Nurses2024-09-18T13:00:50+01:00

Working as a Registered Nurse in the U.K.

Have you recently decided it’s time for a change, and you’re now looking for a new career challenge? Starting a new job in a different country can be very exciting and lead to lots of great opportunities, but you need to make sure that you choose the right agency to hold your hand and guide you through the process. NEU Professionals offers careers for Registered Nurses at some of the most prestigious NHS Trusts in the United Kingdom.

Job opportunities in the U.K. for overseas Registered Nurses

If you are a talented and dedicated Nurse looking for a new challenge and an opportunity to make a difference, we invite you to join us at the NHS in the U.K.

As a Registered Nurse in the NHS you’ll work as part of a multidisciplinary team, providing direct patient care. You can choose to work in a variety of settings, everything from hospital wards and operating theatres to schools and patients’ homes.

What do I need to become a Registered Nurse in the U.K?

Below you can find a list of all essential requirements and steps to follow for your application with NEU Professionals to be successful:

You are required to hold a Nursing Degree at post-secondary level leading to registration as a general nurse, or a Midwifery Degree at post-secondary level leading to registration as a Midwife or Nurse-Midwife. This is usually a minimum 3-year programme taught at a university or qualified nursing school. The NMC will contact your educational institution as part of their verification process to confirm their programme meets their requirements.

All nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). If you are an overseas nurse or midwife and your experience and studies have been mainly accomplished in a non-English speaking country, the NMC requires that you hold a valid Academic IELTS or OET certificate to register as a nurse or midwife in the U.K. This is an essential requirement and your application will not be processed unless you present this certificate.

IELTS Academic

Minimum score accepted by the NMC:

OET

Minimum score accepted by the NMC:

  • Listening – 7.0
  • Speaking – 7.0
  • Reading – 7.0
  • Writing – 6.5

Candidates who do not score the minimum required by the NMC may be eligible to combine scores from a second sitting. The combined exams must be taken within 12 months of each other and the score on neither of the combined exams is below a 6.5 in Listening, Speaking, and Reading or below a 6.0 in Writing. When combining scores, a score of 6.0 or higher in Writing will be considered passing.

  • Listening – B (350-440)
  • Speaking – B (350-440)
  • Reading – B (350-440)
  • Writing – C+ (300-340)

Candidates who do not score the minimum required by the NMC may be eligible to combine scores from a second sitting. The combined exams must be taken within 12 months of each other and the score on neither of the combined exams is below a C+ (300-340) for Listening, Speaking, and Reading or below a C (250-290) in Writing. When combining scores, a score of C (250-290) or higher in Writing will be considered passing.

 

For more detailed information about NMC English language requirements, including a Combining Scores Calculator, please visit the NMC website.

Have you passed your IELTS/OET at the required scores and do you think you are eligible to register? Congratulations!

Now simply forward your documents (IELTS/OET certificate, up-to-date CV and passport copy) to apply@neuprofessionals.com or attach them to your application form when applying for a job. If your application is successful, our team will be in touch to schedule a first video interview with one of our recruiters and give you guidance on the next steps of the process.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Our NHS Trusts may demand additional required documents before scheduling an interview. These may include:

  • That you hold a CBT certificate to process your application – see point 5 for more information.
  • Certain Trusts may ask you to complete a simple test before your interview, such as a “drug calculation test”. These tests will be completed via video call and supervised by your designated NEU Professionals recruitment consultant.

It is advisable that you check if you are eligible to join the NMC register before sending us your application, as it helps speed up the whole process. However, this is not essential and our team will be happy to advise you accordingly depending on your situation and experience.

You can check if you have all the essential requirements to register with the NMC by filling in their Pre-application checklist. If the NMC agrees that your experience is relevant you will be then required to submit a number of documents so they can assess your fitness to practice. You will receive a decision letter within 60 days.

To register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council it is required that you pass their Test of Competence, which is divided in two parts (CBT and OSCE). Once you have received your decision letter, the NMC will give you green light to continue with the process and book your CBT test, which it can be taken in various exam centres around the world. Some NHS Trusts require that you hold this certificate prior sending your application, but it is not always essential to apply. However, it is still advisable that you pass this test before submitting your application or, in the case of CBT not being an essential requirement, that you at least have your exam booked.
We will ask you to share other documents with us which we will then send to the NHS Trust. These documents will include:
  • Other ID documents
  • Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) – for every country you have lived in for more than 12 months in the last 10 years.
  • References – from every employer and educational institution you have worked for / attended in the last 3 years.

Your NHS Trust will apply for this on your behalf, as they will be acting as your sponsor. You must have a Certificate of Sponsorship (C0S) to apply for your Visa and has a validity of 3 years (it can then be renewed).

As a healthcare professional you will be entitled to apply for a Skilled Worker Visa. Our NHS Trusts are mostly happy to refund all Visa costs, but note that this might not always be the case. Your Visa usually takes around 3 to 4 weeks to be processed.

Upon receipt of your visa NEU Professionals will book your flight to the United Kingdom and will arrange transport from the airport to your accommodation. A Trust representative will receive you with open arms and a warm welcome.

You will start the OSCE training provided by your NHS Trust which may take between 6-12 weeks depending on the employer. The OSCE exam will take place at one of the NMC approved testing centres in the UK. Your Employer will book the exam for you in advance.

This exam will mainly assess your knowledge and clinical skills as well as your ability to deal with healthcare scenarios that NHS nurses and midwives are likely to encounter when delivering care to patients.

You will have three attempts to pass your OSCE exam. In the unlikely event of not being successful, you will be asked to return to your home country. Therefore we recommend that you travel to the U.K. alone in the first instance until you have passed your OSCE and everything is settled.

You will receive your results within 5 days.

Within a few days of receiving the good news about your OSCE results, you will receive your Nursing and Midwifery Council PIN Number and you may officially call yourself a U.K. registered nurse or midwife!

Congratulations!

Why choose NEU Profesionals

NEU Professionals Limited, International Healthcare Recruitment Agency headquartered in London

NEU Professionals is an international healthcare recruitment agency based in London and operating since 2013. We take pride in our ethical recruitment and excellent pastoral care, as well as our fantastic international team who truly care about what they do.

Our client list spreads the length and breadth of the country with a huge diversity of locations and specialties to offer our candidates. We are fully accredited as an NHS recruitment partner and are pre-approved as a framework supplier to the NHS across England and Wales.

Our services are COMPLETELY FREE FOR OUR CANDIDATES AT ALL TIMES and we are bound by a regulatory code of ethics that ensures the wellbeing of our candidates.

Relocating to a new country is a big decision and you don’t have to do this alone. NEU Professionals can guide you through the process completely free of charge. We are an ethical recruiter with over 10 years experience in International Healthcare Recrutiment who take pride in their individualised candidate care and will assist you in all steps of the process, from pre-employment checks up to 12 months after arrival.

Other benefits of using NEU Professionals to guide you through your relocation journey are:

  • The candidate’s wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do.
  • If something doesn’t go to plan during the process, we take matters in our hands and represent candidates in front authorities such as UKVI or the NMC.
  • We adhere to NHSE, Immigration and other relevant recruitment rules and laws.

NHS Benefits

Permanent jobs for nurses, paid holidays, flexible working hours and childcare support are some of the benefits for NHS employees, but the chances are there are more advantages to being a part of the NHS than you realise

Whichever area you join, you become part of a talented, passionate team of professionals, committed to providing the best care and treatment to patients. You will also enjoy one of the most competitive and flexible benefits packages offered by any employer in the UK.

Everyone who joins the NHS is guaranteed a competitive salary that matches their ability and responsibilities, plus pay enhancements on top of your basic salary for out-of-hours, shift and overtime working and given every opportunity to increase it through training and development.

On top of your basic salary, you will receive a generous holiday entitlement of at least 27 days’ holiday each year, rising to 29 days after five years’ service and 33 days after 10 years’ service, plus eight general and public holidays, plus a range of other benefits including occupational health and counselling services.

The NHS recognises that many employees have caring responsibilities outside of work and that from time to time, emergency leave may be required. The Trusts also offer comprehensive maternity, paternity and adoption leave schemes with benefits in excess of the statutory schemes.

Can’t find what you are looking for?

Register with us and we’ll be in touch

Frequently Asked Questions

Find more answers below!

Frequently Asked Questions

Find more answers below!

Does the Trust help you with commuting?2024-04-03T21:33:12+01:00

Yes, many Trusts often provide loans for season travel tickets. Commuting is not a problem because you get to travel outside of rush hour for nursing shifts!

What’s the salary like in London?2024-04-03T21:33:12+01:00

In addition to basic pay, there is also extra pay for staff who work in high cost areas such as around London. Working as a nurse in London in our CapitalNurse programme you will be eligible for a high cost area supplement, and that depends on whether you are working in inner London, outer London or the fringe zones , but that can add a significant extra amount of money to your pay each month and each year. Your salary will also depend on your years of work experience.

Is it possible to relocate from one Trust to another before finishing the 3 year contract?2024-04-03T21:33:12+01:00

No, it’s not possible. Once you sign up for your contract, we advise you to read your contract and your offer letter very carefully, you normally are within a contract with a Trust which has relocated you for the first three years; but that doesn’t mean you can’t move from ward to ward in the same Trust. That’s another great thing about the NHS, there are often opportunities for career advancement or for moving from one ward to a different ward within the same hospital Trust.

What’s the difference between IELTS UKVI and Academic IELTS?2024-04-03T21:33:12+01:00

IELTS UKVI is for Visa purposes only. To be able to register with the NMC and travel to the U.K. you need to pass the Academic IELTS at a score of 6.5 in Writing and 7 in Reading, Speaking and Listening or OET at a score of C+ in Writing and B in Reading, Speaking and Listening. It is not required that you pass any other English Language exams.

Can I choose the Trust or Location I want?2024-04-03T21:33:12+01:00

We can’t guarantee you a specific one, but we can guarantee you that in all our Trusts you will have the opportunity to develop as a professional and grow easily.

How does the application work?2024-04-03T21:33:12+01:00

All you need to do is send us your CV, your passport and you approved English Certificate certificate to apply@neuprofessionals.com

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