Overseas nurses working in UK

allnurses Guide · May 3, 2008

Suesu, there may be jobs advertised within some of the London hospitals but there are challenges for overseas nurses before they are even considered for them. As far as hospitals go Guys and St Thomas are NHS hospital trusts and working in them will be pretty much the same as working in any other NHS trust. The Hospital itself would not be involved in any scam but to apply for a job there you would have to be registered with the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council)

First is the NMC registration process, you will have to gain registration and this is a lengthy and difficult process.

Then unless it is for a position that is in short supply such as some senior positions or areas like NICU the hospitals have to consider UK then European nurses first. Most trusts won't even interview you unless you are from the European Union.

As a nurse manager I have just shortlisted for a nursing position, we had 15 applications from America, Phillipines, Kenya and I didn't even read the applications, this is because even if I decided they were suitable for shortlist HR would insist I interview UK and EU applicants first and only then put back out to advert and consider other applicants then.

suzanne4, RN · May 4, 2008

Suzanna4
I am impressed by your large span of knowledge on the employment status in the UK. I assume you live and work over there. I have noticed that there seem to be a lot of jobs available in London such as at Guys and St Thomas hospital. As you mentioned in your last post about scams, I was wondering what your opinion would be on some of these facilities. Thanks

Used to spend quite a bit of time there as have immediate family that has lived there for more than 20 years.

The issue is with getting registration there as well as a visa that would permit one to work there in the role of the RN and this is where the problems lie.

An RN job posting is one thing and the UK is under a hiring freeze in most cases. What we have issue with is these programs that want to take a four year BSN and train them to be nursing assts, or something else like that and with full knowledge that one will not be able to remain in the UK and work when their student visa expires. But they fail to tell anyone about that little detail.

michaRN, RN · May 4, 2008

Hi all,

I am doing yet another paper, and wondered if any overseas nurses could help with a survey I am doing. I currently have had 6 nurses help me out so far, but I need much more

Hi I mightbe of help. I am a foreigner working here in the UK for 3 years now.

Questions

1. Country recruited from_________

Singapore

2. Did you use an agent in the country you were recruited from

yes

3. Did you have to pay the agent a fee?

no i only paid my visa

3. Did you receive a job description & skills checklist before interviewing with the UK hospital

yes

4. Were you interviewed in person or video conference

in person

5. Did you have more than one interview

no onyl one interview

6. Who helped you gain registeration

nobody

7. How long did it take to get your registeration?

more than a month??i cant remeber now..

8. Did you receive orientation material before coming to the UK

no

9. Were your flights paid for?

yes

10. Did your family come with you when you first arrived?

no

11. If not when did they come to the UK?

after 8months

12. Were your family's flights paid for?

no i paid for them

13. Was accomodtion paid for you ? For your famly?

no

14. If so for how long?

initiially when i came the hospital provided us a 3 months temporary to stay but payment was salary deductions15. Did you recieve a stipend when you arrived?

none

16. If so, how much, and for how long?

none i said

17. How long did your adaptation take?

3 months

18. How many nurses came over with you?

i came with other 2 staff but there were about 20plus in our batch who came first ..i was kind of last due to my NMC decision arrived late

19. Out of the group that came to the UK, how many have returned home?

two

20 Out of the group that came to the UK, how may have gone to the US or Australia/New Zealand?

1 was married to a US citizen

21. How long was your orginal contract?

contact?it says permanent?depends on my leave to remain visa

22. How would you rate nursing in the UK? Scale 1 -10

7

23. How would you rate the support you recieved at your job? scale 1 -10

6

24. WOuld you recommend to your friends back home to live and work in UK?

honestly, i find UK so expensive to live, work wise okay

25. Was moving to the UK a good career decision for you

yes it was

26. WHy, why not?

because i got the chance to work in ICU

27. DO you think you have been able to positively influence nursing on your unit?

i dont know...

28. In what ways?

well maybe in some ways ?????

usawaits · May 20, 2008

hi,

maybe i can also be able to help.

Questions

1. Country recruited from__kenya_______

2. Did you use an agent in the country you were recruited from.yes

3. Did you have to pay the agent a fee?yes

3. Did you receive a job description & skills checklist before interviewing with the UK hospital.yes

4. Were you interviewed in person or video conference.in person

5. Did you have more than one interview.no just one

6. Who helped you gain registeration.noone

7. How long did it take to get your registeration?around 1 month

8. Did you receive orientation material before coming to the UK.no

9. Were your flights paid for?no

10. Did your family come with you when you first arrived?no,iwas single then

11. If not when did they come to the UK?n/a

12. Were your family's flights paid for?n/a

13. Was accomodtion paid for you ?no For your famly?n/a

14. If so for how long?n/a

15. Did you recieve a stipend when you arrived?no

16. If so, how much, and for how long?n/a

17. How long did your adaptation take?3months

18. How many nurses came over with you?4 other

19. Out of the group that came to the UK, how many have returned home?1

20 Out of the group that came to the UK, how may have gone to the US or Australia/New Zealand?2

21. How long was your orginal contract?4years

22. How would you rate nursing in the UK? Scale 1 -10 6

23. How would you rate the support you recieved at your job? scale 1 -10 5

24. WOuld you recommend to your friends back home to live and work in UK?honestly no

25. Was moving to the UK a good career decision for you.im not sure

26. WHy, why not?i still haven't managed to achieve my career goals and that 9 years later

27. DO you think you have been able to positively infl uence nursing on your unit?i think so

28. In what ways?i do alot of teachings

Many thanks

12.

masiagere · May 29, 2008

Hi all,
I am doing yet another paper, and wondered if any overseas nurses could help with a survey I am doing. I currently have had 6 nurses help me out so far, but I need much more
Questions
1. Country recruited from_________
2. Did you use an agent in the country you were recruited from
3. Did you have to pay the agent a fee?
3. Did you receive a job description & skills checklist before interviewing with the UK hospital
4. Were you interviewed in person or video conference
5. Did you have more than one interview
6. Who helped you gain registeration
7. How long did it take to get your registeration?
8. Did you receive orientation material before coming to the UK
9. Were your flights paid for?
10. Did your family come with you when you first arrived?
11. If not when did they come to the UK?
12. Were your family's flights paid for?
13. Was accomodtion paid for you ? For your famly?
14. If so for how long?
15. Did you recieve a stipend when you arrived?
16. If so, how much, and for how long?
17. How long did your adaptation take?
18. How many nurses came over with you?
19. Out of the group that came to the UK, how many have returned home?
20 Out of the group that came to the UK, how may have gone to the US or Australia/New Zealand?
21. How long was your orginal contract?
22. How would you rate nursing in the UK? Scale 1 -10
23. How would you rate the support you recieved at your job? scale 1 -10
24. WOuld you recommend to your friends back home to live and work in UK?
25. Was moving to the UK a good career decision for you
26. WHy, why not?
27. DO you think you have been able to positively influence nursing on your unit?
28. In what ways?
Many thanks
12.

hi

I trained overseas but have only been here for 3 years so i guess you dont need my input

masiagere · May 29, 2008

Forgot to say i would be happy to help if you need information from me but i am already planning my way out because of the fact that the government does not want foreigners anymore there are many jobs though just wondering why locals say they cant get them

allnurses Guide · May 29, 2008

Forgot to say i would be happy to help if you need information from me but i am already planning my way out because of the fact that the government does not want foreigners anymore there are many jobs though just wondering why locals say they cant get them

Not quite sure what you are implying here. When we have so many of our own students who are unable to to get work because of a lack of jobs. So I do have to disagree with your statement, there are not many jobs out there many NHS trusts have recruitment bans on them still which means they are unable to replace the staff they lose.

Locals are able to get the jobs they are qualified to do but I think you will find many of the posts that remain unfilled are because they require specialist skills that are in short supply.

As a NHS manager and recruiter I have had no problem in recruiting into band 5 and 6 staff nurse posts and these I can fill from UK or EU staff. In fact I often have to close advertisments early due to volume of applicants.

As a responsible employer and UK citizen I feel that I have an obligation to appoint UK and then EU people first if they are suitable for the post, this makes sure that UK citizens remain in employment in preference to those from another country, this is as it should be.

As an overseas nurse I am not sure what work permit you have but I do know that the overseas nurses that work in my unit have a permit sponsered by the hospital, if they leave our employment they have to get sponsership from another employer to allow them to stay. We are not allowed to take on staff that do not already have a work permit because we have to recruit from UK nurses first (as we should) and then EU. Only if we cannot fill from these and if the post is classified as a specialist post can we look elsewhere.