Overseas nurses now able to work in UK immediately after qualifying

Nurses and midwives outside of the EU will for the first time be able to work in the UK immediately after qualifying. The changes announced by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) will bring them into line with their EU counterparts.

Previously, nurses from outside the EU would usually be required to work for at least 12 months before registering to work as a nurse in the UK.

The new rules are part of a review by the NMC to see how the application process for oversees nurses can be made more accessible.

Emma Broadbent, director of registration and revalidation at the Nursing and Midwifery Council said: “More than 65,000 nurses and midwives from outside the EU deliver first class care to millions of people across the UK every year and they are a vital part of our health and care workforce.

“This change will remove an unnecessary barrier, making it as simple and straightforward as possible for highly skilled nursing and midwifery staff to join the workforce.”

All nurses and midwives who want to work in the UK must register with the NMC.

They are subjected to stringent tests to make sure they are safe to work in the profession in the UK and will need to demonstrate they can communicate in English effectively.

In addition to the speedier registration time frame, the NMC has updated and streamlined supporting materials for applicants.