by local health authorities, ensuring smoother integration into the healthcare system.
Key Takeaways
- Facharzt plus Oberarzt is Tier 1 and exam-exempt at DOH; Facharzt alone is Tier 2.
- DOH wants your last clinical day within two years of applying, tighter than the three-year gap that cancels exam exemption across the UAE.
- Tier 2 specialists show at least three years of residency training, which a German Weiterbildung covers.
- Already licensed by DHA or MOHAP under the same title? The DOH exam no longer applies to you.
- DOH-licensed doctors can apply for Abu Dhabi’s 10-year Golden Visa as elite specialists in health fields.
How DOH Classifies a German Facharzt
DOH uses the same tiers as the other UAE authorities. A Facharzt certificate from your Landesärztekammer counts as Tier 1 when you also hold the Oberarzt job designation, and as Tier 2 without it. The certificate of specialist training in general medicine follows the same rule. Germany has no Tier 3 entry.
The tier decides two things at DOH: whether you sit the exam, and how much experience you need for the consultant title. The DOH licensing for Singapore doctors is a critical step in the process of establishing their qualifications.
| Your German profile | DOH exam | Consultant title |
|---|---|---|
| Facharzt with Oberarzt designation (Tier 1) | Exempt | 2 years after the main specialty |
| Facharzt without Oberarzt designation (Tier 2) | Required, unless all six senior-practice criteria are met | 5 years after the main specialty |
| General practitioner | Required | Not applicable |
Besides the Tier 2 certificate itself, the criteria that can exempt a Tier 2 specialist are demanding: a sub-specialty qualification, more than 10 years in the specialty with at least 2 in a senior teaching-hospital post, involvement in specialty training, publications or research, and a valid license in good standing. In practice, a Facharzt without the Oberarzt title should plan for the exam.
DOH Checks That Catch Germany-Trained Doctors
On top of the shared UAE rules, the DOH Licensing Procedure Manual sets four conditions German applicants tend to underestimate:
- Two-year recency rule: DOH counts back from your application date to your last clinical working day, and the gap cannot exceed two years. A research post, a non-clinical role or long parental leave can break it, so confirm the date first.
- Training record for Tier 2: without the Oberarzt designation, you show a minimum of three years of residency, which your Weiterbildung certificates cover.
- Logbook for surgeons: operative experience from the most recent two years.
- Good standing: a certificate issued within six months by the regulator where you practise now. German state health authorities issue it, and it takes several weeks.
The DOH Exam for Tier 2 Specialists and GPs
Doctors who are not exempt book the DOH exam through Pearson VUE, and it is held in English. GPs take a 120-question multiple-choice paper over two and a half hours. Specialists in listed specialties take 100 questions in two hours, and specialists in other fields sit an oral examination of 45 to 60 minutes.
Results of the computer-based papers come back within a day, and a pass counts for five years. You get three attempts with one UAE authority and a final one with another. If you already practise in Dubai, transferring a DHA license to DOH under the same title avoids the exam altogether.
Applying for a DOH License on TAMM
- Open the DOH licensing service on TAMM, Abu Dhabi’s government platform, after logging in with UAE PASS.
- Verify your documents. Only verification reports addressed to DOH count, and DOH allows 24 working days for them. Your Approbation, Facharzt certificate and Oberarzt letter are checked at this stage.
- Submit the file. DOH gives itself 5 working days to review it.
- Clear the exam step by passing or by having your exemption recorded; the step closes after six months.
- Attach an employer. You have three months to connect a licensed facility that offers your specialty and carries malpractice cover.
- Pay. DOH issues the two-year license at the point of payment.
DOH fees published in the manual
You pay AED 100 to apply. Verification is AED 1,680 for specialist and consultant applications and AED 1,260 for GPs, and Pearson VUE fees arise only for doctors sitting the exam. The issuance fee appears on TAMM when you pay, and renewing after two years requires 80 CME hours.
Abu Dhabi Doctor Salary in Euros
Abu Dhabi offers are paid in AED and free of income tax. In euros, common monthly offers work out as follows:
| Monthly offer (AED) | Per month (EUR) | Per year (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| AED 30,000 | about €7,301 | about €87,615 |
| AED 40,000 | about €9,735 | about €116,820 |
| AED 50,000 | about €12,169 | about €146,024 |
| AED 60,000 | about €14,602 | about €175,229 |
| AED 70,000 | about €17,036 | about €204,434 |
For a German comparison, the TV-Ärzte/VKA scale for municipal hospitals, in force from 1 June 2026, pays a Facharzt (Ä2) €7,552 to €9,699 and an Oberarzt (Ä3) €9,460 to €10,811 gross a month, before income tax, solidarity surcharge where it applies, and social insurance. Read an Abu Dhabi offer against your German net pay, not the gross scale, and add housing, flights and schooling allowances when they are part of the package.
Converted at AED 4.1089 to the euro, the Central Bank of the UAE rate for 13 October 2026.
Leaving the German Tax System
The UAE does not tax employment income, so the question that matters is when Germany stops taxing you. Germany taxes your worldwide income for as long as you keep a residence or a habitual abode there. Keeping a flat you can return to, even unused, can be enough to keep you taxable.
There has been no Germany and UAE tax treaty since the old one expired on 31 December 2021, so nothing settles a dual-residence case in your favour. German rental income and other German-source income stay taxable in Germany after you move. Agree the timing of your departure with a German tax adviser.
Where Germany-Trained Doctors Work in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain
The public network belongs to SEHA, part of PureHealth, whose hospitals include Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in the capital and Tawam in Al Ain. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi on Al Maryah Island covers more than 50 specialties, and Mediclinic runs hospitals on Airport Road and, in Al Ain, at Al Jowhara. Sheikh Tahnoon Medical City in Al Ain is another option. A single DOH license is valid at all of them.
Abu Dhabi or Dubai for a Germany-Trained Doctor?
Your tier is the same in both, because DOH and DHA apply the same qualification rules. The differences sit in the process: TAMM against Sheryan, and Pearson VUE against Prometric for anyone who sits the exam. DOH also checks recent practice more strictly, with its two-year rule on your last clinical day. A license from either authority exempts you from the other’s exam for the same title, so starting in one does not close the other.
Moving to Abu Dhabi from Germany
- Residency: with a DOH license, a bachelor’s degree and DOH endorsement, you can apply for the 10-year Golden Visa for elite specialists in health fields, which covers your spouse, children and parents as dependants.
- German schooling: the German International School Abu Dhabi is part of the German Schools Abroad network and runs from kindergarten to the Abitur.
- Language: English is the working language in Abu Dhabi hospitals and in every DOH exam.
Moving From Germany to Abu Dhabi? Plan Your DOH License With Us
A German DOH application turns on three dates: when you were named Oberarzt, when you last worked clinically, and when your Good Standing Certificate was issued. Allocation Assist supports doctors trained in Germany as a medical job consultancy, preparing your DOH license application on TAMM and handling doctor job placement in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can German doctors work in Abu Dhabi?
Yes. A DOH license lets a Germany-trained doctor practise across the emirate, Al Ain included, and DOH recognises the German Facharzt certificate.
Do German specialists need to pass the DOH exam?
Not if they hold a Facharzt certificate with an Oberarzt designation, which is Tier 1. A Facharzt without the Oberarzt title is Tier 2 and usually sits the exam, and German GPs sit it too.
What are the DOH license requirements for Germany-trained doctors?
A recognised German specialty certificate, verified Approbation and experience, a Good Standing Certificate no older than six months, and a last clinical day within two years of applying. Surgeons add a two-year logbook, and Tier 2 specialists show at least three years of residency training.
How long does a DOH license take?
Verification takes up to 24 working days and DOH review takes a further 5. Exam preparation, if you need it, and finding an employer add to that.
How much does a DOH license cost?
About AED 1,780 for a specialist before the issuance fee: AED 100 to apply and AED 1,680 for verification. GPs pay AED 1,260 for verification, plus Pearson VUE exam fees.
Can I use a DOH license in Dubai?
No, Dubai issues its own DHA license. However, a valid DOH license for the same title makes you eligible for exam exemption when you apply to DHA.
Do German doctors qualify for the Abu Dhabi Golden Visa?
Yes, once DOH-licensed. The elite health specialist route needs DOH endorsement and a bachelor’s degree, and gives 10 years’ residency.
