Compare countries · Nurses

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

Where every fee is published, the fees you may pay to register as a nurse run from about US$515 in Qatar to about US$3,760 in Australia, before visas and flights; the fastest route takes about 5 months, in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

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 · Registered General Nurse licence (DHP) →	QAR 990 + US$244~US$515Who pays varies	—	about 6 months	None named
What the total covers Pass the DHP Prometric qualifying exam (150 questions, 3 hours, 50%), or hold an NCLEX-RN pass from the last five years (verified)Who pays varies · Source ↗US$244 Primary source verification of your qualification, home registration and experience (DataFlow)Who pays varies · Source ↗QAR 990
IrelandNMBI · NMBI registration (recognition, then adaptation or the RCSI aptitude test) →	€495~US$550	€2,800	about 12 months	Required, unless exempt
What the total covers Apply to NMBI for recognition of your qualification (your college and employer send their forms directly)You pay · Source ↗€350 Meet NMBI's decision; register outright, complete a 6 to 12 week adaptation placement with your employer, or pass the RCSI aptitude test (two attempts at each of theory and OSCE included)Your employer usually pays · Source ↗€2,800 NMBI fee for this route, outside its stepsWho pays is not stated · Source ↗€145
United KingdomNMC · NMC registration via Test of Competence (CBT + OSCE) →	£432~US$555£83 of it: who pays varies	£794	about 8 months	Required, unless exempt
What the total covers NMC eligibility and qualification evaluation (non-refundable)You pay · Source ↗£167 Pass the NMC CBT (Part A numeracy + Part B clinical) at a Pearson VUE centreWho pays varies · Source ↗£83 Pass the NMC OSCE at a UK test centre within 12 weeks of your sponsorship start dateYour employer usually pays · Source ↗£794 NMC fee for this route, outside its stepsWho pays is not stated · Source ↗£182
United StatesNCLEX · NCLEX-RN and a state licence (New York as the example), then VisaScreen →	US$978	—	about 18 months	Required, unless exempt
What the total covers Credentials report for your state board (New York's CVS, most other states the CES Professional Report)You pay · Source ↗US$485 Pass the NCLEX-RN at a Pearson VUE centre: USD 200 to register plus USD 150 at a centre outside the US; registration rises to USD 350 on 1 February 2027 (USD 500 in all with the fee to test abroad)You pay · US$200 + US$150 · Source ↗US$350 State licence (New York: USD 143, with the child abuse reporting and infection control coursework)You pay · Source ↗US$143
New ZealandNCNZ · Nursing Council registration (IQN competence assessment) →	NZD 4,125 + US$380~US$2,840	—	about 12 months	Required, unless exempt
What the total covers Apply to the Nursing CouncilYou pay · Source ↗NZD 485 Document verification by TruMerit (CGFNS)You pay · Source ↗US$380 Pass the theory exam at a Pearson VUE centreYou pay · Source ↗NZD 140 If directed, pass the three-hour OSCE in Christchurch (the cost includes a preparation course)You pay · NZD 3,000 + NZD 500 · Source ↗NZD 3,500
AustraliaAhpra · NMBA registration via the IQNM assessment (Streams A, B and C) →	AUD 5,115 + US$350~US$3,760	—	about 18 months	Required, unless exempt
What the total covers Complete the Self-check, pay the IQNM assessment fee and finish Orientation Part 1You pay · Source ↗AUD 640 Stream B: pass the NCLEX-RN (the OBA multiple-choice exam) at a Pearson VUE centre: USD 200 to register plus USD 150 at any centre outside the US, Australia's included; registration rises to USD 350 on 1 February 2027. Stream A skips the examsYou pay · US$200 + US$150 · Source ↗US$350 Stream B: pass the OSCE in Adelaide (plus travel); Stream A skips the examsYou pay · Source ↗AUD 4,000 Ahpra fee for this route, outside its stepsWho pays is not stated · Source ↗AUD 475
Some fees not in the total
KuwaitKuwait MOH · Ministry of Health nursing licence (Registered Nurse) →	KWD 10~US$33Who pays variesCovers the one step with a published fee	—	about 6 months	None named
What the total covers Job offer from a Kuwait employer (the employer submits the licence request to the Medical License Department)Who pays varies · Source ↗KWD 10
Saudi ArabiaSCFHS · Nurse Specialist classification (bachelor's degree) →	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 qualification, home registration and experience (DataFlow)Who pays varies · Source ↗SAR 500
OmanOman MOH · Ministry of Health private-sector nursing licence →	US$200Who pays variesCovers the one step with a published fee	—	about 6 months	None named
What the total covers Pass the OMSB Omani Examination for Nurses at a Pearson VUE centre (100 questions, 2.5 hours)Who pays varies · Source ↗US$200
United Arab EmiratesDHA · Registered Nurse licence (Unified PQR) →	AED 1,135 + US$240~US$550Who pays variesCovers the three steps with published fees	—	about 5 months	None named
What the total covers Primary source verification of your qualification, home registration and experience (DataFlow)Who pays varies · Source ↗AED 935 Pass DHA's nursing exam at a Prometric centre (USD 240; 150 questions in three hours, pass score 50%; three attempts across all UAE authorities)Who pays varies · Source ↗US$240 Apply to DHA to Get Registered once DataFlow and the exam are done (decision in five working days)Who pays varies · Source ↗AED 200
CanadaCNO · NNAS report, the College of Nurses of Ontario and the NCLEX-RN →	CAD 1,794.49~US$1,310Covers the four steps with published fees	—	about 12 months	Required, unless exempt
What the total covers NNAS Advisory Report (Expedited Service, CAD 750; issued within five business days of the last document)You pay · Source ↗CAD 750 Apply to the College of Nurses of Ontario (CAD 489.29 with HST in 2026)You pay · Source ↗CAD 489.29 Pass the NCLEX-RN: CAD 360 to register plus CAD 150 at a centre outside Canada and the mainland US; registration rises to CAD 570 on 1 February 2027 (CAD 720 in all with the fee to test abroad)You pay · CAD 360 + CAD 150 · Source ↗CAD 510 Pass CNO's online jurisprudence examination (CAD 45.20)You pay · Source ↗CAD 45.20
No fees in the total
BahrainNHRA · General Nurse 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:

IrelandMeet NMBI's decision; register outright, complete a 6 to 12 week adaptation placement with your employer, or pass the RCSI aptitude test (two attempts at each of theory and OSCE included)Your employer usually pays · checked 23 Oct 2026 · Source ↗
€2,800
AustraliaStream B: pass the OSCE in Adelaide (plus travel); Stream A skips the examsYou pay · checked 23 Oct 2026 · Source ↗
AUD 4,000
New ZealandIf directed, pass the three-hour OSCE in Christchurch (the cost includes a preparation course)You pay · NZD 3,000 + NZD 500 · checked 23 Oct 2026 · Source ↗
NZD 3,500
United KingdomPass the NMC OSCE at a UK test centre within 12 weeks of your sponsorship start dateYour employer usually pays · checked 23 Oct 2026 · Source ↗
£794

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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