Prometric Exam for Indonesian and Malaysian Nurses 2026: GCC Licensing Guide for Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, with Government Recruitment Routes, Eligibility, Fees and Salaries
How nurses from Indonesia and Malaysia get licensed and hired in the Gulf in 2026: which qualifications DHA, SCFHS, QCHP, Kuwait MOH and NHRA accept, the government-to-government recruitment routes, STR and Nursing Board registration, DataFlow, the Prometric nursing exam, fees in IDR and MYR, salaries, and where the demand is.
Indonesia and Malaysia send thousands of nurses to the Gulf, mostly to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and increasingly to Qatar and the UAE. The licensing exam is the same Prometric paper every Gulf nurse sits, but the recruitment route, the registration documents and the attestation chain are specific to each country. This guide covers both.
Which qualifications are accepted
| Qualification | Usual Gulf classification |
|---|---|
| Indonesia: S1 Keperawatan plus Ners professional programme | Registered Nurse |
| Indonesia: D3 or D4 Keperawatan | Registered Nurse at some authorities with experience; assistant nurse or nurse technician at others |
| Malaysia: Diploma in Nursing (three years) with Nursing Board registration | Registered Nurse at most authorities, subject to experience |
| Malaysia: Bachelor of Nursing | Registered Nurse |
Every authority wants current home registration (Indonesia's STR, now managed through the Ministry of Health's digital system; Malaysia's Nursing Board registration and annual practising certificate), usually two years of experience after registration, and a Good Standing Certificate within six months. Run the eligibility check to see your likely title; diploma routes are explained in diploma nurses in the Gulf.
Recruitment routes
- Indonesia: most Gulf nursing placements run through government-to-government or government-supervised schemes managed by the migrant worker protection agency (BP2MI, reorganised as a ministry in 2024) and licensed placement companies. Private direct hiring is possible for the UAE and Qatar but must still be registered. Check the current scheme list before signing anything.
- Malaysia: recruitment is mostly direct or through private agencies; Malaysian nurses are sought by Saudi and Qatari hospitals for English fluency and diploma-plus-registration profiles.
- Both: never pay large placement or visa fees in cash, and never hand original certificates to an unverified agent (recruitment safety).
Country by country
| Destination | What matters for Indonesian and Malaysian nurses |
|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia (SCFHS) | Largest employer; Mumaris+ classification, DataFlow, then the SNLE. Government hospitals recruit in drives; accommodation usually included (Saudi nursing licence) |
| Kuwait (MOH) | Employer opens the file; strict attestation chain; Indonesian nurses have a long history here (Kuwait nursing licence) |
| Qatar (QCHP/DHP) | Employer-opened file; Hamad Medical Corporation and private hospitals hire; English test often required (Qatar nursing licence) |
| UAE (DHA, DOH, MOHAP) | You can open your own file and pass the exam before an offer; BSc preferred by DHA (DHA nursing licence) |
| Bahrain and Oman | Smaller markets, accessible to diploma nurses with experience (Bahrain, Oman) |
Documents and attestation
- Degree and transcript, registration certificate, experience letters with exact dates and HR contacts, Good Standing, passport, BLS.
- Indonesia: degree legalisation through the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then the destination embassy in Jakarta; Indonesia is an Apostille member for countries that accept it.
- Malaysia: certification through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wisma Putra) and the destination embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
- Documents in Indonesian or Malay need certified English translations before DataFlow.
The general chain is in certificate attestation for GCC licensing; experience letter format in the format guide.
The exam
The Prometric nursing paper is 100 to 150 single-best-answer MCQs in 2 to 3 hours, pass mark about 60% (scaled at SCFHS). It is in English, and reading speed is the main challenge for candidates who trained in Indonesian or Malay. Prometric centres operate in Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, so you can sit the exam at home once eligibility is issued (test centres). Prepare with the Registered Nurse bank, the sample questions and the high-yield topics; allow eight weeks if English is not your working language.
Fees
| Item | USD | IDR (approx.) | MYR (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| DataFlow verification | USD 220 to 340 | IDR 3.5 to 5.5 million | MYR 1,000 to 1,550 |
| Prometric nursing exam | USD 180 to 280 | IDR 2.9 to 4.5 million | MYR 820 to 1,280 |
| Licence or registration | USD 130 to 410 | IDR 2.1 to 6.6 million | MYR 590 to 1,870 |
| Question bank, 3 months with 3 mocks | USD 33.99 | about IDR 550,000 | about MYR 155 |
Approximate 2026 figures at USD 1 = IDR 16,000 and MYR 4.55; authorities change fees without notice and your bank sets the final rate. Government schemes often cover part of the official fees. Full fee tables are in Prometric exam fees by authority.
Salaries
A registered nurse with 3 to 5 years of experience earns roughly SAR 4,500 to 8,000 in Saudi Arabia (about IDR 19 to 34 million), KWD 450 to 800 in Kuwait (about IDR 23 to 42 million), QAR 6,000 to 10,000 in Qatar and AED 5,000 to 10,000 in the UAE, tax-free, often with accommodation in government posts. Compare in best GCC country for nurses or the salary calculator.
Next steps
Check your title with the eligibility check, start the free chapter 1 preview of the nursing bank, get translations and attestation moving, and join the nurse talent pool with your target countries so Gulf hospitals can request your profile.
Frequently asked questions
Is a D3 nursing diploma from Indonesia accepted in the Gulf?
Often, with experience, under a registered or assistant nurse title depending on the authority. S1 plus Ners is accepted as a registered nurse everywhere.
Can Malaysian diploma nurses work in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. A three-year diploma with Nursing Board registration and experience is commonly classified as a registered nurse by SCFHS.
Where can Indonesian nurses sit the Prometric exam?
At the Prometric centre in Jakarta, once the authority releases eligibility. Malaysian nurses can sit in Kuala Lumpur.
Do I need IELTS to work as a nurse in the Gulf?
Not for most licences; Qatar and some private employers ask for IELTS or OET (English requirements).
Is the Prometric exam in English?
Yes. Prepare with English-language question banks so reading speed is not the reason you run out of time.
Practice banks for this exam
Chapter-wise MCQs with written reasoning on every question, and timed mocks at the real pass mark.