In order to be allowed entry into the UK for employment as a nurse you should already have a 'Statement of Entry on the (NMC) Register', an offer of a job, and in some cases a valid work permit. Permits are not usually granted to people seeking employment as a Health Care Assistant or Nursing Auxillary.

How do I apply for a UK work permit?

It is the responsibility of your prospective employer to apply for a work permit for you from the Overseas Labour Service. There is currently an acute shortage of nurses in the UK and employers are therefore actively looking to recruit from abroad. In these cases they will be happy to arrange a work permit for nurses, if they decide to employ you. Nursing is classed as a "shortage occupation" and as such it is normally easier to get a work permit than for some other occupations. It is an offence to enter the service of an employer without having a valid work permit.

In general work permits are issued where the employer has established that it has not been possible, in spite of reasonable efforts being made, to fill a vacancy with a UK person with suitable qualifications and/or experience.

The Overseas Labour Service do not issue work permits for jobs at manual, craft, clerical, secretarial or similar levels, or for domestic work, such as nannies or housekeepers. Therefore if the job you have found is unskilled (eg Nursing Auxiliary, Health Care Assistant etc) it is unlikely that you will be successful in getting a work permit.

You should not enter the UK with the intention of looking for work without a work permit. If you found a job in the UK whilst on holiday here you would have to leave and apply for a work permit before re-entering the country.

How long does the process take?

A simple application can be dealt with in as little as a month. A contested or complicated application can take several months. As you would be applying for a work permit to take up a position in a "shortage occupation" you would normally anticipate a speedy decision.