A Guide To Overseas Nurses Looking For Opportunities in the UK

Working as a nurse in the UK presents you with a palette of opportunities to take your career to greater heights. There is indeed a shortage of nurse professionals in the country, and the National Health Service (NHS) has always welcomed overseas medical professionals. Overseas nurses who are looking to carve out a career in the UK medical industry can benefit in plenty of ways. It not only opens up new avenues of career development but also strengthens your international working experience. The recruitment drivers from other countries are looking for the right candidates who can fill out the dearth of nursing professionals here.

How To Become A Nurse in The UK?

Anyone would want to jump on the opportunity of becoming a nurse in the UK; you just need the right exposure. You can connect with the best nursing agency in Plymouth that can help you go through the entire process of the application, registration, and landing a job. There are a lot of questions that might pop into your mind when you are thinking about becoming a nurse in the UK. The application process is quite long and strenuous. It involves a lot of paperwork that might be frustrating for you. The requirements for an overseas professional are definitely different from the ones trained in the European Economic Area. As the overseas professionals are trained and qualified outside EEA, there are different rules for selection. 

How To Register With Nursing and Midwifery Council?

Every nursing professional has to register with NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) in order to legally work as a nurse in the UK. NMC is the official body that regulates the professionals. You need to avail of UK work permit and NMC registration to start working in the UK. For practicing as a nurse, you must acquire registration and PIN number. You can visit the NMC site to get more information regarding the requirements. After fulfilling the requirements, NMC will check whether you need to complete an adaptation. At this point in time, it will be decided whether your application will be registered or rejected. To look for placement opportunities, you can contact the nursing agencies or hospitals directly. It is essential to understand that an NMC registration will not give you permission to work in the UK. You need to acquire a working visa. 

Which Visa Should You Apply For?

Earlier, there were stringent rules regarding the working VISA for the UK. After June 2018, the UK government has provided some relaxation on the rules. There is no longer a cap on the number that you can issue. Check out the detailed information regarding the UK work permit to get a clear idea on this part. If you belong outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, a tier 2 general Visa would suffice. 

What is The English Proficiency Level You Need?

English is a universal language, and you need to be proficient in it to bag job opportunities in the UK. All the overseas applicants have to take an exam through the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). It is an English test that ascertains your proficiency in understanding and communicating in the British region. The tests will include fields of listening, writing, speaking, and reading questionnaires. To get through the NMC registration, you need to acquire a minimum score of 7.0. 

How The Country Balances The Shortage Occupation List?

We are well aware of the fact that the UK nursing community comprises professionals from different nations. It often has a negative impact on the workers in the country. For more ethical recruitment, the UK health Department has created a list of developing countries where applications can be welcomed. The region includes Kenya, Turkey, Albania, and four Indian states. Some nursing job profiles have also been taken off from the list that provides more opportunities to the domestic applicants. In a nutshell, though overseas applications are welcomed in the country, domestic applicants will be preferred above them.

The Bottom Line

So far, you have got an idea regarding applying as a nursing professional in the UK is quite a strenuous process. If you are not entirely aware of the legalities and regulations, you might find yourself stuck in a tedious process. Once you have understood all the formalities, it is better to send your application in advance in order to avoid any kind of delay. Make sure to keep all your documents handy, including birth certificate, diplomas, training log, references, etc. If you follow the right path, you can land a great job in the UK. The above mentioned was a quick guide that will help you in steering through the process of overseas hiring in the UK. Conduct thorough research and visit the NMC website to get clear insights regarding the registration.