You are an Indian Pharmacist looking to migrate to the United Arab Emirates.
The UAE offers an opportunity for Indian Pharmacists to develop better career pathways. They orient towards working in the Emirates for multiple reasons.
- The UAE provides broader avenues and diverse opportunities in this field with high-income packages and benefits comparatively.
- 27% of the total population living in the UAE is of Indians. They account for the largest group of expat population residing here.
- Because of its cultural similarity, it is considered to be a home away from home for most of the Indians.
- It is one of the top tourist destinations around the globe and is considered to be a regional hub of healthcare facilities and hospitals.
- Indians living in Emirates enjoy an upgraded lifestyle with better security.
Steps and Procedures
Decide which emirate you want to work in
The UAE’s health sector is administered by three regulatory authorities which administer separate rules and regulations in respective emirates with variations in assessment requirements and geographical limits for the practice. So, the first step for Indian pharmacists opting to be licensed in the UAE is to choose the Emirate they want to work in.
- Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) administers healthcare in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.
- Dubai Health Authority (DHA) administers healthcare in Dubai
- Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOH) administers healthcare in the remaining emirates of
the UAE.
Register with Healthcare Authority
The second step for pharmacists is to register with the healthcare authority by using e-services available on its website. A self-assessment tool assists in the registration process. All documents and certificates are verified using Data Flow. Credentials are verified within 30-60 days and Primary Source Verification (PSV) report is generated.
Pharmacist Assessment / Exam
The next step is to pass the Authority’s assessment to obtain the license. Pharmacists and technicians are evaluated on three types of exams; Arabic language exam, pharmacist scientific exam, and pharmacy law exam. However, depending upon the respective healthcare authorities’ regulations, pharmacists should consider variation in assessment requirements.
- MOH: Law and Arabic exams are mandatory.
- HAAD and DHA: Do not require passing the law and Arabic exam.
- Any HAAD or DHA pharmacist transferring a license to MOH will have to appear for Law and Arabic exam.
Applicants can schedule exams on the health authority website and are granted only three attempts for these exams.
Activate License
After successfully passing the exams, potential pharmacists get their eligibility letter or evaluation certificate which allows them to work. This is valid for one year (DHA) or five years (MOH). This certificate is later converted into a professional license during practice.
- Documents required for Pharmacists and Technicians
- All education and work experience certificates
- For pharmacists: A degree in B-Pharm, M-Pharm, or Pharm-D is required.
- For Pharmacy Technicians: Diploma in Pharmacy (2 years)
- *Work Experience of a minimum of two years in the community, retail, or hospital pharmacy is mandatory. (Salaries and hiring of job depend very much on post-graduate experience)
- Professional’s registration certificate or license from home country
- Good Standing Certificate from Pharmacy Council
- No Criminal Records
- Passport
Costs and Visas
Most of the costs pharmacists incur are related to processing fees such as registration, examination, or verification of documents. All these procedures can be done from the aspirants’ home country. Prometric exams are conducted online and centers are also available in India.
Visa is required to work in the UAE. Citizens of the GCC countries do not require a visa to travel to the UAE. A specific list of countries can obtain a visa upon arrival. However, Indian citizens need to apply for a visa before travel. There are many visa options for pharmacists. The potential pharmacists can travel to UAE on Visit Visa for a job hunt after receiving the eligibility letter or can directly apply for jobs from their home country and upon receiving one can request an employment visa from the company.
For more information on visa and passport requirements, visit the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigner Affairs-Dubai