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Additional Recruitment Requirements for Foreign Doctors Coming to South Africa

Africa - Health

Recent changes at the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) have altered the registration of doctors wanting to work in South Africa. AHP is currently taking urgent action in an effort to address these changes. AHP’s goal, as always, is to make the application and registration process for any doctor, in or to South Africa, as hassle free as possible.

Requirements for foreign doctors applying to work in South Africa:
  1. Verification by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) is now required prior to application for registration to work in South Africa
  2. Required supervision will be determined based on demonstrated experience in each of the following essential domains:
  • Surgery (a minimum of three months’ experience)
  • Internal medicine (a minimum of three months’ experience)
  • O&G (a minimum of three months’ experience)
  • Evidence of the number of anaesthetic procedures administered

In an attempt to meet the criteria for the two year internship required for South African doctors, the HPCSA has reviewed its criteria for registering foreign-qualified non-exam track doctors wishing to work in South Africa. Non-exam track foreign-qualified doctors with less than three years of post-internship experience who wish to work in South Africa can be registered as “medical officers” but may require supervised experience before being allowed to work unsupervised in a rural hospital.

As of immediate effect, application procedure is as follows, kindly refer below. As soon as there are any other changes or developments in these new processes, all candidates will be notified thereof.

Application process:
NON-EXAM CANDIDATES

In this category, candidates are not required to write exams, a decision which is made by the HPCSA exam board. This decision is based on a number of factors; one being the compatibility of the standard of education and training received to that of South African universities.

Required documentation:
  • Formal letter stating that the doctors want to write the HPCSA exam
  • CV
  • Original Notarised degree (If certificate is not in English, the original notarised certificate must be accompanied by an original notarised and sealed translated copy by a sworn translator.)
  • Notarised/certified passport copies
  • Proof of registration in home country
  • Certificate of Goodstanding

IF COMING WITH PARTNER, SPOUCE AND CHILDREN:

  • Copy of marriage certificate
  • Copy of spouse/partner’s passport
  • Copy of children’s passports
Process:
  1. ECFMG verification
  2. Fill in FWMP forms and HPCSA form 10 and 12(completed and stamped) – then send to FWMP with required documentation (listed above)
  3. Receive FWMP endorsement letter  
  4. Apply for position at hospital or provincial office
  5. Receive job offer from hospital (candidate to sign and send back)
  6. Resend job offer and acceptance letter to FWMP
  7. Receive final endorsement letter from FWMP
  8. Final endorsement to be signed by candidate
  9. Candidate to pay deposit to for HPCSA registration fee and annual fee
  10. Once payment is received all documents are sent to HPCSA for registration
  11. Visa Application  
Application process:
EXAM CANDIDATES

As per regulation by the HPCSA, candidates whose qualifications are not of a comparable standard to that of South Africa are required to write the HPCSA exam. This would apply to individuals who have graduated from a medical school, but not one on the HPCSA’s approved list.

Required documentation:
  • Formal letter stating that the doctors want to write the HPCSA exam
  • CV
  • Notarised/certified degree copies (if this certificate is not in English, the original notarised certificate must be accompanied by an original notarised and sealed translated copy by a sworn translator.)
  • Notarised/certified passport copies
  • Proof of registration in home country

IF COMING WITH PARTNER, SPOUCE AND CHILDREN

  • Copy of marriage certificate
  • Copy of spouse/partner’s passport
  • Copy of children’s passports
Process:
  1. ECFMG verification
  2. Fill in FWMP forms and HPCSA form 10 and 12 – then send to FWMP requesting permission to write HPCSA exams – along with the required documentation (listed above)
  3. Receive endorsement letter allowing candidate to write exams
  4. If candidate meets requirements – permission is granted
  5. Make payment for exam fee directly to HPCSA
  6. Sit for theoretical and clinical exams (Note: exam dates are set by the HPCSA twice per year and only in test centres in Pretoria or Durban.)
  7. Once candidate passes both exams they can be required to do an internship OR work as a medical officer in public service
  8. Apply to FWMP for permission to seek employment/internship
  9. Receive first endorsement letter
  10. Apply for position at hospital
  11. Receive job offer from hospital
  12. Candidate must sign job offer and send to FWMP
  13.  Receive final endorsement letter and visa/work permit application