MAG Global offer one-to-one guidance for all candidates in finding placements in the UK as a registered nurse (RN) on a permanent basis.
Our International Nurses recruitment services are free of cost.
Information for overseas nurses
Anyone wanting to work in the UK as a nurse must register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Please visit http://www.nmc.org.uk/
Process for International nurses educated outside United Kingdom.
Since October 2014, the only route to registration for all nurses trained outside the UK with the NMC is through a 2-part application process.
Part one – a computer based multiple-choice examination which will be accessible in many countries around the world for applicants to access in their home countries.
Part two – a practical objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) which will always be held in the UK. (for further details please visit the following Nursing and Midwifery Council webpage: . https://www.nmc.org.uk/covid19-osce )
This process does not require applicants to complete a period of supervised practice.
For further information about the application process and the test of competence please visit the NMC website: https://www.nmc.org.uk/registration/joining-the-register/register-nurse-midwife/trained-outside-the-eueea/
NMC register consists of three parts.
- Nurses
- Midwives
- Specialist community public health nurses (SCPHN).
Mainly, the nurse part of the register is divided into four fields of practice.
- Adult nursing
- Mental health nursing
- Learning disabilities nursing
- Children’s nursing.
You can apply to be on the nurses or midwives’ parts of the register, as long as you meet our standards. If you have trained as a general nurse, you should apply for registration with NMC as an adult nurse. If you want to register on more than one part of the register or field of practice, you should apply for each part/field at the same time. Once you are registered, you can work in the National Health Service (NHS) or private health care.
Education requirements:
You need to have successfully completed at least 10 years of school education before starting your post-secondary education nursing or midwifery training program, which leads to registration. This must be at least a three-year full-time program.
English language requirements:
Nurses trained outside of the UK must also meet the English language standards set by the NMC. This can be demonstrated:
- by successfully completing a language test such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Occupational English Test (OET).
IELTS is a universally recognised international test of English language proficiency and measures language ability of people who wish to study and/or work where English is the main language of communication.
Those taking the IELTS need to achieve achieving a minimum overall level of 7 (from 5 December 2018, although, a minimum overall level of 7 is required, a level 6.5 in writing will be accepted alongside a level 7 in reading, listening and speaking).
Further details about IELTS can be found on the IELTS website: http://www.ielts.org/
The OET is an international English language test designed specifically for the healthcare sector and in the UK is an option for doctors, nurses and midwives.
It assesses the language communication skills of healthcare professionals who wish to register and practise in an English-speaking environment. Nurses taking the OET need to achieve a minimum of a level B.
Further details about the OET can be found on the OET website: https://www.occupationalenglishtest.org/
Code of practice for ethical recruitment
Many NHS organisations contract with agencies to help with overseas recruitment campaigns, in line with the Department of Health and Social Care code of practice.
The code is clear that active recruitment from developing countries is unethical. The code of practice also includes key principles such as not requiring candidates to pay a fee up front. If you are asked to pay a fee up front for promises of NHS accommodation or work, please report the request to Action Fraud.