The requirements for foreign nurses to register with SANC is not something that requires strenuous efforts. They are basic and sure documents for nurses to possess. If you are a foreign nurse looking to register and work in South Africa, this article is for you.
SANC is responsible for overseeing the registration and regulations of all nurses in South Africa. This means that all nurses who are looking to work legally in South Africa must make sure they have registered with SANC. This equally applies to foreigners in South Africa who want to operate and work in the country. There is a set of rules and regulations and registration processes peculiar to foreigners alone which they must go through to complete their journey towards working in South Africa.
In this article, we are going to take a closer look at all that this registration process entails while delving deeper into the requirements. Continue reading to find out more in the preceding paragraphs.
Does SANC Register Foreign Nurses?
The answer is a simple yes. SANC register foreign nurses as far as they diligently go through the registration process.
Requirements For Foreign Nurses To Register With SANC
For a foreign nurse to be registered by SANC, he or she needs to first and foremost be eligible. By that, we mean they should have all the requirements that SANC is asking for otherwise they cannot and will not be registered. Here is a list of the eligibility criteria that need to be met by foreign nurses to be registered by SANC;
- The letter of intent
- The curriculum vitae of the applicant
- A letter of support that proves that you can write exams in South Africa from NDoh: FWMP
- A certificate that proves your English proficiency. This certificate is only required from persons whose nursing education is not done in English. It must be noted that the certificate comes from an accredited source.
- An evaluation by the South African Qualification Authority of applicants’ foreign educational qualifications.
- Applicants must include their foreign passport except if they are refugees
- A regulatory certificate from the foreign country must be included
- A valid licence of practice from the regulatory office of the applicant where they were registered. This proves that their country has confirmed that they can go through nursing school and are of legal mind to practice
- Verification certificate from the country’s regulatory body attesting to the applicant’s good standing in the profession and the absence of any open charges against them (except for refugees)
- Education and training transcript from the nursing school they attended in their home country
- A completed application form by the applicant. This form can be downloaded from the official SANC website at www.sanc.co.za
- Applicant must present their application fee which must be paid in full. It should be noted that this fee is not refundable.
- If the applicant is married, they must present a marriage certificate to that effect.
- Additionally, the applicant must add a letter of competence from their previous employer
- Applicant must include a police clearance form in their application. This proves that they have no criminal background.
The individual must contact NDOH and SAQA to obtain the letter of endorsement from NDOH and the SAQA evaluation certificate.
Required Documentation for Registration
if a foreign national is applying for registration with SANC, they should have certain documents handy. The following are the documents that should be made available for foreigners;
- A valid permit if the applicant is already in South Africa.
- A completed registration form can be downloaded from SANC’s official website at www.sanc.co.za
- Proof of payment of the application registration fee. It must be noted that this fee is not refundable
- For those seeking employment, the NDoH’s letter of support for registration and employment is the second one (FWMP).
- An authentic copy of the license to practice (if the application process caused the original license to expire). Because the SANC would not register a candidate whose license to practice has expired, applicants must update their license with the Council or Authority body before registering with the SANC.
- SANC grants a certificate of limited registration, which is valid for the duration specified in the work permit, key skills permission, relatives permit, or accompanying spouse permit.
- Candidates must bear in mind that, to be a part of SANC they should be ready to renew their registration every year
Application Process for Foreign Nurses
All foreign nurses who wish to be a part of SANC to practice in the country need to follow an application process to register with the council. Here is a step-by-step process of the process to follow;
- The first thing an applicant needs to do is to check if they are eligible. Once they confirm they are, they can go ahead with the process
- The next step is to gather all the required documents. They include;
Certified copies of nursing qualification certificates.
Official academic transcripts.
Professional registration certificates from your home country.
Verification letters from educational institutions and regulatory bodies.
Detailed CV outlining your nursing experience.
Proof of English language proficiency.
Medical and police clearance certificates.
Completed application form.
Proof of payment for application fees.
- Following that, you can go ahead to fill out your application for registration form and submit it to the council
- After submission, SANC will go through the forms by contacting your foreign school to get confirmation of all that was said on the form
- SANC will let you know once the registration pushes through
Language Proficiency Requirements
Foreign applicants must have proficiency in English to be able to practice in the country. The requirement is IELTS (International English Language Testing System) with a minimum band score of 6.5 and TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): with a minimum total score of 90.
Credential Evaluation and Verification
For all foreign nationals seeking to register with SANC, they must undergo a rigorous credential evaluation and verification from their foreign nursing schools by SANC. This is to ensure that they meet the standards of nursing competencies in South Africa and will be able to work and operate in the country.
Registration Fees And Payment Methods
Foreign nationals seeking to register with SANC must pay registration fees to the council. It must be noted by these applicants that the fees paid cannot be refunded. They may have to pay an initial registration fee too, an evaluation fee when applying and at last, the annual registration fee to SANC every end of the year.
SANC has varied payment methods that applicants can use to pay their registration fees. Here are some;
- Bank deposit
- Online means using the SANC website
- In-person payment
- International payment
Applicants are always advised to make sure they have their proof of payment available and handy.
Timeframe For Processing Applications
For the time frame and processing of applications, it depends on several factors and how complex the application is. It can run smoothly provided the applicants meet all the requirements. The moment applications are opened, the applicant will be able to start the registration process until the application is closed.
Without the requirements, it would take up to four to six months depending on what is required of the applicant and what he or she has available.
That notwithstanding, SANC opens and closes registration at a point. This should be checked from their official website at www.sanc.co.za
Common Challenges And How To Overcome Them
Just like anyone else applying for something, they are likely to meet certain challenges that can be overcome once they go through the right channels. Here is a list of common challenges and how you can overcome them;
- Incomplete documentation: incomplete documentation can lead to a delay in the registration process. One way to overcome this is to make sure you go over the documents at least three times to make sure that you have all the right details
- Document verification: this is where documents are verified and it can take some time for this process to be completed. To avoid delay, this request should be made earlier.
- Language proficiency issues: this is when the language proficiency of the applicant does not meet the SANC requirement. Applicants should make sure they meet the requirements before they apply
- Competency Assessment: this can take a lot of time hence applicants must make sure they apply for this earlier to avoid the process being dragged
Temporary Vs. Permanent Registration
Foreign nationals applying for registration with SANC, are likely to encounter the two types of registration thus temporary and permanent registration. The Temporary Registration is where the applicant is allowed to register with SANC while they complete other requirements or assessments needed for full registration with SANC. Permanent Registration on the other hand is where sees to it that, nurses get full authority to practice independently in South Africa.
How To Track Your Application Status
It is easy to track your application status with SANC. Here is what you have to do;
- Visit the SANC official website
- Log in with your details
- Click on registered nurses and midwives
- This should be followed by clicking on eRegister
- Enter your SANC number and click on find
- Your registration status will be there
Support And Resources For Foreign Nurses
All nurses applying for registration with SANC have available support and resources. This can be found on the official SANC website. All that the applicant needs to do is to visit the website and navigate for support and resources.
Contact Information For Further Assistance
Cecilia Makiwane Building 602 Pretorius Street, Arcadia, Pretoria, 0083 P/Bag X132, Pretoria, 0001 Tel: 012 420-1000 Fax: 012 343-5400 E-mail: registrar@sanc.co.za Website: www.sanc.co.za
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does SANC Register Foreign Nurses?
The answer is a simple yes. SANC register foreign nurses as far as they diligently go through the registration process.
Can Foreign Nurses Track Their Registration?
Yes, foreign nurses can track their registration process.
What Is SANC?
Knowing what SANC is and what they do cannot go without saying as this article revolves around the council. SANC stands for South Africa Nursing Council. It is a must for nurses and practitioners to uphold the very good standards of their profession and SANC is responsible for that job.
SANC serves as a regulatory body and it is focused on ensuring that nurses in South Africa register with the council to legally work in the country. It also makes sure that these nurses and practitioners are of their utmost best behaviour as far as nursing is concerned and do not flout any of the rules by way of giving them support and assistance. SANC registration is annual, which means that at the end of every year, nurses will have to renew their registration otherwise, they will be removed from the council.