Hiring nurses from India for Saudi Arabia: an employer's guide
To hire nurses from India, first check who may recruit for you: Indian rules let private recruitment agencies recruit nurses for Gulf government hospitals and health services, while private hospitals recruit through state government agencies such as NORKA Roots. For Saudi Arabia, shortlisted nurses with a BSc Nursing degree or GNM diploma are interviewed, then licensed by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) after DataFlow verification and, in most cases, the Prometric licensing exam. In nurse recruitment, the employer usually bears all the expenses.
First: who may recruit your nurses
India regulates nurse recruitment for the Gulf more tightly than other professions. Private recruitment agencies such as InterManagement may recruit nurses where the requirement comes from a government hospital or health service; we recruit nurses for the Royal Guard of Oman, for example. Private hospitals recruit Indian nurses through state government agencies such as NORKA Roots in Kerala. The restriction applies only to nurses: we recruit doctors, pharmacists, laboratory technicians and other allied health staff for both government and private hospitals. Every nurse also needs Indian emigration clearance through the eMigrate system.
Qualifications to ask for
- Education: a four-year BSc Nursing degree, or the three-year General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) diploma. Some roles and grades in Saudi Arabia require the degree, so say which you need.
- Registration: current registration with an Indian State Nursing Council.
- Experience: Saudi hospitals commonly ask for at least two years of post-qualification hospital experience, ideally in the specialty you are filling.
- Specialty: state it precisely, for example ICU, emergency, operating theatre, NICU, dialysis, or medical and surgical wards.
Saudi licensing: the step to plan around
Every nurse working in the Kingdom must be classified and registered by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS), through its Mumaris Plus portal. This involves:
- Primary source verification by DataFlow: the nurse’s degree, registration and experience are confirmed directly with the college, nursing council and previous hospitals.
- The SCFHS licensing exam: taken at a Prometric test centre, which India has in several cities.
Verification depends on how quickly Indian institutions respond, so licensing usually makes nurse recruitment take longer than recruitment for trades. Starting DataFlow as soon as candidates are selected saves the most time.
Interviews and selection
Most hospitals have their nursing director or senior nurses interview the shortlist, by video or in person in India, using clinical scenarios from the specialty. Before you see a candidate, our due diligence verifies education, registration and employment history and takes references from previous hospitals, including discreet checks with former colleagues.
Who pays?
In nurse recruitment, the employer usually bears all the expenses, including licensing, verification, visa and travel costs. This is the norm in the market and is what attracts experienced nurses. Our own service fee is agreed one-to-one with each employer and invoiced only after the nurse has arrived and joined you.
Visa, medical and emigration
Once licensing is under way, we complete the medical examination at a GCC-approved centre, visa endorsement from the Saudi consulate and Indian emigration clearance through the eMigrate system. Before departure, each nurse is briefed on the culture, faith, laws and customs of the Kingdom in our pre-departure orientation.
Our healthcare experience
We recruit nurses for government hospitals and health services, including the Royal Guard of Oman, and doctors, pharmacists and allied health professionals for hospitals and clinics. Over the years we have recruited for Saudi German Hospitals, GNP Hospitals, Procare Hospital and Life Pharmacies. See healthcare recruitment, or send us your requirement.
Hiring from India? Send us your requirement and a consultant responds within one business day.