Licensure of Internationally Educated Nurse Practitioners
Have you worked as a Nurse Practitioner abroad and immigrated to Israel?
This page provides information on applying for recognition of your specialist qualification in Israel, the eligibility requirements, and the special provisions available to new immigrants.
If you have immigrated to Israel and practiced as a Nurse Practitioner abroad, you may apply for recognition of your Nurse Practitioner qualification in Israel, provided that your area of specialization is recognized in Israel. For a list of Nurse Practitioner specialists currently recognized in Israel
Recognition of specialty qualifications is granted by the Nursing Division following an evaluation of your education, training, and professional experience in accordance with the professional requirements applicable in Israel.
New immigrants may be eligible for certain special provisions during the recognition process, as detailed below.
Special provisions for new immigrants
To facilitate the recognition process for new immigrants, several special provisions have been introduced:
- A simplified process for obtaining a permanent license for Clinical Nurse Specialists and midwives with at least one year of professional experience in the relevant field.
- Exemption from the Hebrew language proficiency requirement for graduates of the Advanced Hebrew Course offered by the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.
- The ability to register through the Health Professions Practitioners Portal even without an Israeli identity card.
Recognition process
Professional recognition is required in order to practice in Israel as a Nurse Practitioner.
To obtain recognition, you must meet the applicable requirements and submit all documents specified on this page.
Once your documents have been received, the Professional Development Department of the Nursing Division will evaluate your education, training, and professional experience and determine the extent to which they correspond to the specialty training requirements in Israel.
Upon completion of the review, you will receive notification of the results and instructions regarding the next steps in the licensure process.
Important information: Registration as a Nurse Practitioner in Israel is possible only after:
- Obtaining recognition of your professional status.
- Successful passing of the state licensure examination for Nurse Practitioners.
Eligibility requirements for recognition as a nurse practitioner
To apply for recognition as a Nurse Practitioner in Israel, you must meet all of the following requirements:
- You hold a valid permanent registration certificate as a Registered Nurse in Israel.
- You hold a specialty registration certificate or license from the country in which you completed your specialty training (for countries where no specialty licensure or registration system exists, the application will be reviewed by the Nursing Division).
- You have practiced as a Nurse Practitioner in your country of origin for at least one year during the past ten years.
- You have completed a master's or doctoral degree in nursing at an academic institution abroad that has been recognized by the "Committee for Evaluation of Foreign Academic Degrees" of the Ministry of Education.
Educational program requirements
The advanced nursing degree program must meet all of the following requirements:
- The field of study corresponds to a Nurse Practitioner specialty recognized in Israel.
- Program scope: at least 30 academic credits in a thesis track or 40 academic credits in a non-thesis track.
- At least 300 hours of clinical coursework in the specialty field.
- At least 400 hours of clinical practice in the specialty field.
Important information:
- Eligibility for recognition as a Nurse Practitioner is assessed concurrently with eligibility for recognition as a Registered Nurse in Israel.
- All documents required for both processes must be submitted together.
For information about applying for recognition of your professional status
For information about the recognition process for Registered Nurses - foreign graduates
Documents required for the application
Please note: Only copies of documents should be submitted. Original documents will not be returned.
The following documents must be attached:
Professional and academic documents
- A copy of your valid registration certificate as a Registered Nurse in Israel.
- A specialty registration certificate or license issued in the country where you completed your specialty training (if no specialty licensure exists in that country, the application will be reviewed based on the available documentation).
- An academic degree certificate (at least a master's degree in nursing).
- Confirmation from the Committee for Evaluation of Foreign Academic Degrees that the degree has been recognized as equivalent in Israel.
Details of education and professional experience
- Official academic transcript, including:
- Courses completed
- Grades
- Theoretical and clinical training hours
- Official documentation of employment as a Nurse Practitioner, including:
- Employment start date
- Employment end date
- Job description
Additional documents
Applicants are encouraged to submit documents demonstrating professional activity in their area of specialization, including:
- Continuing professional education and training
- Research activities and publications
- Participation in professional conferences
- Staff education and training
- Contributions to the development of the specialty field
- Professional recommendations and references
Personal documents
- A copy of your Israeli identity card, including the appendix (Sefach), or a passport with a valid Israeli work visa
- A copy of your Immigrant Certificate (Teudat Oleh) or Returning Resident Certificate
- An up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV). The CV must include current contact information:
- Residential address
- Mobile phone number for receiving notifications
- Active email address
Please note: Notifications cannot be sent to email addresses ending in "ru". Applicants are advised to use a Gmail, Walla, Hotmail, or similar email addresses.
Translation and authentication of documents
- Documents in English may be submitted without translation.
- Documents in other languages must be translated into Hebrew and accompanied by a translation certified by a notary licensed in Israel, confirming that the translation is a true and accurate translation of the original document.
Submission of documents
Documents in English: May be submitted as scanned copies (combined into a single file) by email to: siud-pituah@MOH.GOV.IL
Translated documents: Must be sent by mail to the following address:
Professional Development Department
Nursing Division, Ministry of Health
39 Yirmiyahu Street, POB 1176, Jerusalem
Postal Code 9101002
Please note: If, at any stage of the process, information is found to be inaccurate or unreliable, eligibility for professional recognition may be revoked.