Introduction
Healthcare professionals who hold a Dubai Health Authority licence may apply to obtain a professional licence from the Sharjah Health Authority to work in an SHA-licensed hospital, clinic, medical centre, pharmacy, or other healthcare facility in Sharjah.
However, applicants must understand an important point:
A DHA licence is not directly converted into an SHA licence through the SHA internal licence-transfer service.
The SHA “Request to Transfer Healthcare Professional Licence” service is intended only for transferring an existing SHA licence from one SHA-licensed healthcare facility to another SHA-licensed facility. It does not cover transfers from DHA, DOH, or MOHAP to SHA.
A DHA-licensed professional normally follows two main stages:
- Obtain an SHA Healthcare Professional Assessment Certificate.
- Ask an SHA-licensed employer to activate the professional licence under its facility.
Who Can Apply?
The process may be available to healthcare professionals holding a DHA licence, including:
- Registered nurses and assistant nurses
- Physicians and dentists
- Pharmacists
- Medical laboratory professionals
- Radiographers and radiology technologists
- Physiotherapists
- Optometrists
- Dental assistants
- Operation theatre and anaesthesia professionals
- Dialysis professionals
- Other allied healthcare professionals listed in the UAE Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements
SHA states that healthcare professionals included in the Unified PQR may apply for its professional assessment service.
Can an Active DHA Licence Be Used for SHA Assessment?
Yes. SHA accepts a valid healthcare professional licence issued by another UAE health authority as part of its professional assessment application.
The SHA FAQ also states that applicants holding a valid evaluation certificate or professional licence from another UAE health authority may be exempted from the SHA assessment examination. Final acceptance remains subject to SHA reviewing the professional title, qualifications, experience, licence status, DataFlow report, and examination history.
Therefore, an active DHA licence can help with:
- Establishing the applicant’s UAE licensing history
- Supporting an examination-exemption request
- Reducing repeated credential verification when an acceptable DataFlow report is available
- Demonstrating the professional title previously approved by DHA
The final title granted by SHA may still depend on the current UAE PQR and the documents submitted.
Documents Required for DHA Licence to SHA Process
Applicants should normally prepare the following documents:
The official SHA assessment service lists the passport, Emirates ID, qualifications, transcript, current licence, recent experience, Good Standing Certificate, recent PSV report, examination-exemption documents, residency training documents, and surgical logbook among the documents that may be required.
DHA Good Standing Certificate
A current or previously licensed DHA professional can request either:
- A DHA Good Standing Certificate
DHA lists a fee of AED 520 and a normal processing time of approximately one working day for a Good Standing Certificate. The certificate can be downloaded from the closed applications section of the professional’s Sheryan account after approval.
Although DHA states that its Good Standing Certificate has an issue date rather than a fixed validity period, the receiving authority decides whether the certificate is sufficiently recent. Applicants should therefore obtain a recently issued certificate for the SHA application.
Step-by-Step DHA Licence to SHA Process
Step 1: Check Your DHA Licence and Professional Title
Confirm that the following information is correct:
- Professional name
- DHA Unique ID
- Licence number
- Professional category
- Approved title or speciality
- Licence issue and expiry dates
- Current or previous employer details
Any discrepancy between the licence and passport should be corrected or supported with appropriate documentation.
Step 2: Obtain DHA Good Standing
Apply through the DHA Sheryan professional account.
A Good Standing Certificate is particularly important when the applicant has practised under a DHA licence. It confirms the professional’s licensing status and whether disciplinary restrictions are recorded.
Step 3: Prepare the Existing DataFlow Report
Download an unprotected copy of the DHA DataFlow or PSV report.
The report should clearly show the verification results for:
- Qualification
- Professional registration
- Employment experience
- Internship, where applicable
- Any additional speciality qualification
If some documents were not included in the previous DHA DataFlow report, SHA may request additional verification.
Step 4: Create or Access the SHA Professional Account
Access the Sharjah Health Authority electronic services portal and select the service for:
Request for Healthcare Professional Assessment
This application is generally completed by the healthcare professional.
Step 5: Enter Personal and Professional Information
Complete the required sections carefully, including:
- Personal information
- Passport and Emirates ID information
- Education
- Professional registration
- Employment experience
- UAE licensing history
- DHA examination history
- DataFlow details
- Requested SHA professional title
Applicants required to take an examination must declare previous examination attempts with other UAE health authorities.
Step 6: Upload the DHA Licence and Supporting Documents
Upload clear, complete, and readable documents.
Do not upload:
- Password-protected DataFlow reports
- Cropped certificates
- Blurred scans
- Incomplete transcripts
- Experience certificates without dates
- Documents containing unexplained name differences
Step 7: Request Examination Exemption
Upload the active DHA licence, DHA registration, previous examination result, and DataFlow report as examination-exemption evidence.
SHA states that applicants with a valid UAE authority evaluation or licence may qualify for examination exemption. Nevertheless, SHA will make the final decision after reviewing the applicant’s title and documents.
Step 8: Pay the SHA Assessment Fee
The current SHA professional assessment fees are:
- Physicians, dentists, and TCIM practitioners: AED 500
- Nurses, midwives, pharmacists, allied healthcare professionals, and TCIM therapists: AED 300
Additional DataFlow or examination charges may apply when required. SHA lists an assessment review period of approximately eight working days, excluding delays caused by missing documents, DataFlow verification, or examinations.
Step 9: Receive the SHA Assessment Certificate
Once approved, SHA issues the Healthcare Professional Assessment Certificate.
This certificate:
- Confirms the professional title approved by SHA
- Allows an SHA-licensed facility to proceed with licence activation
- Does not independently permit the applicant to start working
An assessment certificate is not the final professional licence. A healthcare professional may practise only after the SHA professional licence has been issued.
Step 10: Obtain an Offer from an SHA-Licensed Facility
After receiving the SHA assessment certificate, the applicant must obtain an offer from a facility holding a valid SHA healthcare facility licence.
The facility must have the relevant approved speciality or service corresponding to the applicant’s professional title.
Step 11: Employer Applies for SHA Licence Activation
The healthcare facility representative submits the licence application through the SHA portal.
Documents may include:
- Valid SHA assessment certificate
- Offer letter
- Medical malpractice insurance
- NOC for a part-time licence, where applicable
- Physical and mental health report for professionals over 60 years of age
- Other documents requested by SHA
The healthcare facility, rather than the individual professional, submits the final licence application.
Step 12: Pay the SHA Professional Licence Fee
SHA currently lists the following full-time licence fees:
- Physicians, dentists, and TCIM practitioners: AED 3,000
- Nurses, pharmacists, allied healthcare professionals, TCIM therapists, trainees, and specified training or academic categories: AED 1,000
- Part-time licence for all healthcare professional categories: AED 4,000
SHA lists a normal licence-processing period of approximately eight working days.
Should the DHA Licence Be Cancelled Before Applying?
Applicants should not cancel their DHA licence at the beginning of the SHA assessment process unless instructed by the relevant employer or licensing authority.
Keeping the DHA licence active during the initial assessment may help establish:
- Current UAE licence status
- Good standing
- Professional title
- Examination-exemption eligibility
- Recent practice history
Employment, visa, labour contract, full-time or part-time arrangements must later be coordinated with the DHA facility, SHA facility, and relevant authorities.
Practice-Gap Requirement
SHA states that the applicant should not have a professional practice gap exceeding three years.
Where the gap exceeds three years, the applicant may need to complete an approved training programme or additional requirements under the UAE PQR before receiving a professional licence.
Common Reasons for Delay or Rejection
Applications may be delayed or returned because of:
- Expired DHA licence or registration
- Old or unavailable Good Standing Certificate
- Negative or incomplete DataFlow report
- Missing transcript or mark sheets
- Experience certificate without start and end dates
- Job title not matching the qualification
- Undeclared UAE examination attempts
- Practice gap exceeding the permitted period
- Name differences among the passport, qualification, licence, and DataFlow report
- Employer facility not approved for the requested professional speciality
- Unreadable or password-protected documents
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a DHA licence automatically converted into an SHA licence?
No. The applicant must first obtain an SHA assessment certificate. An SHA-licensed employer must then apply for the professional licence.
Is another Prometric examination required?
A professional with a valid DHA licence may qualify for examination exemption. The final decision is made by SHA after reviewing the licence, professional title, examination history, and supporting documents.
Can I work using only the SHA assessment certificate?
No. The assessment certificate confirms eligibility for a title but does not authorise professional practice.
Can I apply without an SHA job offer?
The individual can normally apply for the SHA assessment stage without final licence activation. A job offer from an SHA-licensed facility is required for the employer-led licensing stage.
Can my SHA title differ from my DHA title?
Yes. SHA evaluates the application according to the current PQR, qualification level, experience, registration, speciality training, and supporting documents.
Conclusion
Transferring from a DHA licence to an SHA licence involves obtaining a new SHA professional assessment rather than directly moving the DHA licence into the SHA system.
The correct pathway is:
DHA Licence and Good Standing → SHA Professional Assessment → SHA Assessment Certificate → SHA Employer Offer → SHA Professional Licence
For professional assistance with DHA-to-SHA licensing, DataFlow report review, Good Standing guidance, document preparation, portal application, and examination-exemption support, contact Nursing Manthra.
WhatsApp: https://wa.me/971502515717
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India: +91 6828756689
👩⚕️ About the Author
Shincy George, RN, MSN (Cardiothoracic Nursing), SCFHS-RN, DHA RN, MOH UAE RN, NCLEX-RN (USA), is the Founder of Nursing Manthra Academy.
With extensive international clinical and academic experience, she is dedicated to guiding healthcare professionals through global licensing pathways. Through Nursing Manthra, she supports internationally educated healthcare professionals in achieving their career goals across Canada, USA, UAE, Middle East, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries.
Her mission is to simplify complex licensing processes and empower healthcare professionals with the right knowledge, guidance, and support to succeed globally. 🌍
