As a Nurse or Midwife, after Brexit your degree can still be recognised automatically for registration by the NMC (Nursing & Midwifery Council), as long as it is a Relevant European Qualification. If not, then you should likely follow the Test of Competence route.

If you are a Nursing Associate, there is a registration route for you via the Test of Competence for Nursing Associates. There are additional requirements that make it quite a challenge for a non-UK qualified Nursing Associate to be recognised in the UK, so it’s wise to seek expert advice before you start your application.

Registration from the NMC allows you to practise as a general adult Nurse or a Midwife in:

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Wales
  • Northern Ireland
  • the Channel Islands
  • and the Isle of Man.

 

Five reasons to choose NMC Registration with an REQ by UKmed

For your peace of mind, our NMC registration service is all-inclusive, so you can start working and earning sooner. We will:

  • expertly manage the recognition (1st application) and registration (2nd application) error-free
  • obtain all the required official documents for you, including certificates of current professional status and criminal record checks from every European country you are registered in
  • translate the right documents and have them certified correctly
  • deal with the bureaucracy instead of you wasting valuable time and energy
  • talk and write to the NMC on your behalf.

English language requirements for NMC registration

As a condition for registration, the NMC requires evidence of your English language skills. There are various ways to prove your English language skills. In summary these are:

  1. Academic IELTS taken in a test centre, whether on paper or on the computer:
How Reading Writing Speaking Listening
In a single exam 7.0 or higher 6.5 or higher 7.0 or higher 7.0 or higher
By combining two exams taken no more than 12 months apart 7.0 or higher in at least one exam
AND
6.5 or higher in at least one exam		 6.5 or higher in at least one exam
AND
6.0 or higher in at least one exam		 7.0 or higher in at least one exam
AND
6.5 or higher in at least one exam		 7.0 or higher in at least one exam
AND
6.5 or higher in at least one exam

 

  1. OET taken in a test centre, whether on paper or on the computer, or OET @Home:
How Reading Writing Speaking Listening
In a single exam B or higher C+ or higher B or higher B or higher
By combining two exams taken no more than 12 months apart B or higher in at least one exam
AND
Not below C+		 C+ or higher in at least one exam
AND
Not below C		 B or higher in at least one exam
AND
Not below C+		 B or higher in at least one exam
AND
Not below C+

If you tried to combine scores but missed by 0.5 (IELTS) or half a grade (OET), then you could provide a letter of support with evidence from a UK-based employer that you have already worked for.

If, for example, you have worked as a Healthcare Assistant or other unregulated healthcare role in the UK for at least 12 months full-time or equivalent part-time, then contact us to discuss your chances. We could come up with a detailed plan to help you obtain the right supporting evidence from your UK employer.

Nursing/Midwifery degrees taught in English

If you have graduated as a Nurse, Midwife or Nursing Associate from a country with English spoken as a majority language, you stand a good chance of your degree being recognised by the NMC without an English language certification test.

If, however, you have completed your degree in English in a country where English is not used by the majority of the population, then you will also need to have worked in the UK for at least 12 months with the same employer in an unregulated role in a healthcare setting, and also meet a number of other requirements. Contact us to discuss your chances and how you could obtain the right evidence in time.

Twelve or more months of practice as a Nurse or Midwife in an English-speaking country

This is a rather complex route to joining the register without taking an English language certification test. Still, if you have at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or equivalent part-time) that finished no more than 24 months before your registration application is considered by the NMC, then contact us to discuss your professional circumstances in detail and how to obtain the evidence required to achieve registration.

Is NMC registration possible without an EU passport?

Yes.

Citizenship doesn’t matter any more, as long as your Nurse’s or Midwife’s degree is a Relevant European Qualification. If not, then you should likely follow the Test of Competence route.

Have you also qualified with a European Specialist Nursing Qualification, e.g. as an Operating Room Nurse? Then NMC may recognise your specialism in a second, separate registration application.

How much is the NMC’s annual fee to stay registered?

You pay GBP 120 each year.

When you first register, you will also have to pay GBP 140 for recognition, plus GBP 153 for registration. These are non-refundable generally.

(Fees may change over time. Check out the NMC‘s website for up to date information.)

Working as a Nurse or Midwife in the UK

We think that working in the UK as a Nurse or Midwife is a great career move, allowing you to benefit from the strengths of the English/Scottish/Welsh National Health Service or Northern Irish health service.

Here are some facts to help you decide:

  • NHS is the largest publicly funded health service in Europe.
  • Each NHS hospital is required to provide comprehensive nursing and midwifery cover to patients.
  • This, in turn, means that NHS employers have to hire a lot of competent Nurses and Midwives.
  • In contrast to many other countries, including in Europe, Nurses and Midwifes in the UK are highly regarded professionals with well-designed career development paths.
  • A well-qualified and good Nurse or Midwife can go really far and reach very high levels of seniority in the UK.

I was registered in the past and only need NMC readmission.

This is possible depending on how long ago your previous NMC registration lapsed and how much you have worked and trained since then.

Generally speaking, the longer the gap since your last NMC registration expired, and the less active you have been in the meantime, the harder it will be to be readmitted to the NMC register.

The main requirement is to have worked

  • at least 450 hours in the 3 years before your readmission application
  • or at least 750 hours in the last 5 years before your readmission application.

There are several more requirements to consider carefully before you decide. Contact us for custom advice and an individual assessment of your readmission pathway.

What do I need to do to keep my NMC registration?

You must comply with the NMC’s revalidation requirements.

With UKmed’s StayOK for Nurses in the UK all-inclusive service, you will retain your NMC registration and boost your career at the same time.

Price options

If you are interested in our NMC Registration with a Relevant European Qualification, please contact us for a quotation.

Our service includes NMC fees worth around GBP 300 for both Recognition and Registration applications.It also includes expert career advice on how to approach NHS jobs opportunities.

UKmed’s service does not include your annual NMC registration fee.

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