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How much does it cost to register as a doctor abroad, country by country?

Where every fee is published, the fees you may pay to register as a doctor run from about US$575 in Qatar to US$3,580 in the United States, before visas and flights; the fastest route takes about 4 months, in New Zealand.

Checked 22 Oct 2026 · Sources ↓

Fees and time by country

Registration fees and time on each country's main route, cheapest first
Country and route	You may pay	Employer usually pays	Time	English test score
Every fee in the total
QatarQCHP · General Practitioner licence (DHP) →	QAR 1,210 + US$244~US$575Who pays varies	—	about 6 months	None named
What the total covers Pass the DHP General Practitioner qualifying exam (Prometric, 150 questions, 3 hours, 60%; five trials), or hold a verified pass in PLAB 1, USMLE Step 2, MCCQE 1, the AMC MCQ, PRES Part 2, IFOM CSE or the MRCGP AKTWho pays varies · Source ↗US$244 Primary source verification of your degree, specialty certificate, home registration and experience (DataFlow)Who pays varies · Source ↗QAR 1,210
United KingdomGMC · GMC registration via PLAB →	£1,800~US$2,310	—	about 9 months	Required, unless exempt
What the total covers Pass PLAB 1 (180 questions, three hours)You pay · Source ↗£283 Pass PLAB 2 in Manchester within two years of PLAB 1You pay · Source ↗£1,036 GMC fee for this route, outside its stepsWho pays is not stated · Source ↗£481
CanadaCPSO · Family doctors certified in Australia, Ireland, the UK or the US (CFPC certification without examination) →	CAD 4,897~US$3,570	—	about 6 months	Required
What the total covers Source verification of your degree, training and certification on physiciansapply.ca (CAD 150 account, CAD 232 per credential)You pay · CAD 150 + 3 × CAD 232 · Source ↗CAD 846 CFPC certification without examination (CAD 533 application, CAD 3,518 certification)You pay · CAD 533 + CAD 3,518 · Source ↗CAD 4,051
United StatesECFMG · ECFMG Certification and the residency Match →	US$3,580	—	about 24 months	Required
What the total covers Apply for ECFMG Certification through MyIntealth and have your diploma and transcript verified with your schoolYou pay · US$580 + US$220 · Source ↗US$800 Pass USMLE Step 1 (applied for through the FSMB)You pay · US$695 + US$210 · Source ↗US$905 Pass USMLE Step 2 CKYou pay · US$695 + US$235 · Source ↗US$930 Apply to a Pathway (1 to 6) by 31 January for that year's Match and have it acceptedYou pay · Source ↗US$945
Some fees not in the total
Saudi ArabiaSCFHS · General Practitioner classification (SCFHS) →	SAR 500~US$135Who pays variesCovers the one step with a published fee	—	about 6 months	None named
What the total covers Primary source verification of your degree, specialty certificate, home registration and experience (DataFlow)Who pays varies · Source ↗SAR 500
OmanOman MOH · Ministry of Health private-sector licence, General Practitioner →	US$220Who pays variesCovers the one step with a published fee	—	about 6 months	None named
What the total covers Pass the OMSB Omani Examination for General Practitioners at a Pearson VUE centre (150 questions, 2 hours 45 minutes, 60%)Who pays varies · Source ↗US$220
United Arab EmiratesDHA · General Practitioner licence (Unified PQR) →	AED 1,235 + US$280~US$615Who pays variesCovers the two steps with published fees	—	about 5 months	Not stated
What the total covers Primary source verification of your degree, specialty certificate, home registration and experience (DataFlow)Who pays varies · Source ↗AED 1,235 Pass DHA's General Practice exam at a Prometric centre (USD 280; 150 questions in three hours, pass score 60%; three attempts across all UAE authorities), unless an accepted international exam exempts youWho pays varies · Source ↗US$280
New ZealandMCNZ · Comparable health system pathway (provisional general scope) →	NZD 1,935.55~US$1,150Who pays variesCovers the one step with a published fee	—	about 4 months	Required, unless exempt
What the total covers Job offer that includes supervision, then apply for provisional general registration (decision in 20 working days)Who pays varies · Source ↗NZD 1,935.55
IrelandIMC · Irish Medical Council general registration →	€1,951~US$2,170Plus the fees on the regulator's own schedule ↗	—	about 5 months	Required, unless exempt
What the total covers Pass PRES Level 3 (after PLAB 1, USMLE, MCCQE or AMC MCQ in place of Level 2), or be exempt through PLAB 2, a recognised higher qualification or an equivalent internshipYou pay · Source ↗€1,500 IMC fee for this route, outside its stepsWho pays is not stated · Source ↗€451
No fees in the total
AustraliaAhpra · Competent Authority pathway →	—No step on this route has a published feeIts fees are on the regulator's own schedule ↗	—	about 6 months	Required, unless exempt
BahrainNHRA · Specialist licence (NHRA) →	—No step on this route has a published fee	—	about 5 months	None named

What drives the cost

The largest single fees on these routes, as the regulator or exam body publishes them:

CanadaCFPC certification without examination (CAD 533 application, CAD 3,518 certification)You pay · CAD 533 + CAD 3,518 · checked 31 Oct 2026 · Source ↗
CAD 4,051
IrelandPass PRES Level 3 (after PLAB 1, USMLE, MCCQE or AMC MCQ in place of Level 2), or be exempt through PLAB 2, a recognised higher qualification or an equivalent internshipYou pay · checked 23 Oct 2026 · Source ↗
€1,500
United KingdomPass PLAB 2 in Manchester within two years of PLAB 1You pay · checked 23 Oct 2026 · Source ↗
£1,036
New ZealandJob offer that includes supervision, then apply for provisional general registration (decision in 20 working days)Who pays varies · checked 23 Oct 2026 · Source ↗
NZD 1,935.55

What the totals leave out

Visa and work permit fees, and the job offer itself.
Flights, travel to an exam centre, and where you stay.
Your English test (its fee depends on the test and where you sit it), and papers from home: certificates of good standing, translations and attestation.
Resits, and steps only some people take (by where you trained or your passport).
Figures marked ~ are converted to US dollars at fixed rates of 1 Oct 2026, only to set countries side by side; each fee is charged in the currency shown beside it.

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Sources

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