Are you a foreign medical student who just graduated and you are wondering how you can become a doctor in South Africa? Then, no worries we are here to help you. Medical practitioners in South Africa must be registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) to practice medicine. So if you are a foreign graduate and you want to become a doctor in South Africa you need to apply to the HPCSA, but before you can do that you need to have your credentials verified by the South African Qualifications Authority SAQA, then get an endorsement letter from the Foreign Workforce Management Programme (FWMP) in South Africa.
SAQA is the South African body that evaluates and verifies qualifications. They also do the same for foreign qualifications if you intend to work in South Africa. SAQA measures your foreign qualification against the South African National Qualification Framework (NQF), which is based on the NQF Act, 67 of 2008 (as amended) and performs the function according to the Policy and Criteria for Evaluating Foreign Qualifications within the South African NQF (as amended, 2017). Once your credentials are verified, you can register with the HPCSA, with your endorsement letter from the FWMP to become a doctor in South Africa. Below are the steps of how can a foreign graduate become a doctor in South Africa.
Steps for a foreign graduate to become a doctor in South Africa
1. Get your credentials evaluated by SAQA
In order for a foreign graduate to become a doctor in South Africa, they need to get their credentials evaluated, by doing the following:
- Fill in the application form from SAQA completely. Your application can also be completed online.
- Provide proof of your application fee, together with your application.
- Provide certified and legible true copies of all the required documents.
- Provide a copy of your ID or Passport.
- If your certificates are in a foreign language make sure they are translated into English by a sworn translator. The following are the certificates that should accompany your application.
- School qualification.
- Higher Education qualification (this includes your transcripts and final graduation transcripts).
Normal Applications take about 30 working days, while urgent applications take approximately 20 working days. There are also priority applications which take approximately 10 working days and special applications which take 48 hours. For special applications, you need to email specialrequests@saqa.org.za.
2. Get a Letter of Endorsement from FWMP
The Foreign Workforce Management Programme’s main purpose is to regulate the recruiting, employment, migration, and support of foreign health professionals seeking residency in South Africa. You need to get the letter of endorsement from the FWMP so that you are able to apply to the HPCSA and so that the FWMP may be able to help you secure a job once you secure your endorsement letter. The application process takes about three to four weeks. The following are the required documents:
- Cover letter, which details and explains elaborately your professional and personal status. The cover letter should direct the Programme to consider your application in accordance with your specific requests.
- FWMP Application Form.
- Passport or Identity Document.
- Spouse’s passport or Identity Document, if applicable.
- Marriage Certificate, if applicable.
- Children’s birth certificates or passports, if applicable.
- Valid refugee status (section 24(3)(a) of Refugees Act,1998).
- SA permanent residence certificate and SA Identity Document.
- Curriculum Vitae.
- Your Qualifications, if in a foreign language, they must be translated by a sworn certified translator, onto English.
- Proof of foreign professional registration status, translated into English if it’s in a foreign language.
- Proof of passing exams with the relevant SA Professional Council (if written already)
- Professional Registration certificate in South Africa (if obtained already)
- Service certificates / Reference letters / Proof of previous experience
3. Register with HPCSA
These are the requirements to register with the HPCSA as a foreign graduate to become a doctor in South Africa.
- A copy of your passport or Identity document, it should be certified.
- A copy of a certified translation of your degree or qualifications, translated into English and Authenticated.
- A certified copy of the applicant\’s official and comprehensive curriculum, including the individual courses, the theoretical and practical/clinical training, and the length and format of the exam/evaluation.
- Verification of credentials by SAQA
- Internship Certificate.
- An original copy of a good-standing certificate, from the foreign registration authority, which you were registered with. The certificate shouldn’t be older than six months.
- A letter of endorsement for registration under Regulation 2(1), (2), (3), or (4) from the national Department of Health attesting to the applicant\’s employability or placement, a letter of endorsement for registration under Regulation 2(5), (7), or (8) from the prospective employer, or a letter of endorsement for registration under regulation 2(6) from the relevant educational institution confirming enrollment in postgraduate studies.
- The required registration fee.
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