Relocation Guidance
- Free eligibility check first
- Fixed fee, agreed in writing
- Official sources only
Overview
How we help
Moving countries for a healthcare job means coordinating your registration, your start date, your visa and your family's move, often across several months and two time zones.
Small gaps in the plan become expensive: a lease that starts before your visa, or a start date your registration cannot meet.
The practical steps differ by destination. In the UK you will deal with an eVisa, a National Insurance number and registering with a GP. In Ireland you register your immigration permission and get a PPS number. In Germany you register your address soon after moving in, and in the Netherlands you register with your municipality to receive a citizen service number. In the USA you will need a Social Security number, and your state licence and visa must line up before you start.
Relocation is the last stage of the route, but planning should start well before it. Your registration timeline, exam dates and job offer decide when you can move, and housing, schools and notice periods often need months of lead time. We plan the move alongside your registration so the dates fit together.
We help you plan the practical side of the move: a timeline that lines up registration, job and travel; a realistic budget; housing, banking, schools and healthcare; and what to expect in your first months. Visa and immigration questions need regulated legal advice, so we refer those to qualified immigration advisers and attorneys.
Governments decide visas and permits, employers decide start dates and relocation packages, and landlords, banks and schools have their own rules. We help you understand the process and prepare for each step. We do not give immigration advice, apply for visas or make decisions on your behalf.
What is included
- Move timeline aligned with registration, job start and travel
- Budget for the move and the first three months
- Checklist of documents to bring, including originals your employer and regulator will want to see
- Guidance on temporary and longer-term housing, and what landlords usually ask for
- Guidance on housing, banking, phone, schools and registering with healthcare
- Steps for local registrations: National Insurance, PPS number, address registration or Social Security number
- Planning for family members: schools, childcare and their own permissions
- Exit planning from your current country, including notice periods and end-of-service steps
- First-weeks checklist for your new job and area
- Referral to regulated immigration advisers or attorneys for visa advice
In depth
Relocation Guidance: what to know
Visa routes for health workers by country
This is a factual overview of the main routes as the official sources describe them, not immigration advice. Governments decide every application, and you should take advice on your own case from a regulated adviser, solicitor or attorney.
In the UK, the Health and Care Worker visa, decided by the Home Office, is for qualified doctors, nurses, health professionals and adult social care professionals with a job offer from an eligible NHS, NHS-supplier or adult social care employer that holds a sponsor licence. The employer assigns a certificate of sponsorship. GOV.UK says the visa costs less than the Skilled Worker visa and that holders and their families do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. In Ireland, the Critical Skills Employment Permit, issued by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, covers occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List, including doctors, nurses, midwives and many health and social care professionals; it needs a job offer of at least two years and can lead to Stamp 4.
In Germany, routes include the recognition partnership, which lets you enter with a job offer and complete recognition while working, and the EU Blue Card, which still requires a licence to practise for regulated professions. In the Netherlands, health professionals often use the highly skilled migrant route through an employer the IND recognises as a sponsor, and must also be BIG-registered for protected professions.
In the USA, registered nurses and physical therapists are Schedule A occupations for the EB-3 green card, so employers can file the I-140 petition without first going through Department of Labor recruitment. Doctors in residency usually hold a J-1, sponsored by ECFMG, or an H-1B, and H-1B rules are changing, so check the current USCIS page. Many health workers also need a VisaScreen certificate before a US occupational visa can be issued.
Your first three months
In the UK, you prove your immigration status through your UKVI account and eVisa, and your employer carries out a right to work check before you start. If you do not already have a National Insurance number, GOV.UK says you must apply for one if you plan to work; you can only apply once you are in the UK, it can take up to four weeks, and you can start work before it arrives if you can prove your right to work. Register with a GP near your home, open a bank account, and expect pre-employment checks such as occupational health clearance and, for many roles, a DBS check.
In Ireland, register your immigration permission after you arrive, usually within 90 days, to receive an Irish Residence Permit card. You will also need a PPS number to work and use public services. In Germany, the Federal Registration Act requires you to register your address with the local registration office within two weeks of moving in. In the Netherlands, registering with your municipality in the Personal Records Database gives you a citizen service number (BSN). In the USA, you will need a Social Security number for work and for some state licence steps.
Your job has its own early milestones: induction, any identity check by your regulator, supervision or preceptorship, and for some, the final exam before full registration. Plan for a temporary home for the first weeks, and allow for deposits and living costs before your first full salary.
- Collect your residence permit or check your eVisa
- Complete local registrations: National Insurance, PPS, address registration, BSN or Social Security number
- Open a bank account and give your employer your details
- Register with a GP or local healthcare provider
- Arrange school or childcare places for your family
- Complete your employer's induction and pre-employment checks
Who can give visa and immigration advice
In the UK, GOV.UK says all immigration advisers must be registered with the Immigration Advice Authority or be a member of an approved professional body, such as solicitors regulated by the Law Societies. In the USA, immigration legal advice comes from licensed attorneys. Your sponsoring employer will also guide you through its part of the process.
We are not immigration advisers. We help you understand the timeline, prepare the practical side of the move and ask the right questions, and we refer you to regulated advisers or attorneys for advice on your own visa or permit.
Step by step
How it works
- 1
Timeline
We line up your registration, job start, notice period and travel. The timeline shows which dates depend on others, such as a visa decision or an exam result. It builds in time for delays you cannot control.
- 2
Budget
We build a realistic budget for the move and your first months. It covers visa and travel costs, deposits and rent, and living costs until your first full salary. We note what your employer's relocation package covers and what it does not.
- 3
Prepare
We help you gather the documents to bring and plan housing, schools and banking before you travel. Some steps, such as school places, often need applications well in advance. Visa questions go to a regulated adviser or attorney at this stage.
- 4
Settle
We guide housing, banking, schools and registering with local services. A checklist for your first weeks covers local registrations, healthcare and your employer's induction. We help you prioritise so the essentials come first.
Visas and residence
Visa and residence routes for health workers
United Kingdom
- Biometric residence permit (BRP), and what replaced itA biometric residence permit (BRP) was the card the Home Office issued to show a person's UK immigration status. GOV.UK says all BRPs have now expired and have been replaced by eVisas, though an expired BRP can still be used for a few account tasks until 31 December 2026 at the latest.Status: All BRPs have expired
- Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is an electronic record, not a physical document, that a UK employer holding a Home Office sponsor licence assigns to a worker it wants to employ. Its unique reference number is what the worker uses to apply for a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa.Issued by: A UK employer with a Home Office sponsor licence
- Dependant visa (bringing your partner and children on a UK work visa)A dependant visa lets the partner and children of someone on a UK work visa, such as the Health and Care Worker or Skilled Worker visa, live in the UK with them. Each family member applies separately, and their permission is linked to the main applicant's visa.Who counts: Partner and children under 18
- eVisa and UKVI accountAn eVisa is the digital record of your identity, UK immigration status and the conditions attached to it, such as whether you can work. It has replaced physical documents like the BRP, and you access it through a free UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account.Run by: UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)
- Health and Care Worker visaThe Health and Care Worker visa is a UK work visa, decided by the Home Office, for qualified doctors, nurses, health professionals and adult social care professionals with a job offer from an approved NHS, NHS-supplier or adult social care employer. It costs less than the Skilled Worker visa and holders and their families do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.Decided by: UK Home Office (UK Visas and Immigration)
- Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is a fee most people pay as part of a UK visa or immigration application so they can use the NHS during their stay. Health and care workers eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa, and their dependants, do not pay it.Set by: UK Home Office (GOV.UK)
- Indefinite leave to remain (ILR)Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) is UK settlement: permission from the Home Office to live, work and study in the UK without a time limit. Health and Care Worker and Skilled Worker visa holders can currently apply after 5 years on a qualifying visa, subject to GOV.UK's requirements.Decided by: UK Home Office
- Licensed sponsor (register of licensed sponsors)A licensed sponsor is a UK employer that holds a sponsor licence from the Home Office, which lets it assign certificates of sponsorship to workers from overseas. Licensed employers appear on the public register of licensed sponsors published on GOV.UK.Granted by: UK Visas and Immigration (Home Office)
- Right to work checkA right to work check is the check every UK employer must carry out before employing someone, to confirm they are allowed to do the job. Workers with an eVisa usually prove their right to work online with a share code; British and Irish citizens show a passport or use a digital identity provider.Carried out by: The employer, before employment starts
- Share code (right to work and immigration status)A share code is a one-off code you generate on GOV.UK from your UKVI account so that an employer, landlord or other organisation can check your UK immigration status online. GOV.UK says a share code lasts 90 days and can be used as many times as needed before it expires.Generated in: GOV.UK view and prove your immigration status
- Skilled Worker visa, and how it relates to the Health and Care Worker visaThe Skilled Worker visa is the main UK work visa for people with a job offer in an eligible occupation from a Home Office licensed sponsor. The Health and Care Worker visa is a version of it for eligible health and care jobs with the NHS, NHS suppliers and adult social care, with lower fees and no Immigration Health Surcharge.Decided by: UKVI (Home Office)
- SOC occupation code for sponsorshipA SOC occupation code is the 4-digit Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 2020) code that a UK sponsor puts on your certificate of sponsorship to describe your job. It decides whether the job is eligible for the Health and Care Worker or Skilled Worker visa and which salary rules apply.Format: 4 digits, SOC 2020
- UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is the part of the Home Office that decides UK visa and immigration applications, including the Health and Care Worker and Skilled Worker visas. It also runs the UKVI account where your eVisa is held and the online services you use to prove your status.Part of: The Home Office
Ireland
- Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP)The Critical Skills Employment Permit is an Irish work permit issued by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) for occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List, which includes doctors, registered nurses, midwives and many health and social care professionals. It needs a job offer of at least 2 years and leads to Stamp 4.Issued by: Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE)
- Employment permits (Ireland)An employment permit is the document, issued by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE), that a non-EEA national generally needs to work for an employer in Ireland. It names the employer, the occupation and the location, and most health professionals hold either a Critical Skills or a General Employment Permit.Issued by: Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE)
- General Employment Permit (Ireland)The General Employment Permit (GEP) is an Irish employment permit, issued by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, that lets a non-EEA national work for a named employer in any occupation not on the Ineligible List of Occupations. In healthcare it covers roles such as health care assistants, which have their own minimum salary, and some hospital doctor posts.Issued by: Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment
- Immigration Service Delivery (ISD)Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) is the unit of Ireland's Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration that decides who can visit, study or live in Ireland. For international health workers it handles entry visas, registration of your immigration permission and Irish Residence Permit, renewals, Stamp 4 upgrades and family reunification.Part of: Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration
- Irish Residence Permit (IRP)The Irish Residence Permit (IRP) is the card that Immigration Service Delivery issues to non-EEA nationals who register permission to stay in Ireland for more than 90 days. It shows your stamp, such as Stamp 1 or Stamp 4, and when your permission expires, and it replaced the older GNIB card.Issued by: Immigration Service Delivery (ISD)
- Stamp 1 (Ireland)Stamp 1 is the Irish immigration permission that lets a non-EEA national work or run a business in Ireland, subject to conditions, and it is the stamp most nurses, doctors and therapists receive when they arrive on an employment permit. Immigration Service Delivery grants and registers it, and it is shown on the Irish Residence Permit card.Granted by: Immigration Service Delivery, Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration
- Stamp 1G (Ireland)Stamp 1G is an Irish immigration permission that lets the holder work without an employment permit but not run a business or be self-employed. Immigration Service Delivery gives it to eligible spouses and partners of employment permit holders, and to non-EEA graduates of Irish colleges looking for work under the Third Level Graduate Programme.Granted by: Immigration Service Delivery
- Stamp 4 (Ireland)Stamp 4 is an Irish immigration permission, granted by the Department of Justice through Immigration Service Delivery, that lets a non-EEA national live in Ireland and take up employment without an employment permit. Critical Skills Employment Permit holders can usually apply for it after 21 months of employment on the permit.Granted by: Department of Justice (Immigration Service Delivery)
Germany
- Aufenthaltstitel (German residence title)An Aufenthaltstitel (residence title) is the umbrella term in German law for any document that lets a non-EU national enter and stay in Germany. Section 4 of the Residence Act lists the types: national visa, Aufenthaltserlaubnis (temporary residence permit), EU Blue Card, ICT cards, Niederlassungserlaubnis (settlement permit) and EU long-term residence.Legal basis: Section 4 Residence Act
- Beschleunigtes Fachkräfteverfahren (fast-track procedure for skilled workers)The beschleunigtes Fachkräfteverfahren (fast-track procedure for skilled workers) is a procedure under section 81a of the German Residence Act in which an employer, with the worker's power of attorney, asks the local foreigners authority to steer recognition, Federal Employment Agency approval and the visa together. It costs €411 and shortens several deadlines.Legal basis: Section 81a Residence Act
- Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card, Germany)The Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) is a German residence title under section 20a of the Residence Act that lets a qualified person from outside the EU live in Germany for up to one year to look for a job or for recognition measures. Applicants qualify either as recognised skilled workers or by scoring at least 6 points for qualifications, German, experience, age and links to Germany.Legal basis: Sections 20a and 20b Residence Act
- EU Blue CardThe EU Blue Card is a residence permit for highly qualified workers from outside the EU, issued by each participating EU country under common EU rules, for a job that meets a national minimum salary. In Germany doctors, dentists, pharmacists and academically trained nurses can use a lower salary threshold, but a licence to practise is also required.Issued by: The national immigration authority of each EU country
- Recognition partnership visa, Germany (§ 16d)The recognition partnership (Anerkennungspartnerschaft) is a German residence permit under Section 16d(3) of the Residence Act that lets a non-EU professional enter Germany with a job offer and complete the recognition of their qualification while working. It needs German at level A2 and a written agreement with an employer, and lasts up to 3 years.Legal basis: Section 16d(3) Residence Act (AufenthG)
Netherlands
- EU Blue CardThe EU Blue Card is a residence permit for highly qualified workers from outside the EU, issued by each participating EU country under common EU rules, for a job that meets a national minimum salary. In Germany doctors, dentists, pharmacists and academically trained nurses can use a lower salary threshold, but a licence to practise is also required.Issued by: The national immigration authority of each EU country
- Highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant), NetherlandsA kennismigrant, or highly skilled migrant, is a non-EU worker employed in the Netherlands by an employer the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) recognises as a sponsor, on a salary at or above the IND threshold. The permit lasts up to 5 years, and health professionals in protected professions must also be BIG-registered.Decided by: IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service)
- IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service, Netherlands)The IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst, Immigration and Naturalisation Service) is the agency of the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security that decides on applications from everyone who wants to live in the Netherlands, including work and family residence permits and naturalisation. For non-EU doctors and nurses, it issues the highly skilled migrant permit that an IND-recognised employer applies for.Part of: Ministry of Justice and Security
United States
- Conrad 30 waiverThe Conrad 30 waiver program lets each US state health department request waivers of the two-year home-country residence requirement for up to 30 J-1 foreign medical graduates per fiscal year, in exchange for at least 3 years of full-time work in H-1B status, generally in a medically underserved area.Requested by: State health departments
- EAD (Employment Authorization Document)An EAD (Employment Authorization Document) is the US work permit card, Form I-766, that USCIS issues to people whose status allows them to work but who are not tied to a single sponsoring employer, such as green card applicants with a pending adjustment of status and J-2 spouses. You apply on Form I-765.Application form: Form I-765 (card is Form I-766)
- EB-3 visa and the green card route for nursesEB-3 is the US employment-based third preference immigrant visa category for skilled workers, professionals and other workers, leading to a green card (permanent residence). Registered nurses and physical therapists are Schedule A occupations, so their employers can file the I-140 petition directly with USCIS without first going through Department of Labor recruitment.Decided by: USCIS (petition) and the State Department (visa)
- Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers)Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, is the USCIS petition asking that a foreign worker be allowed to become a US permanent resident in an employment-based category (EB-1, EB-2 or EB-3). For international nurses it is usually filed by the US employer with a Schedule A application; doctors may have it filed by an employer or file it themselves with a National Interest Waiver.Decided by: USCIS
- H-1B visaThe H-1B is a temporary US work visa for specialty occupations that need at least a bachelor's degree, petitioned by a US employer and decided by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). It is used by international medical graduates in residency and practice, and by some other health professionals.Decided by: USCIS, on an employer petition (Form I-129)
- J-1 visa for physicians (ECFMG sponsorship)The J-1 physician visa is a US exchange visitor visa for foreign national doctors entering accredited graduate medical education (residency or fellowship). ECFMG, a division of Intealth, is the sponsor for all J-1 physicians in clinical training and issues the DS-2019 form used to apply.Sponsor for clinical training: ECFMG (Intealth)
- National Interest Waiver (NIW)The National Interest Waiver (NIW) lets a person qualifying for the EB-2 green card category, as an advanced-degree professional or someone of exceptional ability, ask USCIS to waive the job offer and labor certification because their work is in the US national interest. It allows self-petitioning on Form I-140 and has a specific version for physicians who serve underserved areas.Category: EB-2 (advanced degree or exceptional ability)
- PERM labor certificationPERM labor certification is the Department of Labor (DOL) decision that lets a US employer hire a foreign worker permanently, after the employer shows there are not enough able, willing, qualified and available US workers and that wages will not be undercut. It comes before most employment-based I-140 petitions, but registered nurses and physical therapists skip it through Schedule A.Decided by: U.S. Department of Labor
- Priority date and visa retrogressionA priority date is your place in the US green card queue: for employment cases, the date the labor certification was accepted by the Department of Labor or, where none is needed, the date USCIS accepted the I-140 petition. Visa retrogression is when the cut-off dates in the State Department's Visa Bulletin move backwards because demand exceeds the visas available.Published by: US Department of State (Visa Bulletin, monthly)
- Schedule A (US shortage occupations: nurses and physical therapists)Schedule A is the Department of Labor's list of occupations, in 20 CFR 656.5, for which it has already decided there are not enough US workers. Group I covers professional (registered) nurses and physical therapists, so their US employers can file the labor certification directly with USCIS on the I-140 green card petition, without the PERM recruitment process.Set by: U.S. Department of Labor, 20 CFR 656.5
- SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System)SEVIS, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, is the web-based system the US Department of Homeland Security uses to keep records on F and M students, J exchange visitors such as J-1 physicians, and the schools and sponsors that host them. Every DS-2019 is produced in SEVIS, and J-1 applicants pay the I-901 SEVIS fee before their visa interview.Run by: DHS (ICE's Student and Exchange Visitor Program)
- USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services)USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) is the agency of the Department of Homeland Security that decides immigration petitions and applications filed inside the United States, including the I-140 green card petitions filed for international nurses and the H-1B petitions filed for physicians. It does not issue visas abroad or licenses to practice.Part of: Department of Homeland Security
- Visa Bulletin (US Department of State)The Visa Bulletin is the monthly publication of the US Department of State that shows, for each green card category and country, the cut-off dates that decide whose immigrant visa or green card can move forward. For international nurses on the EB-3 route, it decides when an approved I-140 can turn into permanent residence.Published by: U.S. Department of State, monthly
Across the EU
- AIMA residence permit (autorização de residência), PortugalAn AIMA residence permit (autorização de residência) is the permit Portugal's Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) grants to non-EU nationals who live in Portugal, for example to work as a doctor or nurse. It is documented by a residence card (título de residência) and, for employment, is valid for two years at first.Issued by: AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo)
- Aviz de muncă (Romanian work permit, aviz de angajare)The aviz de muncă, officially the aviz de angajare (employment permit), is the authorisation a Romanian employer must obtain from the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) before hiring a non-EU citizen. With it, the worker applies for a long-stay employment visa and, after arrival, a single residence and work permit.Issued by: General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI)
- Karta pobytu (Polish residence card)The karta pobytu is the residence card Poland issues to a foreigner once a voivode (regional governor) grants a residence permit, such as a temporary residence and work permit or an EU Blue Card. It confirms your identity and your right to stay; the permit itself is decided first, and the card is issued after the decision.Issued by: The voivode, after granting a residence permit
- Key Employee Initiative (KEI), MaltaThe Key Employee Initiative (KEI) is a fast track to Malta's single permit for third-country nationals offered a managerial or highly technical post paying at least €45,000 a year. Identità aims to process complete KEI applications in five working days.Run by: Identità, Expatriates Unit
- Liechtenstein residence permit for employment (Aufenthaltsbewilligung B)A Liechtenstein residence permit for employment (Aufenthaltsbewilligung, the B permit) lets a non-EEA, non-Swiss national live and work in Liechtenstein for more than a year. The Migration and Passport Office (Ausländer- und Passamt, APA) grants it only on a Liechtenstein employer's application, for qualified workers in posts no local or EEA cross-border candidate can fill.Issued by: Ausländer- und Passamt (APA), Vaduz
- Migrationsverket (Swedish Migration Agency)Migrationsverket (the Swedish Migration Agency) is the Swedish authority that decides work and residence permits. Foreign doctors, nurses and other health staff from outside the EU apply to it for a work permit, and from June 2026 the salary must be at least 90 per cent of Sweden's median, or 75 per cent for doctors, dentists and nurses working towards a Swedish licence.Role: Decides work and residence permits in Sweden
- Migri (Finnish Immigration Service)Migri (Maahanmuuttovirasto, the Finnish Immigration Service) is the Finnish agency that decides residence permits, citizenship and asylum. Foreign doctors, nurses and other health staff apply to it, through the Enter Finland service, for a residence permit for an employed person, a specialist permit or an EU Blue Card.Full name: Maahanmuuttovirasto (Finnish Immigration Service)
- MIGRIS (Lithuanian Migration Information System)MIGRIS is the Lithuanian Migration Information System, the online portal at www.migracija.lt run by the Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior. Employers use it to submit the mediation letter for a foreign worker, and foreign doctors and nurses use it to fill in residence permit applications, upload documents and book their visit.Run by: Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior
- Passeport talent (talent card, medical and pharmacy professions)Passeport talent was the name of France's multi-year residence card for skilled foreign workers; it is now the carte de séjour pluriannuelle talent. Its category talent - profession médicale et de la pharmacie lets doctors, dentists, midwives and pharmacists with an authorisation under the French public health code live and work in France for up to four years without a separate work authorisation.Official name: Carte de séjour pluriannuelle talent
- Permesso di soggiorno (Italian residence permit)The permesso di soggiorno is the residence permit that lets a non-EU national stay in Italy for longer than three months, for example to work as a nurse or doctor. It is issued by the Questura (police headquarters) of the province where you live, as an electronic card with your photo and fingerprints.Issued by: Questura (Polizia di Stato)
- Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte (Red-White-Red Card, Austria)The Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte (Red-White-Red Card) is Austria's points-based residence and work permit for skilled workers from outside the EU, issued by the residence authority after the Public Employment Service (AMS) checks the job and your points. Nurses, doctors and many therapists apply as skilled workers in shortage occupations, but must also have their qualification recognised before they can practise.Issued by: Residence authority, after an AMS check
- Single permit (Belgium)The single permit (gecombineerde vergunning in Dutch, permis unique in French) is Belgium's combined work and residence permit for non-EU workers staying more than 90 days. The employer applies to the region where the job is, which decides on the work part, and the federal Immigration Office then decides on residence.Work part decided by: The region of the workplace
- Single permit (Malta)Malta's single permit is one permit that combines an employment licence and a residence permit, allowing a non-EU national to live in Malta and work for a named employer for more than six months. It is issued by Identità's Expatriates Unit and the employer, not the worker, applies.Issued by: Identità, Expatriates Unit
- SIRI (Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration)SIRI (Styrelsen for International Rekruttering og Integration, the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration) is the Danish agency that decides work-based residence permits. For health professionals it runs a residence permit for people seeking Danish authorisation, which lets doctors, dentists and nurses from outside the EU/EEA live in Denmark, learn Danish, sit the tests and do adaptation employment.Full name: Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration
- Swiss B permit (residence permit)The B permit (Ausweis B, permis B) is Switzerland's residence permit for foreign nationals who live and work there for longer than a year. Cantonal migration offices issue it; EU and EFTA nationals with a contract of at least 12 months get a five-year B permit, while non-EU nationals can only get one within annual federal quotas and after their employer proves no suitable local or EU candidate was found.Issued by: Cantonal migration office (SEM approval for non-EU)
- TIE card (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero)The TIE (tarjeta de identidad de extranjero, foreigner identity card) is the card Spain's police issue to non-EU nationals with a visa or authorisation to stay more than six months. It identifies you, shows your NIE and proves your legal status in Spain.Issued by: Policía Nacional
- Titre de séjour (French residence permit)A titre de séjour is any French residence document that lets a non-EU national live in France beyond a visit, issued by the prefecture and applied for online through the ANEF platform. For health professionals it is usually a long-stay visa that acts as a residence permit (VLS-TS), then a salaried worker card or the multi-year talent card for medical and pharmacy professions.Applied for on: ANEF online platform
- UDI (Norwegian Directorate of Immigration)UDI (Utlendingsdirektoratet, the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration) is the Norwegian agency that processes residence permits, including the skilled worker permit used by foreign doctors, nurses and other health staff. For regulated health professions UDI requires Norwegian authorisation or recognition from Helsedirektoratet before it can grant the permit.Full name: Utlendingsdirektoratet (Norwegian Directorate of Immigration)
- Yellow slip (Cyprus MEU1 registration certificate)The yellow slip is the everyday name for the registration certificate (form MEU1) that Cyprus's Migration Department issues to EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who live in Cyprus for more than three months. It costs €20, must be applied for within four months of arrival and has no expiry date.Official name: Registration Certificate (MEU1)
- Zaměstnanecká karta (Czech employee card)The zaměstnanecká karta (employee card) is a Czech long-term residence permit that lets a non-EU citizen live and work in Czechia for more than 3 months, issued by the Ministry of the Interior for a specific job. For health professionals it is usually linked to the Ministry of Health decision that allows them to work, including during the practical part of the aprobační zkouška.Issued by: Ministry of the Interior
Who we help
Who it is for
Job offer in hand
Professionals with a job offer who are planning the move
Moving as a family
Families moving together who need schools, housing and childcare
Leaving the Gulf
Anyone moving from the Gulf, who also has end-of-service and exit steps to plan
Where we help
Countries we cover
United Kingdom
Register with the GMC, NMC, GDC, GPhC or HCPC and work in the NHS or private sector.
Ireland
Registration with the IMC, NMBI, CORU, PSI or Dental Council, and roles in the HSE.
Germany
Recognition of foreign qualifications, the medical language test and the knowledge test.
Netherlands
BIG registration for doctors, nurses and other regulated health professions.
United States
State licensing, ECFMG certification, NCLEX and the visa routes for health workers.
France
The EVC knowledge tests, a two-year consolidation post and CNG authorisation for doctors, dentists, midwives and pharmacists, then registration with the professional order.
Belgium
Diploma equivalence from a language Community, then a federal visa to practise from the FPS Public Health, with proof of Dutch, French or German.
Luxembourg
A licence to practise from the Ministry of Health and Social Security, B2 French or German, and for non-EU doctors prior recognition in another EU country.
Switzerland
MEBEKO registration or the federal exam for doctors, SRK recognition for nurses, a cantonal licence and a third-country work permit within the federal quotas.
Spain
Homologación of your degree by the universities ministry, specialist recognition or MIR via the Ministry of Health, and compulsory college registration.
Portugal
Degree recognition at a Portuguese public university, then registration with the Ordem dos Médicos or Ordem dos Enfermeiros, with Portuguese at B2 or C1.
Italy
Ministry of Health recognition of non-EU titles, any compensatory exam, then an Italian check and registration with an OMCeO or OPI.
Malta
Registration with the Medical Council or the Council for Nurses and Midwives in English, then an employer-sponsored single permit.
Sweden
Socialstyrelsen licensing: education assessment, kunskapsprov, Swedish at C1, a law course and clinical training.
Norway
Helsedirektoratet authorisation, Norwegian at B2, the national course and the fagprøve for doctors, nurses and dentists.
Denmark
Danish Patient Safety Authority authorisation, the Danish 3 exam, medical tests and the 2026 quota for non-EU doctors and nurses.
Finland
Right to practise from the Finnish Supervisory Agency (formerly Valvira), Finnish or Swedish language proof, and exams for non-EU doctors.
Iceland
Licensing by the Directorate of Health through a university evaluation, no Icelandic language test for the licence, and an employer-led expert work permit.
Austria
Nostrification of non-EU degrees, the Ärzteliste and ÖÄK German exam for doctors, and Gesundheitsberuferegister entry for nurses.
Poland
Right to practise from the medical or nursing chambers, the LEK and LEW exams, Polish at B1 or above, and the Ministry of Health's simplified route.
Czechia
Ministry of Health recognition for non-EU doctors and nurses: nostrification, the aprobační zkouška in Czech, and employee or Blue Card permits.
Slovakia
Two-stage recognition for non-EU health professionals: diploma recognition, an 18-month supervised traineeship and the supplementary exam in Slovak.
Hungary
Diploma recognition by the Educational Authority or OKFŐ, practising registration with the OKFŐ, chamber membership and the EU Blue Card.
Slovenia
Ministry of Health recognition under the 2025 ZPPKZD law, Slovenian at C1/B2, the professional exam and chamber registration.
Croatia
Recognition by the HLK or HKMS, B2 Croatian, adaptation or aptitude tests and the stay and work permit.
Romania
CNRED and Ministry of Health recognition, the CMR joint commission, Romanian language and the IGI work permit.
Bulgaria
The Bulgarian medical language exam, Ministry of Health admission and the university state exams for non-EU graduates.
Greece
DOATAP recognition and exams, the PIS practice certificate for doctors, ENE registration for nurses and Greek at B2 to C1.
Cyprus
KYSATS equivalence, Cyprus Medical Council and Nursing and Midwifery Council registration, Greek and the work permit rules.
Estonia
Harno evaluation, the Health Board's compliance examination in Estonian and registration in the healthcare professionals register.
Latvia
AIC evaluation, recognition by the Latvian Medical Association or Health Inspectorate, an aptitude test or adaptation period, and Latvian at C1.
Lithuania
VASPVT recognition of non-EU qualifications with an SKVC academic assessment, a possible aptitude test, Lithuanian category II and a practice licence.
Liechtenstein
A narrow route: Amt für Gesundheit licences tied to EEA nationality and EEA or Swiss qualifications, German, and capped work permits for non-EEA nationals.
Sources
The official pages the rules on this page come from.
- 1GOV.UK: Health and Care Worker visa
- 2GOV.UK: Immigration Health Surcharge
- 3GOV.UK: eVisas
- 4GOV.UK: apply for a National Insurance number
- 5GOV.UK: find an immigration adviser
- 6NHS: how to register with a GP surgery
Show all 15 sourcesShow fewer sources
- 7DETE: Critical Skills Employment Permit
- 8Irish Immigration Service: registering for the first time
- 9Citizens Information: PPS number
- 10Make it in Germany: recognition partnership
- 11Bundesmeldegesetz, section 17
- 12IND: highly skilled migrant
- 13Government of the Netherlands: citizen service number (BSN)
- 14USCIS: EB-3
- 15USCIS: H-1B specialty occupations
FAQ
Questions about relocation guidance
Straight answers before you start. See all questions or contact us.
No. Visa applications and immigration advice must come from regulated advisers or attorneys, or from your sponsoring employer. We help you plan around the visa timeline and refer you to qualified advisers.
As soon as you have a realistic start date. Housing, schools and notice periods often need two to three months.
GOV.UK says people eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa, and their dependants, do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. Other UK work routes usually do. Check the current GOV.UK rules for your own case.
Many work routes allow partners and children to join you, but the rules, costs and timing differ by country and visa. A regulated adviser can tell you what applies to your family. We help you plan schools, childcare and housing around their arrival.
Some do, some do not, and packages vary. The HSE, for example, offers an international recruitment relocation package for flights and accommodation, paid against receipts. Read what your offer covers and any repayment clause linked to it.
It depends on the city, your family and what your employer covers. Your budget should include deposits, rent, travel, living costs until your first full salary and any fees not covered. We build it with you from real costs for your destination.
When your right to work, registration and your employer's pre-employment checks are all complete. In the UK, you can start before your National Insurance number arrives if you can prove your right to work.
Plan your notice period, end-of-service payment, final salary, cancellation of your residence visa and closing or keeping bank accounts. Request certificates of good standing from your Gulf regulator before you leave, as they are harder to obtain from abroad.
Yes. In Germany the law requires you to register within two weeks of moving into a home. In the Netherlands you register with your municipality, which gives you a citizen service number (BSN).
We do not act as a letting agent. We explain how renting works where you are moving, what landlords usually ask for, how to avoid common scams and how to plan temporary housing for your first weeks.
Often, yes. Employer teams focus on your start date and their own checks. We look at the whole move, including your family, budget and the steps the employer does not cover.