Special licensure exams for OFWs in the Middle East, other countries slated for May 2026

Dubai: Filipino professionals in the UAE and across the Middle East will be able to take their board exams without travelling back to the Philippines.

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) has announced that the 2026 Special Professional Licensure Examinations (SPLE) for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will be held from May 28 to 30.

In the UAE, the written licensure exams will be conducted in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, while other testing centres will include Bahrain, Al-Khobar, Jeddah, and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Israel, Kuwait, and Qatar, along with Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan.

Moreover, the PRC has noted that the exams in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan will be held simultaneously with the Middle East schedule.

What is SPLE?

The SPLE is a set of board exams which allows overseas Filipino professionals to obtain or complete their Philippine licensure while working abroad.

For many OFWs in the UAE, the initiative provides an opportunity to advance their careers and maintain professional credentials without leaving their current jobs.

Oral exams 

Two specialised oral examinations will be held in the UAE. The professional electronics engineers oral examination will take place in Abu Dhabi from May 28 to 30.

Meanwhile, the professional mechanical engineers oral examination will happen in Dubai from May 24 to 29.

Professions covered

A total of 39 licensure examinations will be administered under the 2026 SPLE. These include board exams for:

• Aeronautical engineers

• Agriculturists

• Architects

• Certified plant mechanics

• Certified public accountants

• Chemical engineers

• Chemical technicians

• Civil engineers

• Criminologists

• Customs brokers

• Electronics engineers

• Electronics technicians

• Environmental planners

• Geodetic engineers

• Interior designers

• Master plumbers

• Mechanical engineers

• Medical technologists

• Midwives

• Nurses

• Nutritionists-dieticians

• Pharmacists

• Physical therapists

• Professional food technologists

• Professional teachers

• Psychologists

• Psychometricians

• Radiologic technologists

• Real estate appraisers

• Real estate brokers

• Registered electrical engineers

• Registered master electricians

• Respiratory therapists

• Sanitary engineers

• Social workers

• Veterinarians

• X-Ray technologists

• Professional electronics engineers

• Professional mechanical engineers

Application dates and fees

The online application period has started last February 16 and will run until March 16. All applicants have been directed to apply and pay through the PRC’s Licensure Examination and Registration Information System (LERIS). The prescribed exam fees are:

• ₱2,200 – For courses requiring a baccalaureate degree

• ₱1,700 – For non-baccalaureate degree courses

• ₱1,400 – For removal examinations

Additionally, applicants, including first-level examinees for the professional mechanical engineers oral examination, have been required to complete the online process before submitting documents.

Required documents

After finishing the online application and payment, applicants have been instructed to submit clear scanned copies of:

• Duly accomplished application form (generated from LERIS)

• Two passport-size photos with white background and complete name tag

• Other required documents specified by the relevant PRC board

All documents must be submitted on or before March 16 through the designated online form. On the exam date, applicants have been advised to bring physical or hard copies of their requirements and present them to the PRC delegation team at the testing centre.

Key reminders

According to the PRC, transcript of records without photo or without the remark “For Board Exam Purposes” will be accepted and a valid passport may also be submitted instead of a birth certificate and valid NBI Clearance.

Further, married female applicants have been mandated to submit a marriage certificate.

For queries, applicants may contact the PRC licensure office through its official email channels or check updates on the PRC website and on its official social media pages.