Midwife jobs abroad are open to internationally qualified midwives, but in every country you must first be registered as a midwife with that country’s regulator. A nursing licence alone is not enough. The steps are similar everywhere: check that your midwifery qualification is eligible, prove your English, pass a theory exam and usually a practical one, then register and find an employer who sponsors your visa. In the UK that means the NMC’s two-part test of competence; in Australia, a midwifery MCQ and an OSCE in Melbourne; in Qatar, 3 years of midwifery experience and a Prometric exam.
On Nurse Jobs World on 16 October 2026 we listed 167 open midwife jobs worldwide (midwife jobs). This guide shows where they are and how registration works in the main destinations. We checked the official sources on 16 October 2026. Rules and fees change often, so check the regulator’s own page before you pay. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.
Where midwife jobs abroad are
The 20 midwife jobs on the first page of our listings on 16 October 2026 came from:
| Country | Employers on page 1 |
|---|---|
| Australia | Monash Health, Eastern Health, Ramsay Health Care, St Vincent’s Health Australia, Mercy Health, Cabrini Health |
| United States | Jefferson Health, Tenet Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente, Providence, OhioHealth, Boston Medical Center, Memorial Healthcare System |
| United Kingdom | HCA Healthcare UK |
| South Africa | Mediclinic |
Australia had the most midwife ads on that first page, from public health services in Victoria and private hospital groups. Some US ads, such as the Boston Medical Center one, are for Certified Nurse-Midwife posts, which are advanced practice roles with their own US education and certification rules, so read each ad’s requirements carefully. Browse all Australia nursing jobs and UK nursing jobs too, since some midwifery posts are listed under nursing titles.
UK midwife jobs for international midwives
NMC registration
“Anyone wanting to work in the UK as a midwife must register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)” (NHS Health Careers, overseas midwives). You also need to meet the NMC’s health and character requirements and show your English.
The test of competence has two parts:
| Part | What it is | Details |
|---|---|---|
| CBT | Computer-based test at Pearson VUE centres in most countries | Part A numeracy: 15 questions in 30 minutes. Part B clinical: 100 questions in 2 hours 30 minutes. The midwifery exam code is RM |
| OSCE | Practical exam with 10 stations | Always in the UK, at an NMC-approved test centre |
You have three attempts at each part per application, at least 10 days apart (NMC CBT; NMC OSCE). The NMC publishes a separate OSCE information booklet for midwives.
NMC costs for midwives
The NMC raised its fees on 1 October 2026. The current costs are (NMC costs):
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Qualification evaluation (non-refundable) | £167 |
| CBT, first sitting or full resit | £83 |
| OSCE, first sitting or full resit | £794 |
| Registration | £182 |
| Total | £1,226 |
Partial resits cost less: £50 or £70 for the CBT and £397 for the OSCE. Ask a prospective employer whether it pays the OSCE and registration fees before you book.
English
The NHS careers site says midwives using OET need at least grade B. For IELTS and the full rules, check the NMC’s English language page and our guide to OET or IELTS for nurses and midwives.
Midwife salary in the UK
NHS Health Careers says newly qualified midwives are “typically starting at band 5”, with progression to band 6 and up to consultant midwife at bands 8b to 8c (NHS Health Careers, midwife). From 1 April 2026, NHS England pays band 5 from £32,073 to £39,043 and band 6 from £39,959 to £48,117 (NHS Employers).
For the full UK route, including the Health and Care Worker visa, read how to become a registered nurse in the UK. The steps are the same for midwives, with a midwifery CBT and OSCE.
Midwifery jobs in Australia
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) assesses internationally qualified nurses and midwives (IQNM) through Ahpra. Midwives follow the same pathway as nurses (Self-check, portfolio, exams, registration), but with their own exams (NMBA, information for midwives):
- Midwives MCQ exam. Delivered online by Aspeq, not the NCLEX. You register from your IQNM dashboard once your portfolio is set up, and Ahpra authorises you. You then have 90 days to book and sit the exam. The fee is AUD 186.27 from 1 June 2026, plus any local sitting fee. Remote invigilation is available for an extra fee, so you can sit it from abroad. Results come by email within two weeks.
- Midwifery OSCE. Only after you pass the MCQ. It is held at the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) in Melbourne, so you must travel to Australia. Do not contact RANZCOG; questions go to the IQNM Exams Team.
The NMBA publishes candidate handbooks for both midwifery exams on the same page. For the Self-check, streams, fees and visas, read our guide on how to become a nurse in Australia; the process for midwives runs in parallel.
Midwife salary in Australia
Australian midwife pay is set by state awards and enterprise agreements, not by the NMBA. One Ramsay Health Care ad on our board on 16 October 2026 offered AUD 57 to 59 an hour for an Associate Midwife Unit Manager in Parkville, Victoria. Check the agreement named in each job ad for the exact rate.
Midwife jobs in Australia with visa sponsorship
Registration with the NMBA is separate from a visa. Most overseas midwives need an employer to sponsor them. Look for ads that mention sponsorship on our visa sponsorship jobs page and on jobs open to applicants abroad.
Ireland
Nurses and midwives who practise in Ireland must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). Midwives qualified outside the EU follow the same two steps as nurses: a recognition assessment of your qualification against Irish standards, then registration. NMBI publishes separate adaptation guidance for midwives where compensation measures are needed (NMBI). Our guide on how to become a nurse in Ireland covers the G1, G2 and G3 applicant groups and fees.
Qatar and the Gulf
Qatar’s Department of Healthcare Professions (DHP) sets these rules for a Registered Midwife (DHP nurse and midwife guidelines):
- a bachelor’s degree in midwifery or equivalent, or a nursing bachelor’s plus a recognised post-graduate midwifery programme
- 3 years of experience as a midwife after registration
- a pass in the DHP qualifying exam at Prometric (150 questions in 3 hours; DHP lists a 50% cut score for Registered Midwives)
Assistant Midwives with a 2-year midwifery programme and 2 years of experience can also be licensed, without the exam. A Clinical Midwife Specialist needs a midwifery BSc, a relevant master’s and 7 years of experience after registration. For licensing steps and HMC, read our guide to nurse jobs in Qatar. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman and Bahrain have their own rules; see our Gulf Prometric exam guide.
Newly qualified midwife jobs abroad
Experience rules decide where you can go straight after qualifying. Qatar asks for 3 years as a Registered Midwife after registration, so it is not open to new graduates. In the UK and Australia, your eligibility is assessed during the NMC evaluation and the NMBA Self-check, so run those checks before you plan a move. Gulf regulators generally ask for post-registration practice. If you are newly qualified, build experience at home first, and keep your home registration active, because every regulator asks for it.
Tips for midwives moving abroad
- Keep proof of your midwifery training. Regulators assess your training in detail, so get a full transcript and copies of your clinical records from your school now.
- Prepare for the OSCE early. In both the UK and Australia it is held only in that country, so you will travel and may need a visa or employer support to sit it.
- Practise interviews. Our interview questions guide covers the clinical and values questions that midwifery panels also ask.
- Never pay for a job. Read our guide to ethical recruitment and scams.
Frequently asked questions
Can a nurse work as a midwife abroad?
Only if you also hold a midwifery qualification. Regulators register midwives separately. Qatar, for example, accepts a nursing bachelor’s plus a recognised post-graduate midwifery programme, but not a nursing degree alone.
How do international midwives get jobs in the UK?
Register with the NMC: have your qualification evaluated (£167), pass the midwifery CBT (£83) and the OSCE in the UK (£794), meet the English requirement and pay the £182 registration fee. Then an employer can sponsor your work visa.
What exam do midwives take in Australia?
Not the NCLEX. Internationally qualified midwives sit the Midwives MCQ exam, delivered online by Aspeq for AUD 186.27, and then the Midwifery OSCE at RANZCOG in Melbourne.
What is the midwife salary in the UK?
NHS newly qualified midwives typically start at band 5, which pays £32,073 to £39,043 from 1 April 2026. Band 6, the next step, pays £39,959 to £48,117. Pay outside England and in private hospitals can differ.
Where are most midwife jobs abroad?
On Nurse Jobs World on 16 October 2026, most midwife ads on the first page of results came from Australian health services and US hospital systems, with smaller numbers from the UK and South Africa. The 167 open jobs change daily as employers post and close roles.