Brexit and Ireland versus the UK

BREXIT

THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND IS NOT PART OF THE UK, SO BREXIT DOES NOT
AFFECT YOU WITH REGARD TO FINDING A JOB AND MOVING TO IRELAND.

BREXIT ONLY REALTES TO THE UNITES KINGDOM WHICH CONSITS OF

ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, WALES AND NORTHERN IRELAND.

Since the 1st of January 2021, to work as a Nurse in the UK you will be required to obtain a
work permit. There may also be some changes to the NMC process.

Your work permit will be for 2 years and will be Employer Dependent, meaning you will lose
you freedom to change jobs once you arrive in the UK as your Work Permit will only allow
you to have one employer.

There will also be a substantial cost to the employer in order to get you a work permit.

Also, previously you can move to the UK and work as an HCA or in alternative employment
while you are waiting to finish your NMC registration, as your work permit will be
dependent on you being a nurse this will no longer be possible.

NMBI versus NMC

Ireland and the UK have different nursing boards, in Ireland it is the NMBI and in the UK it
is the NMC. Both systems of registration are very similar however there are some key
differences which are highlighted some of the main ones below.

• From the 1st of January 2021 the UK are no longer in the EU, meaning the NMC no
longer need to follow EU Directives relating to Nurse Registration, whereas Ireland
who is still on the EU does follow EU Directives.
Nurses looking to register in the UK who do not meet with the EU Directive for
Automatic recognition will now have the additional step of completing the CBT and
OSCI tests in order to complete their registration. The CBT is a computer-based test
you need to complete to prove your nursing competency and the OSCI is an aptitude
test which you will need to complete in the UK in order to finalise your registration.
You will receive a temporary permit which will allow you to move to the UK in order
to complete the OSCI, if you fail the OSCI your work permit will be canceled, and
you will need to return to your home country. On top of the time and stress issues this
causes, there is also a substantial cost related to these two tests.

None of these changes will affect the NMBI system which will remain the same as
it has always been, following EU Directives and no requirement for an EU
Qualified nurse to complete any further tests in order to complete the
registration process.

• English Requirement
 The main difference between the NMC and the NMBI in relation to the English test is
as follows.

With the NMBI you can scores a 6.5 in any element of the IELTS as long as you
achieve a 7 in the three remaining areas, and a C+ in any element of the OET as long
as you achieve a B in the three remaining areas, whereas with the NMC you can only
achieve the lower score in the writing section.

IELTS Reading Writing Listening Speaking

NMC 7.0 6.5 7.0 7.0
NMBI 6.5, as long 6.5, as long 6.5 as long as 6.5 as long as
as you as you you achieve a you achieve a 7
achieve a 7 achieve a 7 in 7 in the three in the three
in the three the three remaining remaining areas
remaining remaining areas
areas areas

OET Reading Writing Listening Speaking

NMC B C+ B B
NMBI C+ as long C+ as long as C+ as long as C+ as long as
as you you achieve a you achieve a you achieve a B
achieve a B B in the three B in the three in the three
in the three remaining remaining remaining areas
remaining areas areas
areas

• Application process

Both bodies have a 30+ page booklet that explains the whole process step by step and
we have details blogs on our site which cover these topics

NMBI Process BLOG

NMC Process BLOG

Before you start the registration process, we would highly recommend that you read
the necessary booklet.

Below you will see some of the key differences.

• Documents required

o The NMC will receive all the required documents directly from the applicant
while the NMBI will require you to upload all your documents onto your
account on the online platform.
 There is a list below of the documents required to apply for registration
through the Acquired Rights or Automatic recognition paths.

NMC
Completed Application Form
Certified copy of Passport
Police Clearance **
Certified Evidence of your
Qualification
Verification (CCPS)
Declaration of good health
Marriage Certificate (If
necessary)
NMBI
Copy of Passport
Certificate of Conformity
or Certificate of Acquired Rights
Certificate of Current Professional
Status/Certificate of Good Character
Evidence of Formal Qualification/Diploma
IELTS or OET Result

** Date on document must be within the last three months.

• Cost

o NMC
▪ £140 application assessment fee / payable in order for the NMC to
assess your documents
▪ £153 registration fee / Payable at the final stage of the process
▪ £83 to sit the CBT, if necessary
▪ £794 to sit the OSCE, and £397 to resit the OSCE, if necessary
o NMBI
▪ €350 application assessment fee / payable at the very beginning of the
process
▪ €145 registration fee / Payable at the final stage of the process

• Expiry date of application

o Once your application has started with the NMC, it will expire after 6 months
if not completed, which includes passing the IELTS or the OET.
o Once your Qualifications have been recognized by the NMBI, your
application will not expire, however there may be a case where some
documents may need to be reissued to complete the registration process.
Salary Comparison

Salaries are slightly higher in Ireland than the UK for both Healthcare Assistants and Nurses.

UK Ireland
Nurse Salary £15.00 to Nurse Salary €17.00 to
£18.00 per Hour €20.00 per Hour
Healthcare Assistant £8 to Healthcare Assistant €10 to
£10 per hour €12 per hour

On arriving in the UK or Ireland for you first position you need be looking at the lower end
of the scales.

It should be noted that in both countries there is a difference in pay between the Public Sector
and the Private Sector and also between a position in a Hospital and a Nursing Home.

You might be surprised to know that the highest paying positions are normally in the Elderly
Care Sector working in a Nursing Home.

The public sector works on a PayScale system, meaning you pay will be based on your years
of experience. Private Hospitals follow this pay scale system too but will be a little bit more
flexible than the Public Sector.

Nursing Homes normally have a fixed pay they pay all their nurses and carers and would
work out to be about .8 on the scale, meaning to match the salary you would get in a Nursing
Home you would need to have at least 8 Years’ experience working as a Nurse.

The Public Sector and Private Hospitals do pay better premiums for things like night and
weekends, where the Elderly Care Sector normally has no Premium for Nights and Saturdays,
some have a small premium for Sundays and by law they all pay double for working on a
Holiday.

The below example is for a Nurse with 2 years’ experience staring a new position in Ireland

Hourly Rate Hours Gross Mth Pay

Hospital €16 39 €32,449
Nursing Home €18 42 €39,312

Meaning you would make an extra €6,863 per annum working in Elderly Care.

Taxes and take-home pay

The tax systems in both countries are very different, I am not going to try and explain the
systems here but will show you a sample of what your take home pay would be in both
countries based and the same job for the same salary.

Irish Tax System Explained

For the position as an HCA I will use the salary of €10 in Ireland and £10 in the UK and for a
nurse I will use €17 in Ireland and £17 in the UK and working 42 hours a week in all cases so
we will be comparing like with like. I will also be basing the calculation on a Single female
who is 30 years old with no Children.

UK Ireland
Take home pay Nurse / Mth £2,399 €2,513
Take home pay HCA / Mth £1,532 €1,636

The above table is for comparison purposes only and does not reflect what your actual salary
will be, as this will be different based on actual hourly salary, hours of work, overtime and
may other variables. We will be able to speak with you to discuss your individual situation.

Years of
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Experience

Staff Nurse 30,609 32,449 33,388 34,630 36,196 37,760 39,317 40,663 42,013 43,356 44,701 46,021

Cost of living comparison

Cost of living in both countries are very similar and varies within the countries based on
location, for example rents will be considerably lower in a rural area than in the capital cities.

Depending on your personal preferences this is something we will deal with candidate by
candidate on a case-by-case basis.

In Ireland there is no Council Tax, no water charges, and the taxes are considerably lower.
However generally speaking rents are 20% higher in Ireland, with all other costs remaining
the same between both courtiers.

See are most recent Jobs

Job type

The job description is identical in both countries, and the present opportunity types are
explained in more detail below.

• Registered Nurse

o For nurses who are registered with either the NMBI in Ireland or the NMC in
the UK, would have a very good opportunity to start working as a Nurse in
either country. Present opportunities are nursing positions in the area of
elderly care or in a Hospital.

• Pre-Registered Nurse

o For nurses who are not registered with either the NMBI in Ireland or the NMC
in the UK but are registered with the nursing board in their country of training
would have the opportunity to start working as a Pre-Registered Nurse in
 Ireland, unfortunately this will not be available to you in the UK as you will
not qualify for a work permit. The difference between this position and that of
a Healthcare Assistant is that once you complete the registration process you
will be offered a position as a Nurse with the same employer you have been
working with as an HCA. Present opportunities include positions in the area of
elderly care or in a Hospital, however there are not that many opportunities in
the Hospitals.

• Healthcare Assistant

o The UK is presently closed to the recruitment of Healthcare Assistants as they

do not qualify for work permits. In Ireland the position of a Healthcare
Assistant is a qualified position so in order to be a suitable candidate for this
role you will need to have a Healthcare Assistant Qualification of an
equivalent qualification. You will find that almost all Healthcare
Qualifications will meet with the requirements for the position of a Healthcare
Assistant.

See are most recent Jobs

Weather

It rains, a lot , in Ireland but long showers are quite rare. The mild climate makes every
season suitable to visit Ireland. In summer, the average daytime temperature inland is
approximately 19°C.

Spring (March - May)

In spring it becomes gradually warmer with average temperatures between 8 - 12°C. Towards
the end of the season, the temperature often reaches 15 °C with April usually being a
particularly pleasant month.

Summer (June - August)

The average temperature during the summer is between 16 - 22°C. Apart from short
refreshing showers, this is Ireland’s driest season. The hottest months, July and August, get
about 18 hours of daylight, only turning dark after 11pm in the evening. Hence the well-
known saying in Ireland, “make the most of your evening”.

Autumn
Fall (September - November)

In fall, the temperature ranges between 14-18 °C. September is considered a mild, moderate
month. The season is characterized by beautiful autumn colors and slightly more frequent
rainfall than in summer. The temperature will drop further at the end of the season, to below
10 °C.

Winter (December - February)

The average temperature during the winter ranges between 4-6 °C. Occasionally, the
temperature drops below freezing and apart from a few brief periods of cold, snow is rare.
The Irish themselves enjoy visiting cozy pubs (preferably with a crackling log fires) a little
more frequently during the winter season.

Weather-friendly wardrobe

We have a saying in Ireland, If you don’t like the weather, wait a minute. On any given day
you could experience all 4 seasons so you need to be prepared for the consistent changing in
the weather. To be prepared for this choose layers that are easy to put on and take off when
the temperature changes. Take a sweater (even in summer), waterproof clothing for all
outdoor activities, sunglasses, comfortable walking shoes and an umbrella.

The general pattern of the climate across the UK and Ireland has four distinct
regions:
 • south-east – cold winters, warm and dry summers
• south-west – mild and very wet winters, warm and wet summers
• north-west – mild winter, cool summers and heavy rain all year
• north-east – cold winter, cool summers and steady rain all year

Medical

The medical system for you as a patient is very different in both countries, and here I will
cover the main differences.

• GP
o When you arrive in Ireland or the UK you will need to register with a GP,
registering with a GP is a free process. If you need to see your GP in the UK
this will be free, in Ireland a visit to a GP will cost approx. €60 per visit.

• Consultant Appointment
o If your GP refers you to a Consultant (Specialist) you will go onto a waiting
list in both countries and this appointment will be free. If you choose to pay
for this appointment so you skip the waiting list this appointment will cost you
€120 in Ireland and in the UK it will cost between £100 and £250 depending
on the consultant.

• Hospital Stay
 o In the UK everything connected to a Hospital stay is free. In Ireland if your
GP refers you to A&E this visit is free, and anything that is looked after in the
A&E is covered, if you walk into A&E without a GP referral then the A&E
visit will cost €100, if you are admitted to the Hospital then you will be
charged €85 a night for the first 10 nights of your stay, there will be no further
charges if you are required to stay longer than 10 nights.

• Private Health Insurance

o The option for health insurance is available in both countries, however as
everything is provided for free in the UK the only real benefit of Insurance is
that it gives you the ability to bypass waiting lists.
o In Ireland as there are charges for the services health insurance is a viable
option. No insurance policy will cover the GP costs, the cheapest policy
available will cover all the Public Hospital based costs and this will cost
approx. €650 per annum or €55 per month.