Licensing changes, salary updates, new hospital openings, visa policy shifts — everything that matters to nurses in the Gulf.
The Saudi Ministry of Health has reaffirmed its commitment to recruiting 250,000 additional healthcare workers by 2030, with bedside nurses and ICU specialists identified as the highest-priority roles. SCFHS is streamlining licensing for qualified nurses from ASEAN and South Asian countries as part of this push.
Read SCFHS Licensing Guide →King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre is recruiting internationally for bedside and senior nurses. Tax-free package from SAR 9,000.
Federal MOH has added Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia and others to an accelerated DataFlow verification pathway, cutting processing time by up to 40%.
Hamad Medical Corporation's clinical nurse specialist retention bonus takes effect from Q2 2025 for all grades 7 and above.
Nurses with 10+ years UAE experience and a DOH/DHA specialist classification can now apply for UAE Golden Visa under the skilled professional category.
Nurse Practitioners with valid NP qualifications can now formally register under the new NP classification in Saudi Arabia — unlocking higher salary bands.
The flagship NEOM healthcare facility in Tabuk Province is actively recruiting. Packages include housing, flights, and a 20% NEOM city allowance on top of base salary.
The Saudi Commission is updating the Prometric nursing exam format. Tests from July 2025 will include 10% more situational judgment questions and allow 20 extra minutes.
Aster's 2025 expansion into Abu Dhabi and Sharjah creates significant hiring opportunities for RNs and specialist nurses across multiple specialties.
Effective January 2025, all MOH Kuwait expat nurse staff on government contracts receive a 12% across-the-board salary adjustment — first increase in 4 years.
Nurses in Qatar can now change employers without requiring the previous employer's NOC — a major improvement for nurse mobility. Effective for all contract types.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi topped a regional nurse satisfaction survey. Key factors: pay parity, robust CPD programme, and structured clinical ladder.
Bahrain's NHRA and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) signed a bilateral agreement to fast-track placement of Filipino nurses in Bahraini hospitals.
Dubai Health Authority now allows nurses to store verified CPD certificates in a digital wallet linked to the SHERYAN portal — making renewal uploads instant.
All SCFHS nursing license renewals from March 2025 require biometric (fingerprint/face) verification through the Absher government platform.
Qualified NPs and CNS holders in Qatar can now independently prescribe from an approved formulary following QCHP certification — effective April 2025.
Effective January 2025, all new DOH licenses and renewals are issued for a 3-year period (previously 2 years), with CPD requirement adjusted to 60 hours per cycle.
Kuwait's Ministry of Health has moved all nursing registration and renewal processes to an online portal, ending the paper-based system that required in-person visits.
OMSB Oman adds Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) and Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) as formal classifications with defined competency frameworks and salary bands.
ICN-themed celebrations at major hospitals across all 6 GCC countries. Many hospitals run CPD-accredited seminars on this date — register through your clinical educator.
Annual conference hosted by the Emirates Nursing Association. Multiple CPD-accredited sessions across 2 days. Early bird registration open now.
Saudi Commission's annual nursing education event. Free registration for SCFHS-licensed nurses. Up to 10 CME hours available.
World Innovation Summit for Health. International nursing leaders present. Highly competitive attendance but worthwhile for senior nurses targeting CNS/NP roles.
Multi-specialty international conference at Dubai World Trade Centre. Typically 300+ international speakers, 15+ CPD hours available.
Qatar Nurses Association annual event at HMC Education Center. QCHP-accredited CPD. Presentations from Sidra and HMC nursing leadership.
Focused on ICU, CCU and emergency nursing. Saudi Nursing Society-accredited. Attendance counts toward SCFHS CME renewal hours.
BNS gathers nursing professionals from all Bahrain hospitals. NHRA-accredited CPD sessions. Good networking opportunity for nurses in Bahrain's private sector.
World's largest healthcare exhibition. Nursing-specific sessions, CPD workshops and the best place to meet GCC hospital recruiters all in one location.