UK vs. Philippines

weird0406 · May 17, 2010

Hi neznaj, it would be a very bad idea to go on NVQ courses from what I have heard. It is a waste of time as you cannot convert your visa from student to work once on NVQ unless you have finished the course. If i am correct that is a minimum of two years. I sugggest that you work first in our country as a way of serving it, i find it horrible to say that you just get the experience in the Philippines and leave to serve another country. The bottomline is NVQ is a waste of time esp if you are qualified to work in UK as an RN.

Silverdragon102, BSN · May 17, 2010

Moved to the International forum

NVQ is in my opinion a backward step to what you have now and would not benefit you in any way. You will not gain RN experience whilst doing your NVQ.

neznaj · May 18, 2010

@ weird0406 & silverdragon102

thank you for your pieces of thoughts...

allnurses Guide · May 19, 2010

If you go straight from graduating to do the NVQ course you will not fulfil the NMC requirements for registration as a nurse in the UK. You have to have the nursing experience before they will even consider your application. You can't undertake the ONP course without meeting the NMC requirements.

You won't be able to change from a student visa to a work visa when your here, there is no short cut to becoming a nurse in the UK, you need to follow the steps that our registering body (NMC) and our immigration service (borders agency) require.

You will also need that experience in one of the shortage occupations which is listed at the UK borders agency website, if you don't fit into one of these occupations then you will not be eligible for a work visa.

ilovegz · May 26, 2010

Hi, Guys i read all your experiences and comments about studying at the same time working in UK some negatives some positives. well i am actually graduated as a nursing aide coures in the philippines and now i had opportunity to apply ISA 4u INC as SV in UK i already give my down payment worth of Php 20,000.00 for the skype interview in which i had finished the interviewed throught skype and i got passed, and now they i ask me to pay Php 130,000.00 to start pprocessing my visa.im pretty much excited dispite of the some story of filipino who are in UK now, they said the living cost is pretty much expensive the minimum sallary in UK is not really enough specially if you will send money every month back home for your family and etc, i knew those story is true.but the big question is how do you guys survived in the UK? if you guys survive in the UK we can survive too, let us experience what you guys had experienced as SV. I've never heard a filipino who are working across the world that they said their life in abroad is not hard everybody said living and working in abroad is not that easy you have to work to have food in the stomach and family in phil will not starving. Anyway for those who are applying in ISA you can contact me via [email protected] . and for those who are in UK right now as SV applied in ISA 4U INC Pls enlighten our mind give us more feed back on your life there.would be appreciated...

mayflower2000, RN · May 26, 2010

Hi. I would advise you all, please dont come over here as a student visa holder and studying NVQ. Everything here is expensive. As student visa holder you are only allowed to work 18 hours /week. This might have changed now, i have heard recently it is only 10 hours/week. Pls think of the money that you will be paying for these agencies, they only want your money. As what silver dragon said, it is a backward step. I would consider it as a quick fix from your part of trying to move away from the philippines by going abroad. Im not saying that going abroad is not okay but please do it as work permit holder not student visa holder. After your visa has expired what will you do, go back to the philippines. You are back to square one. Dont even think about that in the future you will become a work permit holder.There is job freeze here all the time. Plus, a new government has just been formed and they are very strict now when it comes to visas, immgration business. Why dont you try to gain nursing experience and if you have, then you could apply in saudi and singapore. Who knows, by the time that you will be more experienced, maybe the western countries will open their doors again. Pls, pls, dont come here as student visa holder. :crying2:

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · May 26, 2010

My understanding of student visa is to learn and then go home to apply your knowledge. My son was a history major and the UK was the perfect place to learn. He paid nothing extra to attend university in the UK since his school accepted a student to his space in his program in the USA.

He lived in the same dorm and experienced university life in the Uk, while a British student used his space at his school.

He was encouraged not to look for employment since the purpose is learn about another culture not to earn money. His visa expired several days after classes ended.

It was a life changing experience where he made life long friends. If you are interested about learning about another culture enroll in a program that has a relationship with a school in the UK, they will be the ones who can convert the credits to a degree in your home country, monitor your academic success and make the experience a great academic successful experience.

ilovegz · May 27, 2010

thanks for the reply i am thinking to backout or to pursue.i have friends in london they got a good job they might help me stay in uk once my student visa expire or i might get married in uk to get a resident permit. what do you think po?

Silverdragon102, BSN · May 27, 2010

thanks for the reply i am thinking to backout or to pursue.i have friends in london they got a good job they might help me stay in uk once my student visa expire or i might get married in uk to get a resident permit. what do you think po?

If your student visa expires how do you plan on staying in the UK? Once visa is expired unless you change status to tourist you are expected to leave. Staying illegally and caught will result in big issues and deportation

Do not get married just to stay in the UK, this is really frowned upon by UK immigration and will check it out.

mayflower2000, RN · May 27, 2010

If one is really intending to learn to acquire knowledge and will apply them once he/she will go back to her/his country then its okay to get a student visa holder. If one has another intention of coming over here then i would discourage. To be truthful i have met filipino nurses and were lured by these agencies that they could process their student visas and can find an employer for them. They were asked £2500- 3000 for their placement fees. When they arrived here there were no jobs. They went once a week to university for their NVQ's. Say they arrived in Leeds and the university that they were supposed to attend is in Birmingham. They were in a difficult situation and yet they cant go back to the Philippines because they owed thousands of pounds just to obtain student visas. Their regrets, no one has told them the reality. Why i am telling you filipino nurses not to come over here because i too am a Filipino/british. I am just concern of what will be your plight when you would be here. As what silver dragon said, it is a backward step for you guys who are nurses in the Philippines and cant even use it to apply for NMC ( which regulates nursing registration here). I will repeat pls dont listen to these agencies. They are just after your money.

mayflower2000, RN · May 27, 2010

thanks for the reply i am thinking to backout or to pursue.i have friends in london they got a good job they might help me stay in uk once my student visa expire or i might get married in uk to get a resident permit. what do you think po?

Pls dont attempt to overstay here. Once yous visa has expired, you will have to go back. They will deport you if they knew you have overstayed.