Available support

We’re here to help you

From making your application to progressing your career, we’ll support you throughout your entire journey. 

Your welcome pack

Your main contact will be the NHS trust you’ll be working with – you’ll be able to ask them any questions you may have. And before you move, they’ll send a welcome pack with all the information you’ll need to prepare for your arrival. It will include things like your itinerary for your first three days in England, an outline of the benefits available to you, maps of your new home, emergency contacts and help with your finances.

We’ll pick you up

We want you to feel welcome the moment you arrive in England, so you’ll be greeted at the airport and taken straight to your new home. You may even be met by an international nurse already working with your trust.

Your accommodation

Accommodation provided will vary by employer but we will typically arrange somewhere for you to stay for at least your first four weeks in England. Your trust will then help you find a permanent home and can advise you on renting too.

Financial support and banking

Your trust will help you set up a UK bank account. You may also be given a salary advance to get you started. Your trust will let you know how they’d like you to repay this, but it’s generally over a period of 12 months and after you complete your Nursing and Midwifery Council registration.

Settling into your local community

We’ll show you around your place of work, where to shop for groceries, places of interest and your local church or place of worship. We’ll also show you where to buy a local travel card to use on trains and buses, and how to use it.

Making friends

On your first few days at work, you’ll meet with other nurses, as well ward managers and lots of other members of the team. You may also join a peer support programme to help you settle into your new role and answer any questions you may have. There are lots of international nurses working within the NHS, so you’ll never feel alone. 

There are a number of international nursing associations and groups that support specific communities including the Filipino, Indian and Nigerian communities. To find out more visit the NHS Employers website. 

Becoming a registered nurse

You’ll need to pass your Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) before you can register as a nurse – this is where the NMC assesses your nursing skills and knowledge. You’ll need to sit your OSCE within 12 weeks of starting your job, but your trust will have a training programme to help you revise for your exam and practice your skills. If you are not successful on your first attempt you may resit.

• Do I need to have a job offer for support?

  Each trust or agency offers its own tailored support to all applicants, as and when you need it. You might find this guidance from the Government useful too. 

   

• How about my family?

  If you move to England with your immediate family (your spouse and any children under 18), you’ll all have access to our free healthcare system and your children will be able to attend a state school for free. 

  England also has a very diverse culture. With a strong community of internationally recruited nurses, you’re sure to feel welcomed from the moment you arrive. There are a number of international nursing associations and groups that support specific communities including the Filipino, Indian and Nigerian communities. To find out more visit the NHS Employers website.