‘Steady decline’ in overseas VN applications since Brexit, RCVS reveals

The RCVS today (13 May) revealed a “steady decline” in registration applications from nurses trained outside the UK since Brexit.

Speaking earlier today in an RCVS VN council meeting, VN examinations quality lead Victoria Hedges announced there were a total of 63 applications made 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, down 13.7% on the previous year.

She said: “During the reporting period, we received 63 completed applications, representing a decrease of 10 from the previous year, when we had 73.

“There is still a steady decline in applications, and this is since the UK left the EU, so it’s a clear dip.”

Dropped

The 73 completed applications in the previous year had dropped from 109 in 2023-2024.

A total of 40 applicants entered the register during the 2025-26 period, a 24.5% decrease on the 53 who did so in 2024-25.

Meanwhile, 49 RVNs educated outside the UK were removed from the register and 9 were restored, meaning the total of 590 actively registered RVNs educated outside the UK remained unchanged overall.

The college noted this marks the first year in which the number of actively registered registrants educated outside the UK has not increased.

Pattern

Mrs Hedges said the numbers prompted her to investigate for a pattern or any factors that needed to be considered.

On her findings, she said: “The majority of those leaving had been practising for a number of years, so this isn’t that they’re here for six months and then then they’re leaving.”

She noted that while 68% of RVNs educated in the Republic of Ireland left the register within three years of joining, 70% of departing RVNs who qualified in other European countries had been registered between five and 12 years, while the same proportion qualified outside of Europe had been registered between four and 22 years.

During the same reporting period, applications for temporary student enrolments slightly increased from 28 to 32.