Top 10 Countries for Indian Doctors to Work Abroad in 2026

There are several Indian doctors who opt for going abroad in search of better pay, better medical facilities and to lower the stress of work life. Also, some doctors look for countries where Indian doctors can work without exams. Most countries, however, mandate that doctors take a licensing examination or assessment before practising, and the exams have clear processes, and Indian MBBS graduates pass the exams annually.

This guide will discuss some of the best countries for Indian doctors to migrate in 2026, along with their salary, licensing requirements, visa routes, and quality of life. It also covers the top countries for Indian doctors to go abroad for jobs, overseas acceptance of Indian MBBS, the best country for doctors and the best country for doctors to work.

Where Do Most Indian Doctors Go to Work Abroad in 2026?

According to the recent trends in visas, hiring and shortage of healthcare professionals, the top countries where Indian doctors can work without exam and for Indian doctors to go abroad in 2026 are:

• United States

• United Kingdom

• Australia

• Canada

• United Arab Emirates

• New Zealand

• Germany

• Ireland

• Singapore

• Saudi Arabia

These countries are suffering from a shortage of doctors, have a definite licensing system for Indian doctors, and have the experience of employing and sponsoring Indian doctors. They are different in salary, difficulty of the exam and the duration required to get a permanent residency.

Also Read: Top 10+ Best Country for MBBS for Indian Students in 2026: Guide

Best Countries for Indian Doctors to Migrate in 2026: Overview 

Below is a table of the top 10 countries where indian doctors can work without exam and move in 2026, the pathway for them to get licensed and why they are the top countries for Indian doctors abroad:

Also Read: Which Country is Best for Job Opportunities in 2026? 

Top 10 Countries for Indian Doctors to Migrate in 2026 

Here’s a brief overview of the top 10 countries where Indian doctors can work without exam and  migrate in 2026 for work purposes:

1. United States

Although it's the most demanding and lengthy route on this list, the US is still the best place for Indian medical graduates to find the highest salary and remains the best-paying country in the world for doctors.

• Average Salary: $386,000 for general physicians and $600,000+ (up to $750,000 or more) for the top specialists (e.g., neurosurgery). 

• Licensing: Take the ECFMG certification; pass USMLE Steps 1, 2 CK, and 3; match into a residency programme in the US.

• Visa Process: J-1 visa during residency, transitioning to H-1B or O-1 for jobs, leading eventually to an employment-based Green Card (EB-2/EB-3).

• Healthcare System: A mix of public (Medicare/Medicaid) and private insurance.

• Pros: Best career growth, world-class training, and a huge, established Indian doctor community.

• Cons: Very competitive residency match; takes 5-7 years to complete.

• Top Cities: New York, Houston, Chicago, San Jose, and Raleigh.

2. United Kingdom

The UK stands as the most popular destination for Indian doctors due of its formal and welcoming entry system.

• Average Salary: £36,000–£42,000 for beginners; £105,504–£139,882 for NHS consultants (can exceed £160,000 with extra shifts).

• Licensing: pass the PLAB test (now fully incorporated into the UKMLA framework) and register with GMC.

• Visa Process: Sponsored by the NHS (direct visa application).

• Healthcare System: Free National Health Service (NHS) is publicly funded.

• Pros: Smooth shift to an English-speaking system with clear year-to-year progression.

• Cons: Lower compensation levels than in Australia and the U.S.; the NHS' budgets are tight and workloads are heavy.

• Top Cities: London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and Glasgow.

Also Read: MBBS in UK for Indian Students: The 2026 Complete Guide

3. Australia

Australia remains at the top of almost every doctor's wish list. Doctor’s jobs in Australia offers good pay, a reasonably balanced work-life balance and a reasonable path to permanent residency. 

• Average Salary: AUD $130,000–$175,000+ for standard roles; much higher for specialists and rural doctors.

• Licensing: Pass the AMC MCQ and clinical exams, and register with AHPRA.

• Visa Process: Skilled Migration visas (189/190/491) or Employer Sponsored visas (482/186) to visa 190 to Permanent Residency visas (189).

• Healthcare System: Universal public system (Medicare) supported by a robust private hospital system.

• Pros: High demand for doctors and excellent work-life balance.

• Cons: The AMC clinical exam is tough, and many visas require you to work in rural areas first.

• Top Cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.

4. Canada

Canada is also one of the best countries for Indian doctors, especially for those who are looking for the highest salaries outside of the USA; however, it is a dire situation for the Indian doctors in this country because there are not sufficient residency seats available for them.

• Average Salary: CAD $187,500–$311,000+, depending on the province and your speciality.

• Licensing: Pass the NAC exam and the MCCQE (the old Part 2 exam has been discontinued).

• Visa Process: Express Entry (federal skilled worker) or a Provincial Nominee Program with special tracks for doctors.

• Healthcare System: Single-payer, publicly funded system run by individual provinces.

• Pros: High pay and a very welcoming country for immigrant families.

• Cons: Residency spots are very competitive and often difficult to obtain, but Nova Scotia and other provinces are now providing skip-residency programs for experienced doctors.

• Top Cities: Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver.

5. United Arab Emirates

The UAE is one of the best countries to practise medicine in for Indian doctors because it provides a solid income (100% tax-free) and no multi-year exam process.

• Average Salary: AED 220,000–420,000/year for general roles; consultants can make AED 50,000–100,000+/month tax-free.

• Licensing: Pass a single computer-based exam (DHA for Dubai, DOH for Abu Dhabi, or MOH for other emirates).

• Visa Process: Work visa (especially sponsored by an employer) is available and experienced specialists can obtain the 10-year Golden Visa.

• Healthcare System: Rapidly growing, modern, private-heavy medical system.

• Pros: Zero income tax, very fast licensing (weeks, not years), and a huge Indian expat community.

• Cons: High cost of living in major cities, contract-based jobs, and no path to citizenship.

• Top Cities: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.

Also Read: Indian Doctors in Dubai: Salaries, Jobs & Requirements 2026

6. New Zealand

For those who want quicker access to permanent residency, New Zealand currently has the shortest path of any country on this list – doctors are on top of the Green List.

• Average Salary: NZD $150,000–$220,000 for salaried GPs; $200,000–$350,000+ for practice owners and hospital specialists.

• Licensing: To register, you must be licensed by the MCNZ, typically following a course of study called the NZREX exam – exemptions are available for those who trained in the UK or Australia.

• Visa Process: Straight to Residence Visa via Tier 1 of the Green List as soon as you have a job offer.

• Healthcare System: Publicly funded system that is very similar to the UK's NHS.

• Pros: Instant PR pathway, great work-life balance, and beautiful living environment.

• Cons: Smaller job market and lower salaries than the US or Australia.

• Top Cities: Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and regional hospital towns.

7. Germany

Germany has a serious shortage of doctors, and Indian doctors are being actively recruited to German hospitals, but the obstacle is not the medicine but the language.

• Average Salary for Doctors: €60,000–€100,000 for training doctors (Assistenzarzt); €150,000 – €250,000+ for senior consultants (Facharzt).

• Licensing: Achieve C1 medical German language level, pass a medical language exam (Fachsprachenprüfung), and pass a medical knowledge exam (Kenntnisprüfung).

• Visa Process: The EU Blue Card or a specialised German medical work visa.

• Healthcare System: Universal multi-payer system financed by medical insurance.

• Pros: Huge job vacancies and direct recruitment by hospitals.

• Cons: The language barrier is very high; you cannot practise without advanced German skills.

• Top Cities: Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and smaller regional towns.

Also Read: MBBS in Germany Fee Structure For Indians in 2026 Guide

8. Ireland

Ireland provides one of the easiest ways to register in English in Europe in a quiet fashion, and Indian doctors already make up a significant proportion of its hospital staff.

• Average Salary: €70,000 to €180,000+ depending on your grade (from junior NCHD levels up to consultant).

• Licensing: Register with the Medical Council of Ireland using your internship/ A certificate of experience and an English test (OET/IELTS), no PLAB-style exam is generally required.

• Visa Process: A Critical Skills Employment Permit or General Employment Permit, sponsored by the HSE or a hospital group.

• Healthcare System: A mixed public (Health Service Executive) and private hospital system.

• Pros: English-speaking workplace, faster registration than the UK pathway, and a strong network of Indian junior doctors.

• Cons: High reliance on long working hours for junior grades before consultant positions open up; consultant posts are highly competitive.

• Top Cities: Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Limerick.

9. Singapore

The smallest of the lot in terms of geographical size, Singapore comes in strong when it comes to salaries and hospital quality and is only a short flight from India.

• Average Salary: SGD $200,000 to $350,000 for public hospital senior consultants; private-sector specialists earn significantly more.

• Licensing: Register with the Singapore Medical Council (SMC); most foreign doctors start on "conditional registration" under supervision before getting a full licence.

• Visa Process: An Employment Pass (EP) sponsored by major public hospital clusters (like SingHealth, NUHS, or NHG).

• Healthcare System: A highly efficient, mixed public-private system ranked among the best in the world.

• Pros: World-class medical infrastructure, excellent tax-friendly pay, and close cultural and geographic proximity to India.

• Cons: Hiring is strictly controlled by big public health clusters, the cost of living is very high, and the initial supervision period limits independent practice.

• Top Cities: Singapore itself (major hospital hubs include SGH, NUH, and TTSH).

10. Saudi Arabia

The country's Vision 2030 healthcare expansion has made Saudi Arabia  one of the fastest and tax-efficient countries in the Gulf, and it remains one of the best countries for Indian doctors to move to in 2026.

• Average Salary: $4,000–$7,000/month for GPs; $7,000–$12,000/month for specialists; $12,000–$20,000+/month for consultants (all tax-free with free housing and school allowances).

• Licensing: Register with the SCFHS, complete DataFlow background verification, and pass a single computer-based Prometric exam (SMLE or SPLE).

• Visa Process: A fast, employer-sponsored work visa (Iqama) tied directly to a Saudi hospital network.

• Healthcare System: A rapidly expanding mix of Ministry of Health, military, and high-tech private hospitals.

• Pros: 100% tax-free income, massive demand, and the fastest transition time from application to job on this list (4 to 12 weeks).

• Cons: Significant cultural adjustment, stricter local workplace protocols, and contract-based employment with no option for permanent citizenship.

• Top Cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam/Khobar.

Also Read: Top Nursing Jobs in Saudi Arabia: Salary & Benefits 2026

Which Country Is Best for Indian Doctors to Work?

It's difficult to say which country is the best for Indian doctors to work in and countries where Indian doctors can work without exams, as it really depends on what they are looking for.

• Highest pay: UAE, Saudi Arabia (tax-free), and the United States.

• Fastest licensing: Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which require weeks to process the licensing, as opposed to years.

• Fastest permanent residency: New Zealand's Green List Tier 1, Canada and Australia.

• Best work-life balance: New Zealand and Australia, both countries with an honest way to unwind and rural incentives.

• Easiest English-speaking Entry: the UK & Ireland, with a large number of Indian doctors in these countries.

Note: An MBBS from any Indian medical college is accepted as a valid starting qualification in all the 10 above-mentioned countries, as India is a member country of the World Health Organisation, and its medical degree is recognised by the NMC and listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools. 

The only difference among the countries where Indian doctors can work without exam is not if a degree will be accepted; it's which licensing exam and visa process will be required after.

Also Read: Exploring Nursing Jobs in Germany for Indian Nurses 

Best Countries for Indian Doctors to Work and Settle

Some of the best countries where indian doctors can work without exam are based on the following:

• A smaller shortlist emerges if it's a long-term settlement that you're looking for, rather than just a job. Canada, Australia and New Zealand are always among the top choices for Indian doctors to settle permanently, as they have clear pathways to securing a PR and family sponsorship opportunities, and their healthcare systems are receptive to experienced immigrant doctors.

• The next area is the UK and Ireland, where the settlement process is gradual, meaning that after years of continuous work, you can obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain (UK) or Stamp 4 (Ireland).

• However, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are still very good places to earn high incomes without paying taxes for a limited time, and neither country is a place where you can settle. Most doctors consider the Gulf a place to build their fortune, but not a place to call home.

Conclusion

The "best countries where Indian doctors can work without exam" is not a one-size-fits-all answer but is dependent on whether you are looking for the highest salary, the quickest visa or a country where you can find the real long-term home with your family. 

The U.S. pays the highest but requires the greatest stretch of runway. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are the fastest nations to get you going, without tipping over into a nightmare scenario with taxes. The best routes to permanent residency are in New Zealand, Canada and Australia. And the UK and Ireland are the most convenient English-speaking destinations, with decades of Indian doctors that have gone before them. Either way, your MBBS is respected everywhere on the list, and the real decision-makers are the licensing exam and visa process.

So, if you are an Indian doctor seeking to relocate overseas, TerraTern could help you map out the right licensing exam, visa classification, and target country timeline.