Saudi imposes new exam for foreign nurses

MANILA, Philippines - Fewer Filipino nurses are likely to get employed in Saudi Arabia in the coming months with the government there imposing stricter requirement for the hiring of foreign workers.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) yesterday reported that the Saudi government is now requiring all foreign nurses, including Filipinos, to hurdle an additional examination prior to their employment.

“The Saudi Council mandates all foreign nurses to pass the Prometric Exam before working in the Kingdom,” POEA chief Jennifer Manalili disclosed.

Manalili said the prometric examination is similar to the licensure examination administered to nursing graduates in the country.

In the Philippines, Manalili said, the accredited testing center is Thomson Prometric at the Ateneo Professional Schools in Makati City, with telephone number 892-0383 and website http://www.prometric.com.

Manalili added that the examination is scheduled Tuesday until Friday, with a fee of $90.

Local recruitment industry leaders are worried that the imposition of the new requirement would lead to the reduction in the number of Filipino nurses hired in Saudi Arabia.

Based on POEA data, more than 130,000 nurses have left for abroad from 1992 to 2007.

Saudi Arabia is among the biggest employers of Filipino nurses, including those who were not fortunate enough to pass the board. – Mayen Jaymalin