Master prompt
Profession-specific recognition tracks (GMC / NMC / GDC / ACCA / ICAEW / ARB / HCPC)
Map regulated-profession recognition tracks - separate from and parallel to ECCTIS. Covers IMG / NMC OSCE / GDC ORE / ICAI to ACCA / ICAEW conversion / ARB Prescribed Exam / HCPC international route.
UKCredential evaluationGMCNMCGDCACCAICAEWARBHCPCProfessional regulator
You are mapping [CLIENT_NAME]'s Indian professional qualifications to the relevant UK regulator's recognition route. ECCTIS evaluations are NOT a substitute for profession-specific recognition. Most regulated professions require BOTH (a) ECCTIS or similar academic mapping AND (b) the regulator's own examinations / portfolio / supervised practice. Without regulator registration, no Skilled Worker visa is grantable on the regulated-profession SOC code.
CLIENT SUMMARY
- Name: [CLIENT_NAME]
- Profession: [PROFESSION]
- Indian qualification: [INDIAN_QUALIFICATION]
- Indian regulator registration: Yes - registered
- Post-qualification experience: [INDIAN_EXPERIENCE_YEARS]
- Target UK grade: [TARGET_GRADE]
- English test (IELTS / OET): [IELTS_OR_OET_STATUS]
§1 - IDENTIFY THE UK REGULATOR
Match [PROFESSION] to its UK regulator:
- Doctor (MBBS): GMC (General Medical Council)
- Nurse: NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council)
- Midwife: NMC
- Dentist: GDC (General Dental Council)
- Pharmacist: GPhC (General Pharmaceutical Council)
- Optometrist: GOC (General Optical Council)
- Chiropractor: GCC (General Chiropractic Council)
- Osteopath: GOsC (General Osteopathic Council)
- Allied health (15): HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council)
- includes physio, radiographer, dietitian,
paramedic, OT, speech and language therapist,
arts therapist, biomedical scientist, etc.
- Architect: ARB (Architects Registration Board)
- Chartered Accountant: ACCA / ICAEW / CIMA / ICAS / CIPFA (no single
regulator; choose body)
- Engineer: Engineering Council (statutory CEng / IEng)
via member institutions - NOT generally
required for Skilled Worker; SOC code-based
- Solicitor: SRA (Solicitors Regulation Authority) -
Qualifying Lawyers Examination (QLE) /
SQE route
- Barrister: Bar Standards Board - transfer test for
qualified foreign lawyers (BTT)
- Teacher: DfE - Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
§2 - DOCTOR (GMC) RECOGNITION TRACK
If [PROFESSION] = Doctor, apply this branch:
(a) Confirm Indian MBBS is from a PMQ (Primary Medical Qualification)
on GMC's recognised list - AIIMS, JIPMER, all government colleges,
majority of private medical colleges. Check at gmc-uk.org.
(b) Pathways to GMC registration:
- PLAB route: PLAB 1 (UK computer-based, 200 SBAs, fee approx
GBP 250) -> PLAB 2 (UK clinical OSCE-style, 16 stations, fee
approx GBP 1,193) -> Provisional Registration -> Full
Registration after FY1 equivalent year
- Postgraduate Qualification route: holders of acceptable PG
qualifications (DNB, MD, MS, MRCP, etc.) can skip PLAB and
apply directly for Full Registration with portfolio
- CESR route: specialists with 5+ years' specialty practice can
apply for entry on Specialist Register without UK CCT
(c) English: IELTS Academic 7.5 overall, no band below 7.0 OR OET B
in all four. Status: [IELTS_OR_OET_STATUS]
(d) ECCTIS: optional supporting document; not the primary route
(e) Visa: Health and Care Worker visa (cheaper, no IHS for clinical)
(f) Sponsor: NHS Trust or BMA-listed locum agency
§3 - NURSE (NMC) RECOGNITION TRACK
If [PROFESSION] = Nurse / Midwife:
(a) Confirm Indian BSc Nursing / GNM / Post-Basic BSc is from an INC
(Indian Nursing Council) and state nursing council recognised
institution.
(b) Pathway:
- NMC online application (fee approx GBP 153)
- CBT (Computer-Based Test) - 115 multiple-choice; fee
approx GBP 83; deliverable at Pearson VUE Indian centres
- English test: IELTS Academic 7.0 overall, no band below 7.0
OR OET B in all four
- Decision letter granting eligibility to take OSCE
- Travel to UK on Health and Care Worker visa (with NMC
Decision letter) -> employer (NHS Trust / care provider)
- OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) - in UK,
10 stations, fee approx GBP 794 per attempt; 3 attempts max
- On passing OSCE: NMC PIN issued -> can practise as RN
(c) Adaptation programme: increasingly NHS Trusts run paid
supervised practice while candidate awaits OSCE
(d) ECCTIS: NOT required for NMC; but Health and Care Worker visa
will require evidence of NMC Decision letter
(e) Status: [IELTS_OR_OET_STATUS] - assess vs IELTS 7.0 / OET B
§4 - DENTIST (GDC) RECOGNITION TRACK
If [PROFESSION] = Dentist:
(a) Confirm BDS is from a Dental Council of India recognised college.
(b) ORE (Overseas Registration Examination) - two parts:
- ORE Part 1: written, 2 papers MCQ; fee approx GBP 866
per attempt; 4 attempts in 5 years max
- ORE Part 2: OSCE-style clinical (3 days, 1 day MCQ + 2 days
clinical); fee approx GBP 2,929 per attempt; 4 attempts in
5 years from ORE Part 1 pass
- Total ORE cost typically GBP 4,000+ over 2-3 years
(c) Alternative: LDS RCS (Eng) Licentiate in Dental Surgery - older
route, still available
(d) English: IELTS Academic 7.0 overall, no band below 6.5 OR OET B
(e) After ORE pass: GDC registration; then sit dental Performer
Number application for NHS work
(f) Visa: Skilled Worker (post-registration) or Health and Care
Worker (some NHS dentist roles)
§5 - CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT (ACCA / ICAEW / CIMA) CONVERSION
If [PROFESSION] = Chartered Accountant (CA from ICAI):
(a) ICAI <-> ICAEW Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) - signed 2008,
renewed; pathway:
- Indian CA holders may apply for ICAEW membership after passing
ICAEW's Advanced Stage paper + Case Study (2 papers)
- No need to re-do Knowledge / Application / Professional Skills
levels
- Fee: approximately GBP 600-800 for exemption + exam fees
(b) ICAI <-> ACCA exemptions:
- Indian CA holders typically get 9 of 13 ACCA papers exempted
- Sit only Strategic Professional papers (4) + Ethics and
Professional Skills module
- Cheaper / more flexible than ICAEW but less prestigious in
Big Four audit lines
(c) ICAI <-> CIMA:
- Direct entry to Strategic Case Study after passing CIMA's
Gateway Assessment
- Most relevant for management-accountant / finance-business
partner roles
(d) ECCTIS: CA Final letter mapping to RQF 7 is useful for Skilled
Worker SOC 2421 (Chartered and certified accountants) at the
degree-level threshold
(e) Visa: Skilled Worker via SOC 2421 - sponsor (Big Four, banks,
industry) needs CoS
§6 - ARCHITECT (ARB) RECOGNITION TRACK
If [PROFESSION] = Architect:
(a) Indian BArch is 5-year integrated; mapped to RQF 6 (Honours).
(b) ARB Prescribed Examination - for qualified architects from
non-prescribed jurisdictions:
- Part 1 equivalent: portfolio assessment
- Part 2 equivalent: portfolio + interview
- Part 3 equivalent: UK practice / professional examination
- Fee structure: approximately GBP 4,000-6,000 total over 2y
(c) Alternative: RIBA Part 3 via UK Master's + 2y UK practice
(d) ECCTIS Career Path Report useful for occupational mapping
(e) Visa: Skilled Worker via SOC 2431 - sponsor required
§7 - HCPC INTERNATIONAL ROUTE (PHYSIO / RADIO / DIETITIAN / PARAMEDIC ETC.)
If [PROFESSION] = HCPC-regulated allied health (15 professions):
(a) Online International Application (IA) at hcpc-uk.org
- Fee approx GBP 615
- Submit: degree certificate, transcripts, syllabus, clinical
placement evidence, professional reference, English test, CV
(b) HCPC may:
- Approve (registration after fee paid)
- Approve with conditions (e.g. 100-hour supervised practice)
- Refuse - applicant may appeal or take a UK approved programme
(c) Processing: 60 working days typical
(d) English: IELTS Academic 7.0 overall, no band below 6.5 OR OET B
(e) ECCTIS Career Path Report often required - HCPC explicitly asks
for occupational mapping for some professions
(f) Visa: Skilled Worker / Health and Care Worker depending on
profession and sponsor
§8 - VERDICT FOR [CLIENT_NAME]
Based on [PROFESSION] + [INDIAN_QUALIFICATION] + Yes - registered +
[INDIAN_EXPERIENCE_YEARS] + [TARGET_GRADE] + [IELTS_OR_OET_STATUS]:
PRIMARY REGULATOR: [name]
REGISTRATION ROUTE: [PLAB / NMC OSCE / GDC ORE / ICAEW MRA / ARB
Prescribed / HCPC IA / SRA QLE / Other]
ESTIMATED TIMELINE: [X months]
ESTIMATED COST: [GBP Y total - exams + fees + travel]
ECCTIS NEEDED: [No / Yes - SoC / Yes - VNS / Yes - CPR]
ENGLISH STATUS: [Pass / Re-test required - target IELTS / OET level]
VISA: [Skilled Worker / Health and Care Worker / Other]
§9 - CRITICAL DO-NOTS
(a) Do NOT advise client to start UK visa application before regulator
Decision letter / pass certificate is in hand for clinical
professions - Home Office will refuse CoS-based applications
without registration.
(b) Do NOT confuse "academic equivalency" (ECCTIS) with "professional
registration" (regulator) - they're independent.
(c) Do NOT recommend an Indian-MBBS holder skip PLAB without
confirming their PG qualification is on GMC's accepted list.
(d) Do NOT submit forged or mistranslated documents - all regulators
do primary verification with Indian regulator-of-issue.
§10 - INDIAN-CLIENT-SPECIFIC FRICTION POINTS
(a) AIIMS / PGIMER / JIPMER alumni - PG qualifications usually
accepted for direct GMC Full Reg
(b) Private medical college MBBS - confirm GMC PMQ list status (some
newer colleges may not yet be listed)
(c) NCH / state council registration vs national NMC India PIN -
both useful, national PIN preferred for NMC UK verification
(d) Indian CA articleship period - counts toward ICAEW practical
experience requirement
(e) BArch from SPA Delhi / SPA Bhopal / CEPT Ahmedabad / IIT
architecture programmes - typically clears ARB Prescribed
portfolio assessment without major remediation
End with: "DRAFT profession-specific recognition memo - for OISC-regulated adviser or solicitor review. Verify against current UKVI/ECCTIS guidance before submission AND against the named regulator's current online handbook before quoting fees and timelines. Regulator fees and exam formats revise periodically. Not legal advice for regulator interactions - some matters fall outside immigration scope of practice."Unlock the vault to see the full prompt