Help! Information Please

Silverdragon102, BSN · Mar 1, 2008

Hi!
I am a registered nurse from the Philippines. I will be travelling to UK as a student come 3rd week of March. I have been enrolled to study NVQ 2 or 3 for 2 years and earn 5.52 pounds per hour. I will be working 40 hours a week as my study time is paid. My accomodation is subsidized at 65 pounds a week this amount includes my heating, electricity, water and local council tax. I will be placed 5 miles from Nottingham city at a borough. I will work at a home.
Given the timeline in the processing of immigrant visa to the US, I deem this a great alternative, this way I can earn and learn while I wait. I have a less than a year experience so this limits my choices.
MY question is::typing
1. How can I apply for ONP?
2. How many years of experience does the NMC require before I can file my application and be approved?
3. How long does it take NMC to process applications of non EU or EEU members?
4. Can I change visa status, from student to working?
Thanks:heartbeat.

1. You apply to one of the Institutions that do the course Overseas Programme list

2.12 months of nursing experience.

3. Probably looking at 6-12 months to go through the application and meet all requirements

4. I doubt you will be able to change your visa from student to working due to EU requirements of employing citizen then EU before rest of the world and many job adverts indicate that they will not help with work permit.

You will be working as a carer in a nursing home, you will not be classed as RN and should not be expected to work as one. If you do you will be putting yourself at risk. I am not sure how reliable this is as we really do not have a shortage of care workers in the UK

RGN1 · Mar 1, 2008

This sounds really fishy to me!

cariad · Mar 2, 2008

nvq's dont take a long time to complete, a few months should be adequate time. so why are you signed up for 2 years training as a student when you are an rn. looks to me like the nurses from the phillipines will do anything to get away from their own country.

why do the phillipines train so many nurses when there are no jobs for them.,,,,,,,just wondering?

allnurses Guide · Mar 2, 2008

I think you will struggle to change from a student visa to a working as you will need an employer to support it and as far as I know preference is being given to UK and european nationals first.

RGN1 · Mar 2, 2008

Annecdote I really think you're being taken for a ride here. I strongly suspect that this is not what it seems. Nursing here in the UK is, like in the USA at the moment, no longer given special status for obtaining a visa. It is no longer classed as a schedule "A" job - unless you are a senior nurse in a scarce speciality like NICU for example.

NVQ is a training given to Health Care Assistants (CNA/auxilliaries - or whatever you call your nursing assistants) &, as Cariad said, the training usually only takes months - not years. It is certainly not the kind of training (or job for that matter) for which you would be likely to get a Visa for.

My personal take on it is that at the very best you're being scammed, at the very worst you're going to be exploited.

I know you're frustrated & want to leave your country but I seriously doubt that this is the right way forward. Keep your patience for the USA & work as a nurse in the Phillipines, if you can, to gain vital experience while you wait.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 2, 2008

And to add this into the equation:

There are no visas available for you when you finish this so-called training program, there is no way that you will be able to obtain a visa to remain in the UK and work as an RN.

Does not matter what is happening with the NMC as far as licensure, but you need to have a visa there that will permit you to work. If you are already an RN, there is no need for a training program like this in the first place. It also will not count as RN experience when it comes down to things as far as immigration. You essentially are being placed as a care-giver and nothing more since you do not have a license as an RN there and are unable to function in that role without the license.

The UK has been under a hiring freeze for sometime now, and any jobs go first to those that are from there, and then next to those with a EU passport.

And if you take the time to do a search on the Philippine forum, you will be able to read all about those that got their visas cancelled after being there for several years as the country did not renew them.

This program is just like the care-giver programs that we see in Canada, they are nothing more than a care asst in someone's home, and nothing more. And added into it the fact that without significant experience in an area that they have a shortage of, you are not going to get a visa to remain there.

And that salary may seem just fine to you, but you still need to pay for food buses, and subway, etc. Things are definitely not going to be as they seem or what you will expect. You are also going to need to buy coats and boots, etc. for the winter weather there. And even though the rate may seem high to you, but in terms of its purchase power there, it is the same as being in dollars here, and is less than poverty level.

You will not have two years of current experience as an RN when things do open up for a chance at a visa. Suggest that you look at going to another country and get experience as an RN, not as a care-giver again. And again, training programs do not give you work experience credit when applying for a job.

If this wonderful agency has promised you anything else besides the training that they are putting you thru again for no reason, please report them to the British Embassy in your country. What they are doing is just not nice.

RGN1 · Mar 5, 2008

If this wonderful agency has promised you anything else besides the training that they are putting you thru again for no reason, please report them to the British Embassy in your country. What they are doing is just not nice.

Yes, if this is the case please report them & do everyone a favour!

Serene_ieg · Mar 23, 2008

Are you now in UK ? What agency here in the Philippines arranged for your enrollment in UK? What school ? How much did the agency charge you?

I look forward to your reply...

ayla2004, ASN, RN · Mar 23, 2008

i've worked with a philpion nurse doingback as a hca in my trust she is a nvq student and allowed to work 20hrs. she told me its the same in Sinapore local nurses have prioty

parabone · Mar 23, 2008

if you get the yellow card and work one full year in UK, then you can apply for blue card which allows you to work in any fields and with no restrictions in uk

suzanne4, RN · Mar 23, 2008

This is a temporary work visa that these students are getting and they do not count towards anything as far as being able to remain in the UK when the training period is over.

They are already RNs with a four year BSN in the first place, and are essentially being placed in the role of a maid and nothing more than that.

It cannot be changed to anything else, and there are no work visas available for those that do not have EU passports as RNs, and they cannot stay and work in any other field.

Unless they have extensive work experience in an area that is needed such as PICU, or NICU; they are not going to be able to get a visa to remain and work in the UK. These programs are shoddy at best, and cannot offer a visa or employment when the nurse is done with that two year program. Only the government issues the visa, and there are not any for nurses. Period.