<p>You may have heard that you need healthcare work experience to get a job, but that you need a job to gain work experience. So from the surface, this presents a complex situation, particularly for fresh graduates. However, it doesn’t mean that you cannot build on your experience. It is possible to work in or towards positions you desire, including a career overseas. By doing a little research, you’ll find there are plenty of opportunities for healthcare professionals and fresh graduates with limited work experience. </p>
<p>In this blog, we discuss how much healthcare work experience healthcare professionals need to work in the UK, Saudi Arabia, and other GCC countries. These are popular destinations for healthcare professionals and each region has different work experience requirements for employment. </p>
<h2>How Much Healthcare Work Experience Do I Need To Work in Saudi Arabia? </h2>
<p>Saudi Arabia has a robust healthcare system that hires a lot of international healthcare professionals. In most cases, healthcare roles in the KSA such as <a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/work-overseas-nurse-saudi-arabia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nursing</a> require overseas job candidates to have <strong>at least 2-3 years</strong> of relevant work experience. Some positions may require a <strong>minimum of 1 year</strong> of working experience. However, pre-pandemic, some KSA employers began hiring recent graduates to fill their <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/jobs/job-search-results?title=Registered+General+Nurse&country=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Registered Nurse</a> vacancies. For specialist roles, <strong>extensive consulting experience</strong> is usually required. </p>
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<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background" href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/jobs/job-search-results?title=&country=Saudi+Arabia" style="border-radius:50px;background-color:#00497a;color:#f5f5f5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Browse and apply for healthcare roles in KSA here</a></div>
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<h2>How Much Healthcare Work Experience Do I Need To Work in the GCC?</h2>
<p>There is a rising demand for healthcare professionals in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries. Competition for these healthcare jobs, particularly in countries like the UAE is also very high. For specialty roles, usually, you will need at least <strong>8 years</strong> of professional experience. Doctors need a <strong>minimum of 5 years</strong> of experience and nurses usually need <strong>2-3 years</strong> of experience. </p>
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<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background" href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/jobs" style="border-radius:50px;background-color:#00497a;color:#f5f5f5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Browse and apply for healthcare roles in the GCC here</a></div>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="535" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/11/shutterstock_452359138-1-1-1024x535.jpg" alt="UK, Saudi and UAE flag" class="wp-image-12804" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/11/shutterstock_452359138-1-1-1024x535.jpg 1024w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/11/shutterstock_452359138-1-1-300x157.jpg 300w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/11/shutterstock_452359138-1-1-768x401.jpg 768w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/11/shutterstock_452359138-1-1.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>How much healthcare work experience do healthcare professionals need to work in the UK, Saudi Arabia, and other GCC countries?</figcaption></figure>
<h2>How Much Healthcare Work Experience Do I Need To Work in the UK?</h2>
<p>The NHS is the UK’s largest healthcare employer, which hires a diverse range of international healthcare professionals. International applicants must meet certain work experience requirements to be shortlisted <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/jobs/job-search-results?title=&country=United+Kingdom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">to work in the UK</a>. For example, international doctors might need post-graduate training, certain internships, or <strong>several years of work experience</strong> <a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/work-uk-overseas-doctor/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">to work in the UK as an overseas doctor</a>. In addition to a registered nurse license and a nursing degree or diploma, <strong>1 year of nursing experience</strong> is usually required to work as a fully qualified and registered nurse. </p>
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<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background" href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/jobs/job-search-results?title=&country=United+Kingdom" style="border-radius:50px;background-color:#00497a;color:#f5f5f5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Browse and apply for healthcare roles in the UK here</a></div>
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<h2>How Do I Gain Relevant Healthcare Work Experience?</h2>
<p>If you want to work overseas but feel like your lacking work experience is limiting, you can build your work experience through initiatives such as:</p>
<ul><li>Volunteering </li><li>Find local or international entry-level positions that do not require work experience </li><li>Enroll in a work experience placement </li><li>Find a supported internship</li><li>Look for programs supported by your university to help you gain relevant work experience </li></ul>
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<p>Find opportunities locally that will build your work experience in the area of health that interests you. Most importantly, relevant work experience will help to get you hired. In addition to your work experience, you should prepare your documents and credentials for a career overseas. Above all, make sure to verify your:</p>
<ul><li><a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/mytrueprofile-digital-cv-highlight-your-education/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">education</a></li><li><a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/mytrueprofile-digital-cv-highlights-identity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">identity</a></li><li><a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/mytrueprofile-digital-cv-highlights-work-experience/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work experience</a></li><li>other documents required for you to work overseas.</li></ul>
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<p>In conclusion, if you’re prepared to be deployed in advance, you’re much more likely to be hired quicker by international healthcare employers.</p>
<h4>Take the first step today and sign up to TrueProfile.io to get a head start!</h4>
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