SCFHS Licence for Saudi Arabia: Classification, Exams and Registration on Mumaris Plus

Every doctor, nurse, pharmacist and allied health worker who wants to practise in Saudi Arabia must be licensed by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). The whole process runs online through the commission's Mumaris Plus system. It has two separate stages, and many applicants confuse them.

Stage 1: Professional Classification

Classification is where SCFHS reviews your degree and experience and decides your professional grade, for example technician, specialist or consultant. You can apply for it while still outside Saudi Arabia.

You will usually need:

• Your degree, internship certificate and academic transcript
• A clinical training certificate, if your course included training
• Ministry of Education equivalence for degrees earned outside the Kingdom
• A licence or experience certificate from your home country
• Your passport
• A medical report if you are over 65

A transcript alone is not enough to be classified. If your qualification is not on the approved Mumaris Plus list, you first apply for a Qualification Study, and only then for classification.

Document verification

Your certificates are checked at source by Dataflow. SCFHS needs Dataflow's final report before it can complete your file, so if the report is late, follow up with Dataflow directly.

The exam and how long decisions take

SCFHS decides your classification file in one of three ways. The official service times are:

Some specialties also have an oral exam with one to four clinical stations. It lasts up to 90 minutes, but SCFHS advises keeping the whole day free. The exam link is emailed to your Mumaris Plus address 48 hours before the test, and the result appears in your account within 14 working days.

Stage 2: Professional Registration

Registration is what actually lets you work. You can only apply once you are legally resident in Saudi Arabia with an Iqama. You need:

• A valid resident ID
• A job identification letter signed and stamped by your employer's HR, dated within the last 3 months

The service time is 5 working days, and registration is valid for two years.

Renewal and CPD hours

You can renew up to three months before your registration ends. A late-renewal fine is issued once the registration has been expired for 31 days. If it has been expired for more than a year, you must apply again from the start.

Renewal needs continuing professional development (CPD) hours:

If you are short of hours, SCFHS can grant a one-year renewal, but only once.

Practical tips

• Start classification before you accept a job offer. It can be done from home, and it is usually the slowest part.
• Fees are non-refundable, so check your eligibility before paying.
• Keep your Mumaris Plus email address active, because exam links and results arrive there.
• Be wary of anyone selling "guaranteed" exam passes. Only SCFHS issues decisions.

Related: Saudi Arabia opens 4,291 healthcare jobs across 20 health clusters.