NMC Data Reveals Significant Decline in International Nurses Joining UK Register

The latest report released by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) of the UK shows a significant decrease in the registration of international professionals, even as the country’s nursing and midwifery register marks a record high.

The recent mid-year update confirms that the total number of nurses, midwives and nursing associates eligible to practise in the UK has risen to 860,801, which marks a steady growth in the recruitment of healthcare professionals. However, this headline growth covers up a major ongoing decline in the number of internationally qualified professionals joining the register during the recent registration window.

International Recruitment Falls Sharply

In the latest registration window between April and September 2025, a total of 6,321 internationally qualified healthcare professionals joined the NMC register, which is 49.6% less when compared with the 12,534 international registrations recorded in the same registration window between April and September 2024. This marks the lowest six-month intake of internationally qualified healthcare professionals since 2020.

International recruitment has always been a key aspect in supporting the UK’s healthcare workforce. The latest report suggests that this aspect of the support system is now diminishing, which directly contributes to the gradual slowdown in new registrations.

Slowing Growth Raises Planning Concerns

Although the register continues to show a steady growth in total numbers, the pace of that growth has slowed. Fewer new professionals are signing up, while the number of people leaving the register has made a gradual increase since last year.

This shift indicates a slowdown in the process, rather than an actual decline, though it could still affect future workforce planning.

Health services that rely on steady inflows of new staff are likely to feel the effects of even the slightest changes in recruitment patterns over time.

Recruitment Patterns Shift Across Countries

The steep decline in international recruitment has been noticed mostly among countries that have conventionally been a large source of healthcare professionals to the UK. India and the Philippines are the largest source of healthcare workers; however, the data shows a particular decline of 57.8% and 68.1% from these countries, respectively, in nurses joining the NMC register.

The next leading sources of international recruitment are now ‘red list’ countries Nigeria and Ghana. Being listed on the World Health Organization’s red list means they cannot be actively targeted for nurse recruitment. Despite this, the NMC data reveals that recruitment from these countries fell by 27.8% and 9%, respectively, compared with the same period last year.

Inside the Current Workforce Landscape

The NMC data highlights that the UK’s healthcare workforce remains diverse, despite the decline in international recruitment. There are now 286,058 individuals from the Black, Asian, and other minority ethnic groups working as nurses, midwives, and nursing associates in the UK.

However, instances of discrimination and limited progression persist across the country. Addressing these issues is always critical to maintain stability within the workforce and increase workforce retention.

In Conclusion

The NMC’s recent mid-year update presents a mixed picture. The workforce has a constant growth in size, but a slowdown is gradually dawning on them. While the UK register has reached a record high in total recruitment of healthcare professionals, the momentum of that growth has faced a major decline compared with last year.

Fresh recruitment educated in the UK remains relatively steady and the retention levels have not faced a significant deterioration. But these factors are no longer sufficient to mask or balance the decline in international recruitment, especially from countries that have traditionally provided large numbers of talent.

At the same time, shifts in workforce demographics, like rising ethnic diversity and mixed trends in midwifery, highlight the rising pressures of workforce planning. Altogether, the latest data shows that while the UK’s health and care workforce is steadily growing, the drop in international recruitment is indicating a clear slowdown. Going forward, keeping the workforce strong in the years ahead will become more challenging unless recruitment and retention are kept in balance.