Saudi Arabia welcomes healthcare professionals from all over the world and therefore has a rigorous system in place for verifying their identity, qualifications, skills, and experience before issuing a license to practice. The Saudi Commission for Health Specialties regulates medical licensing throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In this article, I will provide a guide to medical licensing (SCFHS) in Saudi Arabia
The licensing process takes at least a few months, but the process may be longer in cases where additional information or examinations are required. For newcomers, the process can seem daunting, but our experienced licensing team at Allocation Assist can help you navigate the process smoothly, saving you both time and stress.
The SCFHS licensing process, step by step
Obtaining your SCFHS license follows five clear stages. Understanding them in advance helps you plan and avoid delays.
1. Register on Mumaris Plus. Mumaris Plus is the SCFHS online portal where the entire process is managed, from your initial application through to license activation. You create your profile and choose the professional classification service at scfhs.org.sa.
2. DataFlow primary source verification. Your educational certificates, work experience, health licenses, and good standing certificates are verified directly with the institutions that issued them, through the DataFlow group. This usually takes around 6 to 8 weeks and produces your eligibility number. Nothing moves forward without a positive report, so it is worth starting early.
3. Professional classification. SCFHS reviews your credentials and assigns your professional category, for example general practitioner, specialist, or consultant. Your eligibility number also confirms whether you are required to sit the licensing exam.
4. The Prometric exam. Where required, the SCFHS examination depends on your specialty and grade, and may be an oral exam or a computer-based test (CBT). Oral exams usually need to be taken in Saudi Arabia, while CBTs can be taken at international test centres. A passing result remains valid for two years.
Note: the exam is not required for doctors who completed their training in countries whose programmes are recognised by the SCFHS, namely the UK, Ireland, France, the USA, Canada, Australia, and Saudi Arabia.
5. Professional registration. The final stage activates your license to practise. It requires a valid Iqama with authorised-to-work status, which usually means you have already secured a position with a sponsoring Saudi healthcare employer. SCFHS completes a final review, and once approved, your license is issued.
How long does SCFHS licensing take?
For a first-time applicant, the full process typically takes around five to eight months from creating your Mumaris Plus account to holding an active registration. The biggest variable is DataFlow verification, so the most effective way to shorten the timeline is to begin that step as early as possible and prepare for the exam in parallel rather than waiting.
Professional registration with the SCFHS to obtain your license to practice.
The following documents need to be uploaded with the application:
- Recognized Speciality Degree
- Certificate of completion of specialist training
- Educational certificates with a transcript of records
- Professional qualification certificates
- Evidence of professional experience (a minimum of 2 years of experience in your specialty is mandatory)
- Experience letter/employment certificates from current/past employers
- For surgical specialties: log book for the last 2 years with hospital stamp(s) and signature of the Medical Director or other authorized person
- Valid license/registration from the medical licensing body of the country of recent employment
- Valid good standing certificate issued by your country’s licensing authority
- Your updated resume
- Medical fitness report (for applicants aged 65 and above)
- Valid Passport Copy and residence ID, if applicable
- Recent passport-sized photograph
Some documents may need to be certified by the Saudi Cultural Mission or Bureau in your home country. Attestation is the process of obtaining legal recognition for a document issued in another country to ensure that it is genuine. If a certificate or experience is in another language, it must be translated into English. SCFHS license registration fees vary by an applicant’s qualifications and profession. Requirements and documents required are subject to change.
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Why use Allocation Assist’s licensing service?
The licensing process is complex and exacting. Managing it takes time, which busy doctors are short of. Allocation Assist’s in-house dedicated and experienced licensing team understands the process inside out, as this is what they do every day. They have successfully helped thousands of doctors obtain their licenses in Saudi Arabia or the UAE.
Benefits of using our licensing service:
Our team has extensive experience handling even the most complex cases.
- We will guide you on the documents required and pre-check them to make sure they match the SCFHS requirements, avoiding time-consuming requests for further documentation.
- We closely monitor your application and provide you with weekly status updates.
- In case of any unforeseen delays or complications, we will update you immediately and work with you to resolve the issue.
- We offer continuous support through the process of registration, licensing, and beyond.
In addition, with Allocation Associates’ unique insights into the healthcare market in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, we can: Moving to Dubai as doctors offers unprecedented opportunities for growth and networking within the healthcare industry.
- Connect you with hospitals that match your profile and skill set
- Offer support with CV writing and contract/salary negotiations
- Guide you and your family through the relocation process
- Provide you with insights on living and working in Saudi Arabia
Article written by Vivienne Mendonca.
Frequently asked questions about SCFHS licensing
What is an SCFHS license?
An SCFHS license is the professional registration issued by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties that allows doctors and other healthcare professionals to practise legally in Saudi Arabia. It is managed through the Commission’s Mumaris Plus portal, and it follows credential verification and professional classification.
What is Mumaris Plus?
Mumaris Plus is the SCFHS online portal where every licensing step is completed: creating your profile, submitting documents, DataFlow verification, professional classification, booking the exam, and final registration. Applicants inside and outside Saudi Arabia use the same system.
Do I need to sit the SCFHS Prometric exam?
It depends on your specialty, grade, and where you trained. Where an exam is required it may be a computer-based test or an oral exam, and a passing result remains valid for two years. The exam is not required for doctors who completed their training in countries whose programmes are recognised by the SCFHS, namely the UK, Ireland, France, the USA, Canada, Australia, and Saudi Arabia.
What is the SMLE and how long is it?
The SMLE is the Saudi Medical Licensure Examination, the computer-based Prometric test for doctors. Since March 2023 the SMLE, along with the pharmacist and dental equivalents, runs for four hours and thirty minutes. Results are normally posted in the SCFHS portal within seven to ten working days. It uses a scaled score, so confirm the current benchmark for your specialty before booking.
How long does the SCFHS licensing process take?
For a first-time applicant the full process typically takes around five to eight months, from creating your Mumaris Plus account to holding an active registration. DataFlow verification and exam scheduling are the main variables, and the process can be longer where additional information or examinations are required.
How long is an SCFHS registration valid?
Professional registration with the SCFHS is valid for two years and is renewed through Mumaris Plus, subject to continuing medical education requirements. Registration also requires lawful residence in Saudi Arabia, which is why the final stage depends on having a sponsoring employer.
Do I need a job offer before I can complete registration?
You can complete the earlier stages, eligibility, DataFlow, classification, and the exam, from outside Saudi Arabia. The final stage, professional registration, requires a valid Iqama with authorised-to-work status, which usually means you have already secured a position with a sponsoring Saudi healthcare employer.
What is DataFlow and why is it required?
DataFlow carries out primary source verification, confirming your degree, licence, and experience directly with the institutions that issued them. It is started through Mumaris Plus, and the positive report links back to your profile before you move on to classification and the exam. Documents in another language must be translated into English, and some may need attestation by the Saudi Cultural Mission or Bureau in your home country.
Can doctors trained in the UK, US, or Europe get an SCFHS license?
Yes. Doctors trained in recognised countries are eligible provided they meet the SCFHS qualification and experience requirements for their classification level. Those who trained in the UK, Ireland, France, the USA, Canada, Australia, or Saudi Arabia are generally exempt from the licensing exam, which can shorten the overall timeline.
