Some 20 Ukrainians who have arrived into the State since the beginning of the Russian invasion have made applications to be admitted to the register of teachers in Ireland, the Teaching Council has confirmed.
Ukrainian teachers must have evidence of qualified teacher status to apply to be admitted to the register in order to teach in Irish schools.
A spokeswoman for the teaching council said the council has developed a “tailored process” to support the registration and vetting of qualified Ukrainian teachers who have been granted temporary protection under the EU temporary protection directive.
This process opened on April 21st.
“Teachers who do not meet all the registration requirements, may be registered subject to conditions. Once registered, Ukrainian teachers, irrespective of conditional status, are eligible to receive a State-funded salary to teach in recognised schools,” the spokeswoman said.
Approximately 20 applications for registration have been received by the teaching council from Ukrainian applicants to date. The council is “currently engaging with these applicants”, however, no qualified teacher has been added to the register of teachers so far.
Meanwhile, there are five Ukrainian nationals on the nurses and midwives register, all of whom registered before the war.
Registration with the NMBI is legally mandated to practise as a nurse or midwife in Ireland
Other inquiries
Since the war began, NMBI has received one application for recognition of qualifications, which is the step before registration. The NMBI is “aware” of approximately 10 other inquiries, a spokesman said.
“We continue to work with the HSE and other key agencies who indicate that approximately 20 Ukrainian refugees could potentially seek registration to work in Ireland as a nurse or a midwife,” he said.
The vast majority of nurses and midwives that apply to join the NMBI register from outside the EU are required to complete compensation measures to meet the standard in Ireland, before they can practise in the State.
This is the case for Ukrainian applicants, the spokesman said.
“However, we are aware that some Ukrainian applicants will not be able to provide all the necessary documentation to progress to the compensation stage, due to the ongoing crisis. NMBI has developed an orientation programme that would support Ukrainian applicants in adapting to the Irish healthcare system, while also protecting the public by reducing the risk of progressing an incomplete application,” the spokesman said.
The programme will be supported by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) in providing clinical simulation and theory classes, and it will have no cost to the participants.
