Article 4 of the Saudi Healthcare Professions Practice Law

This article gives the Minister of Health an important regulatory power: to issue a decision making licensing for a particular profession among the healthcare professions limited to Saudis only.

The text states the limits on this power:

• It must be exercised by a decision of the Minister, so it does not arise automatically under the Law.
• It must be based on the requirements of the public interest.
• It must relate to one of the professions covered by the Law, meaning the decision identifies the profession whose licensing is restricted to Saudis.

The article is permissive, saying "may". The starting point is that a license is available to anyone who meets its conditions, and restricting it to Saudis is left to the Minister's judgment. The article names no specific professions and does not say how the decision affects holders of existing licenses. These matters are learned from the decision the Minister issues.

This article follows Article 3, which refers the license period to the Implementing Regulations and requires renewal after a break of two consecutive years other than for study and training. It precedes Article 5, which begins the duties of the healthcare practitioner. Anyone affected by a decision of this kind may consult a lawyer specialized in healthcare practice and medical malpractice cases.