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UAE: How to apply for a social care professional licence in Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi
A guide on the steps, conditions, and documents required to complete the service
Have you been a psychologist in your home country, and wish to practise in the UAE? Or are you a practising professional who now wishes to be licensed in another emirate?
To practice a social care profession in UAE, you need to be licensed by the competent authority in different emirates. Read on to know the documents required, validity, conditions, and steps to apply for a licence in Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
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Sharjah
To practice a social care profession in the emirate, you need to apply for a licence from the Sharjah Social Services Department (SSSD). To do so, you need to have at least 2 years of experience in the social profession. Practising the profession in Sharjah without a social worker licence will result in a fine of Dh5000.
Social care professionals that can obtain the licence include social workers, counseling pyschologist, psychotherapist, school psychologist, marital-family psychologist, criminal psychologist, behavioural analyst, behavioural analyst assistant, behaviour analyst doctor, occupational therapist, special education teacher.
Steps
- Apply through the website through UAE Pass, or customer happiness centre through Emirates ID reader.
- Submit application to administration with required documents
- Within 14 days of submitting application, the administration will submit application to committee.
- Once the committee receives the application, a decision shall be issued within 14 days after review.
Required documents
- Copy of valid passport, family book, Emirates ID for Emiratis
- Copy of valid passport, valid residency proof, Emirates ID for residents
- Copy of accredited academic qualifications
- Copy of transcript
- Copy of equivalency report issued on university degree outside the country
- Scientific experience certificates of last 2 years
- Scientific qualifications and practical experience verification report issued by Dataflow
- Good conduct and behaviour report issued by authorities
- Additional documents may be requested by the department
Further conditions
- The applicant must have full legal capacity, and not have been convicted for a crime against honour or honesty
- If the applicant is not a citizen, he/she must hold a residence permit by the establishment through which he currently practices the profession
- The applicant must pass an evaluation test by the committee, and non-citizens must enroll in a course on the customs, traditions and culture of UAE for no less than 5 hours
Fees
- Licence application - Free
- Evaluation test - Dh1,000
- Social profession licence service fee - Dh300
- Issuance of a social profession licence card - Dh100
Dubai
To practice a social care profession in the emirate, you need to apply for a licence (valid for 2 years) from the Community Development Authority (CDA). To do so, you need to have at least 1 year of experience in the social profession.
Social care professionals that can obtain the licence include social worker, social counsellor, social therapist (behavioural analyst, assistant behavioural analyst, psychologist, assistant psychologist), and special education (special education teacher, learning support teacher)
Steps
- Applicants can submit their application and documents to the authority's email: professional.licensing@cda.gov.ae.
- First, the applicant must obtain verification from Dataflow, and then submit the application to CDA.
- If the application is complete, they are required to take a professional licensing examination at British University Dubai. If the applicant belongs to certain additional categories mentioned below, they are also required to join an intensive training program in the university and obtain a certificate.
- After the test results are out, a professional licensing committee meeting will be held, and if all documents are in order and test result is favourable, the initial approval will be issued.
- The applicant must then submit an employment contract.
- Finally, the applicant has to give the oath, and the licence will be sent to the applicant by email.
Documents required
To obtain primary source verification of qualifications and work experience, the following documents must be submitted to Dataflow through their website:
- Passport copy
- CV
- Copy of highest academic degree
- CDA application form
- Letter of authorisation
- Experience letter (last 3 years)
- Copy of professional licence (if available)
After training for certain additional categories, and receiving results from Ministry of Education and Dataflow, the following documents are required:
- CDA Licensure Application form
- Photo (.jpg format)
- Valid passport copy
- Valid Emirates ID copy
- Academic degrees copy (including the copy of attested translation)
- Academic transcript copy
- Equalization report copy by the Ministry of Education, UAE
- A resident of Dubai must obtain a Good Conduct Certificate issued by Dubai Police. A non-Dubai resident can obtain the certificate from the police department of respective emirate or country of residence ( if the applicant has been residing for less than 6 months in Dubai)
- Dataflow report
- A training certificate from the British University if he applies for a license for certain additional categories (Behaviour analyst, assistant behaviour analyst, assistant psychologist, learning support teacher)
Further conditions
- The applicant must be a UAE resident, and have full civil capacity
- The applicant must be of good conduct and behavior, and must not have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanour involving moral turpitude or dishonesty, unless he has been rehabilitated
- Any other requirements set by the authority
The service to apply for a social worker licence is free in the emirate of Dubai.
Abu Dhabi
Those wishing to practice a social care profession in Abu Dhabi must apply for a licence (valid for a year) from the Abu Dhabi Department of Community Development. The applicant can apply through the TAMM website. The service is free in the emirate.
Steps
- Login through UAE Pass
- Submit the application along with required documents
- After receiving preliminary approval online, the applicant must complete specified procedures, and pass the professional competency test from one of the certified centres mentioned by the department
- If the application is complete and test result is favourable, the applicant can obtain the licence.
Required Documents
- Copy of valid passport's first two pages
- Passport-sized photo
- Equivalency report of academic certificate from the Ministry of Education
- Attested educational certificate
- Attested transcript
- Introduction letter
- CV
- Experience certificate
- Certificate of good conduct from employer
- Police clearance certificate
- Local or international social care professional licences (if available)
- Valid residence permit (for non-citizens)
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