Healthcare professionals working in Saudi Arabia often ask Nursing Manthra: “I already hold an SCFHS licence and passed the Saudi licensing examination. Do I need to write another exam for Bahrain?”
The answer depends on your profession, nationality and the exact examination you passed. A Saudi professional licence is useful evidence of your registration history, but it does not guarantee a Bahrain licence or examination exemption.
For nurses, NHRA’s published documents contain specific wording about accepting certain Saudi examination results. For allied health professionals, the published exemption provision is narrower.
Is This a Direct Licence Transfer?
“Saudi to Bahrain licence transfer” is a commonly used phrase. In practice, applicants must complete Bahrain’s NHRA licensing application and receive approval.
Your Saudi licence, examination result, experience and verification records support that application. They do not replace NHRA’s assessment.
The Bahrain government’s licensing service requires a Mehan application, employer documentation, qualification verification, previous registration and other supporting evidence.
Can Nurses Use Their Saudi Examination Result?
There is a documented reason why some nurses have previously obtained approval without repeating the Bahrain examination.
The April 2022 Nursing PQR expressly provided for possible exemption for non-GCC applicants who passed an equivalent GCC licensing examination. Its footnote accepted the Saudi “Nurse Specialist” examination and excluded “Nurse Technician.”
However, the October 2022 Nursing PQR presents the information differently. It retains the nationality-based exemption provision and the footnote accepting Saudi “Nurse Specialist,” but omits the earlier explanatory sentence about non-GCC applicants.
This creates an important practical distinction:
There is published support for submitting an eligible Saudi nursing examination result for recognition, but applicants should obtain NHRA’s decision before assuming they can avoid another examination.
Also, do not automatically treat every result described informally as “Saudi Prometric” or “SNLE” as identical to the examination named in the older footnote. Submit the actual score report, examination title and date for assessment.
What About Allied Health and Paramedical Professionals?
NHRA’s Allied Health PQR states:
“Only Bahraini or GCC nationals holding a valid GCC license will be exempted from the licensure examination.”
A person holding Saudi residency or an SCFHS licence is not necessarily a GCC national. For example, an Indian or Filipino applicant does not become eligible under this nationality-based provision simply by working in Saudi Arabia.
The nursing examination footnote should not be extended to physiotherapists, laboratory professionals, radiographers or other allied health categories.
For non-GCC allied health applicants, request a decision for the exact professional title and Saudi examination. Where NHRA requires an assessment, follow the instructions issued through the application.
Does the General Examination Booklet Confirm Saudi Exemption?
The attached Licensure Examination 2022 — Updated booklet does not contain a blanket Saudi-licence exemption.
It describes application approval, examination eligibility codes and uploading results. It also contains a note about applying the relevant pass mark when Prometric was taken through another centre.
That note alone does not establish that every Saudi examination is accepted. It does not specify all eligible professional categories or the conditions for recognition.
Likewise, the attached application guides explain how to apply; they do not promise exemption for Saudi licence holders.
Documents to Prepare When Applying From Saudi Arabia
Prepare the following for your NHRA application:
- Valid passport.
- Passport-size photograph with a white background.
- Updated CV.
- Attested educational qualifications.
- Relevant employment certificates.-Experience gap of maximum 3 year only allowed.
- Valid SCFHS professional registration or licence.
- Good Standing Certificate from the regulator in the last country of practice.
- Required credential verification report.
- Saudi examination score report, if requesting recognition.
- Bahrain employing facility’s invitation or supporting documentation.
Your attached NHRA non-Bahraini application guide specifies that the Good Standing Certificate should be no more than six months old. It also describes verification of qualifications, experience, registration and good standing.
Keep the Saudi examination report separate from the Saudi licence. One establishes an examination result; the other establishes professional registration.
Application Process From Saudi Arabia to Bahrain
Step 1: Confirm the Bahrain Professional Title
Check which NHRA category matches your qualification and intended role. A Saudi classification does not automatically determine the Bahrain title.
Step 2: Obtain the Facility Invitation
The attached NHRA guides describe an invitation sent by the Bahrain facility through Munshaat, allowing the applicant to proceed through Mehan.
Step 3: Prepare Verification and Supporting Documents
Follow the verification requirements issued for the Bahrain application. Ask whether an existing report can be transferred or supplemented before purchasing another verification package.
Step 4: Submit the Saudi Examination Evidence
Upload the full examination report and current professional registration.
If seeking examination recognition, make the request explicit. Include the examination title, date, result and intended NHRA category.
NHRA exam validity is for 5 years.
Only Bahraini or GCC nationals holding a valid GCC license will be exempted from the licensure
examination.
Total 4 attempts to attend the examination.
Step 5: Receive NHRA’s Assessment Decision
NHRA may request additional documents, accept the submitted evidence or issue examination eligibility instructions.
A previous candidate’s approval can help identify a question to ask, but it does not guarantee the same outcome for another applicant.
Step 6: Complete Final Licensing Requirements
The attached non-Bahraini guide describes an LMRA approval-letter stage, followed by submission of Bahrain CPR and a health-fitness certificate from a licensed Bahrain facility. Final payment and electronic licence issuance follow approval.
Has NHRA Cancelled the Previous Saudi Exemption?
A cancellation cannot be confirmed from the evidence reviewed.
The older nursing wording explains why previous approvals may have occurred. The later nursing document retains examination-acceptance wording but is less explicit about its application to non-GCC nationals.
Applicants should therefore avoid two unsupported claims:
- “Every Saudi licence holder is exempt.”
- “NHRA has stopped accepting all Saudi examination results.”
The reliable approach is to obtain written confirmation for the applicant’s profession and examination.
How to Request Clarification
Contact the department matching the profession:
- Nursing: [email protected]
- Allied health: [email protected]
These addresses appear in your attached NHRA guides.
Include the candidate’s nationality, qualification, SCFHS category, registration validity, exact Saudi examination title, examination date and proposed Bahrain title.
Ask whether the Saudi result can satisfy the Bahrain examination requirement and whether any additional conditions apply
Examination recognition and licensing approval are determined by NHRA after reviewing the individual application.
Nursing Manthra documentation support
Nursing Manthra can assist with document preparation, application coordination and responding to licensing queries. We provide documentation and licensing support; we do not provide recruitment or job placement.
Before enrolling in training, have your current licence and qualification pathway reviewed. It is easier to resolve an eligibility question before paying course fees.
Contact Nursing Manthra
For document preparation, verification support, licensing guidance and examination study materials:
UAE / WhatsApp: +971 502 515 717
India: +91 6828756689
WhatsApp: https://wa.me/971502515717
Study materials: https://nursingmanthra.com/study-materials/
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.
