Who pays for the OSCE?

The employer, in ethical recruitment (NHS trusts and the NORKA route pay the OSCE fee).

Do I need a job offer before the visa?

Yes: you need a Certificate of Sponsorship from a licensed employer.

Can my family come with me?

Nurses may bring dependants. Roles at RQF level 6 and above remain eligible; the restrictions (no dependants for new sponsorships at RQF levels 3 to 5, and care worker and senior care worker applications closed with a transition period to 22 July 2028) apply to care workers, not nurses.

When must I sit the OSCE?

Your first attempt must be within 12 weeks of the start date on your Certificate of Sponsorship.

← Nurses in the UK outcomeOS

🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Nurses

What do NMC registration and the Health and Care Worker visa cost an overseas nurse?

An overseas nurse's NMC fees and visa come to £1,550 before any resit: £167 for the NMC's evaluation, £83 for the CBT, £324 for a Health and Care Worker visa of up to three years, £794 for the OSCE, which your employer usually pays, and £182 to register; the visa carries no health surcharge.

Checked 23 Oct 2026 · NMC ↗

Fees, in the order you pay them

Step	Fee
NMC eligibility and qualification evaluationYou pay	£167
CBT, at a Pearson VUE centreWho pays varies	£83
Health and Care Worker visa, up to three yearsWho pays varies	£324
OSCE, at a UK test centreYour employer usually pays	£794
NMC registration, once both parts are passed	£182
Total, before any resit	£1,550

The visa

Visa for more than three years	£628
Immigration health surcharge	Exempt
Certificate of Sponsorship	£525, which your employer pays and must not charge to you
Money to support yourself	£1,270, unless your employer certifies maintenance on the Certificate of Sponsorship

Good to know

Who pays for the OSCE?: The employer, in ethical recruitment (NHS trusts and the NORKA route pay the OSCE fee).
Do I need a job offer before the visa?: Yes: you need a Certificate of Sponsorship from a licensed employer.
Can my family come with me?: Nurses may bring dependants. Roles at RQF level 6 and above remain eligible; the restrictions (no dependants for new sponsorships at RQF levels 3 to 5, and care worker and senior care worker applications closed with a transition period to 22 July 2028) apply to care workers, not nurses.
When must I sit the OSCE?: Your first attempt must be within 12 weeks of the start date on your Certificate of Sponsorship.

What to do next

Tell us where you trained and what you have done so far, and we show which of the NMC's steps you have left, with each fee, who usually pays and how long it takes.

Sources

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