Previously qualified beauty and massage therapists are struggling to meet the regulatory requirements of the Dubai Health Authority’s (DHA) professional licensing unification laws for medical practitioners – launched in 2013 – according to Daniella Russell,

director of dR Global, a spa consultancy, training and distribution company.

“It seems that the DHA are now considering removing the computer-based Prometric Testing that they implemented for existing, qualified beauty and massage therapists,” Russell said. “This will make it easier for these people to meet regulatory standards as the Prometric Tests were difficult because they were very medical.”

The laws bring together all rules and regulations pertaining to the health sector under one remit and incorporate several updates in line with international practices. The overview document, the Dubai Healthcare Professionals Licensing Guide 2013, outlines the specific credentials, experience and conditions required for every kind of health practitioner – including massage therapists.

These therapists have to meet a requirement of “not less than 500 hours including educational and supervised clinical instruction and produce a proof of current, valid first aid training” in addition to “a minimum of two years’ experience.”

While these standards don’t seem too stringent, Russell points out that therapists at standalone spas and salons must trained to an international level and, crucially, they must have two years of work experience after gaining the qualification before being authorised to work in Dubai.

“This means those therapists, from Asia in particular, who have work experience but no real qualifications, will not be able to work,” Russell added.

Officials are only checking standalone spas and salons at present, according to Russell, but she expects hotel spas to experience inspections of their employees’ qualifications in the future.

Passionate about developing, maintaining and delivering education and standards within the spa and wellness industry, Russell explained that she and her team are still working towards a more structured licensing program to suit the various levels of working standards.