Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has launched an optional service that allows candidates to take the Food Handler Licensing Examination outside the State of Qatar at accredited examination centres in several countries.
By enabling the early assessment of prospective workers’ competence and suitability for employment in the food sector, the service helps food establishments improve operational efficiency and save time and effort following recruitment.
The launch of the new service is part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the food safety system and enhance workforce competence in food establishments. The examination is available in Arabic and English, and the service provides detailed reports on each candidate’s performance across several areas of food safety. These reports help food establishments identify candidates’ strengths and areas for improvement, determine their training needs, enhance workforce competence, and promote sound food safety practices.
Once a candidate has passed the examination outside Qatar, the food establishment may complete the necessary procedures for issuing a professional practice licence without requiring the candidate to retake the examination in Qatar.
The Ministry clarified that taking the examination outside Qatar is optional at this stage and is not a requirement for recruiting workers. It is also working towards making the professional practice licence mandatory in the future. The implementation date and relevant procedures will be announced once the necessary arrangements have been finalised.
The new service is an extension of the Food Handler Licensing Programme, which has been operational in Qatar since 2021 and has licensed 10,630 food handlers across the country.
The Ministry emphasised that developing the Food Handler Examination Programme and expanding it outside Qatar are part of its ongoing efforts to enhance workforce competence in the food sector, support food establishments in recruiting qualified personnel, and strengthen compliance with food safety requirements and practices, thereby helping to safeguard the health and safety of the community.
Food establishments and workers wishing to use the service may visit the ministry website for further information about the programme, registration procedures, and accredited examination centres outside Qatar.
