Nurses are among the most in-demand professionals for immigration globally. Every major destination is actively recruiting — here's the fastest pathway by country.
Canada runs dedicated Healthcare & Social Services category draws with CRS cutoffs of 430–480 — much lower than general draws. Nurses are among the most commonly invited occupations in these draws.
NNAS (National Nursing Assessment Service): Required to assess international nursing credentials for Canadian registration. Process takes 4–8 months — apply early.
The UK NHS has a critical nursing shortage. Nurses are on the shortage occupation list: lower salary threshold, priority processing, and the UK actively runs international recruitment campaigns in Philippines, India and Nigeria.
NMC Registration: Nursing and Midwifery Council registration required — includes English test (OET or IELTS 7.0) and CBT (Computer-Based Test) + OSCE (practical exam).
Registered nurses score 85–100 points in SkillSelect and receive priority invitations. ANMAC (Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council) assessment required. AHPRA registration needed to practice.
Philippine-trained nurses have well-established pathways to Canada, UK, and Australia. NCLEX-RN (USA), OSCE (UK), ANMAC assessment (Australia) are all commonly passed by Filipino nurses. The Philippines → Canada → PR pathway through CEC is particularly well-trodden.
| Country | Assessment Body | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | NNAS + provincial regulator | 4–8 months |
| UK | NMC + CBT + OSCE | 6–12 months |
| Australia | ANMAC + AHPRA | 4–8 months |
| USA | NCLEX-RN + CGFNS | 6–18 months |