Nursing and Midwifery Job Opportunities in the UK for Overseas Nurses and Midwives

Jul 17, 2019
Paul Johnson

In the past one year, 6 July 2018, to be precise, all job applications for nursing positions were free from the Tier 2 visa cap. That is, there is no limit on the number of overseas nurses and midwives that can be hired by employers. Which avails employers much more options of whom to recruit in their organisations.

However, the absence of restrictions on the number of nursing and midwifery applicants from overseas makes the recruitment process long and tedious. To curtail this, The Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) has put in place some procedures to make the submission of applications by nurses as well as the recruitment process by employers effortless and efficient.

To start with, overseas nurses and midwives are individuals who have trained in other countries and regions outside the European Economic Area (EEA). And the EEA is an association of about 31 countries that include members of the European Union (EU) and member countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

As nurses and midwives who trained outside these regions, you are expected to register with NMC. However, it might be cumbersome and time-consuming, but it is the main entrance to your job opportunities in the UK. The Nursing & Midwifery Council crosschecks and scrutinises your qualifications to ascertain if you are eligible to practice efficiently and effectively in the UK.

The body also puts you through some tests according to their standards of operation to ensure your training and experience are not below par. There are three essential parts when registering for work as a nurse or midwife in the UK. You can pick among the three options. These are:

  • Nurses
  • Midwives
  • Specialist community public health nurses (SCPHN)

As an applicant of any of these, you are expected to know and have some level of qualifications, experience and skills in your preferred choices. More so, if you are selecting the nursing options, NMC provides you with four different fields of practice from which you can choose from. These include:

  • Mental health nursing
  • Adult nursing
  • Children’s nursing
  • Learning disabilities nursing

These fields of practice are open to all overseas nurses and midwives who are trained in any of the related options so far they meet the standards of NMC. More so, if you are an individual qualified as a general nurse, it’s expected you pick the adult nurse option while registering with NMC. Similarly, for individuals who want to choose more than one field of practice during their registration, it is advisable they apply for each of the position at the same time.

Job opportunities are available for nurses and midwives in both the public and private health sectors. And after you have successfully registered, there is a chance for you to work in the National Health Service (NHS) or the Private Health Care. Remember, the first step for you to be recruited as a nurse or midwife in the UK is to gain professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

 

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