Hai all, welcome to Nursing Manthra! My name is Shincy George.
If you’re a nurse, doctor, dentist, pharmacist, physiotherapist, medical technologist, radiographer, lab staff, paramedical, or allied health professional planning to work in Qatar, this short blog will help you avoid delays, extra expense, and rejection—especially with the stricter 2025–2026 checks.
Who is the licensing authority in Qatar?
Healthcare practitioner licensing in Qatar is managed under the Ministry of Public Health through the Department of Healthcare Professions (DHP) portal (commonly referred to as the QCHP system).
In most cases, your pathway has 3 main steps:
- Primary Source Verification (PSV) for document authenticity
- Qualifying Exam (Prometric) only if required for your scope
- Evaluation → Licensing/Registration in the DHP portal (often linked to employer/facility requirements)
Quick Answer: What changed in 2025–2026?
✅ Update 1 (Exam exemption rule is stricter in 2026)
From 01 Jan 2026, DHP will not accept any qualifying exam / exemption unless it is supported by a verification report (PSV).
✅ Update 2 (Good Standing submission changed)
DHP stopped accepting Certificate of Good Standing via email/PO Box effective 01 Aug 2025. Now, applicants must submit the PSV report as the approved alternative.
✅ Update 3 (Prometric pattern is clearly listed by DHP)
Many categories follow:
- 150 MCQs | 3 hours
- Cut score often 60% (GP/Dentist/Pharmacist) and 50% (Nurses + many AHP)
✅ Update 4 (Qualifying exam validity)
DHP policy confirms qualifying exam validity is 3 years.
Required documents (common list)
Keep everything clear, color-scanned, and ensure name matches passport.
Common documents:
- Passport + photo
- Educational certificates + transcripts/marksheets
- Internship / clinical training proof (if applicable)
- Home-country professional license/registration (as applicable)
- Experience certificate(s) (proper format)
- Updated CV (DHP/QCHP format is recommended)
- Logbook/case log (for surgical specialties when requested)
- Higher secondary certificate
Note: If your documents are not in English/Arabic, attach official translation along with originals.
Step 1 — PSV / Verification (Most important step)
PSV confirms your:
- Education
- Professional license/registration
- And (in many cases) other key documents depending on your scope
2026 key rule: even if you have a “Prometric exemption” exam (like NCLEX/USMLE/PLAB etc.), DHP requires a verification report for consideration.
Good Standing rule: PSV report is now the accepted route instead of email/PO Box submission.
Step 2 — Prometric Qualifying Exam (Who needs it?)
DHP publishes the exam table (scope-wise). Examples:
- General Practitioner: 150 MCQs, 3 hours, 60%
- General Dentist: 150 MCQs, 3 hours, 60%
- Pharmacist: 150 MCQs, 3 hours, 60%
- Registered General Nurse: 150 MCQs, 3 hours, 50%
Exam Exemption (Important)
DHP issues an official list of “qualifying exams that exempt from Prometric”—but the verification report is mandatory, especially for 2026 processing.
Exam validity
The qualifying exam is typically valid for 3 years.
Study materials
Don’t worry about the exam—Nursing Manthra provides Prometric study materials for many professions (subject-wise and exam-focused).
Step 3 — Evaluation → Temporary License → Final License
After PSV + exam (if required), you apply for Evaluation in the DHP portal.
A) Preliminary Evaluation Certificate (fee reference)
The official service fee shown for preliminary evaluation is 100 QAR.
B) Temporary License (optional, used in some cases)
DHP/MOPH offers a Temporary License:
- Valid for 6 months
- Generally non-renewable
- Used after evaluation while completing remaining requirements
C) Final License to practice in Qatar
Final licensing depends on:
- Your approved evaluation
- Required PSV/exam status
- Facility/employer linkage (your employer must be licensed and eligible to hire under the scope)
Profession-wise experience rules:
Nurses
Official nursing guideline highlights:
- Bachelor + Diploma holders: commonly 2 years clinical experience after registration/licensing as Registered General Nurse (with specific notes for associate degree holders).
- Nurse Trainee: applicants with total clinical experience < 18 months can apply as Nurse Trainee (rules apply).
Doctors (GP / GP Supervised)
DHP circular explains:
- GP title usually needs 5 years post-graduate experience
- If lacking experience or with break of practice → General Practitioner (Supervised) category (facility conditions apply).
Dentists (important duration point)
DHP policies and references commonly expect dentistry study duration of 5 years (excluding internship). If your program duration is shorter on paper, it may trigger queries—so documents must be consistent and clear.
Pharmacists
Requirements vary by scope. Check the official pharmacist guideline table for:
- scope-based experience
- exam requirement/exemption notes
Common reasons for rejection/delay (most frequent mistakes)
- Name mismatch (passport vs certificates vs PSV vs exam profile)
- Unclear/incorrect experience letters (missing letterhead, HR seal, dates, title, contact details)
- Missing internship/clinical training proof
- Uploading wrong document type or incomplete transcript
- Break from practice not addressed (training may be required in some cases)
- Wrong scope selection (applying under a category that doesn’t match your qualification)
Where to apply for jobs in Qatar (examples)
Major employers:
- Hamad Medical Corporation-https://ebusiness.hamad.qa/OA_HTML/RF.jsp?function_id=14296&resp_id=23350&resp_appl_id=800&security_group_id=0&lang_code=US&oas=8kWWn6ygWFpMnd3k1nsDrQ..¶ms=5m0Hhhg7B52qEi8oj6Gymq2xgKeQICa0oYSKG2mXuHyi2UUYrUW3.8gajPsigxUv
- Primary Health Care Corporationhttps://www.phcc.gov.qa/careers
- Sidra Medicinehttps://www.sidra.org/career-opportunities/
Private sector examples:
- Al Ahli Hospitalhttps://www.ahlihospital.com/en/careers/working-at-al-ahli-hospital/
- Al Emadi Hospitalhttps://alemadihospital.com.qa/careers.php
- Doha Clinic Hospitalhttps://dohaclinichospital.com/en/career
- The View Hospital
- Aster Hospital Qatar
Tip: Always check the official career pages and apply with a Qatar-ready CV.
Qatar Visa Center (QVC) + travel note
After job offer + employer visa processing, many applicants from select countries may be routed through the Qatar Visa Center for medical + biometrics before travel.
Also remember: Qatar embassy attestation is commonly required for your final degree + final year mark sheet (process varies by country/state).
Cost of living (realistic range)
Costs depend heavily on accommodation and employer benefits. Public datasets often estimate a family of four around–7000-10000 QAR/month depending on lifestyle and data source.
If housing is provided/subsidized, some families manage with a lower all-in monthly budget—but plan realistically based on your offer.
Summary
Qatar QCHP (MOPH–DHP) License Process 2026 =
✅ PSV verification
✅ Prometric exam / exemption (verification report mandatory from 01-01-2026)
✅ Evaluation → Temporary license (if applicable) → Final license
If you need help with document checklist, PSV guidance, CV formatting (QCHP style), Prometric booking guidance, exam materials, and end-to-end Qatar licensing support, contact Nursing Manthra on WhatsApp: +971502515717.
