Nursing Assistant Course for International Students in the UK

A CPD certificate is one part of what a UK employer needs to see before hiring you. Employers at NHS Trusts, care homes, GP surgeries, and private healthcare settings require the following before you start work.

Right to Work Check

UK employers are legally required to verify your right to work before you begin employment. This requirement comes from the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. The employer checks documents proving your right to work, which includes your eVisa, biometric residence permit, or passport with visa endorsement.

Failure to conduct this check, or hiring someone without the right to work, carries civil and criminal penalties for the employer. This check is non-negotiable and applies to all employees regardless of nationality.

GOV.UK publishes the full list of accepted right to work documents.

Enhanced DBS Check

Most nursing assistant and HCA roles involve working directly with vulnerable adults or children. Under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, these roles are classified as regulated activity.

Unregistered healthcare professionals, including nursing assistants and healthcare assistants in regulated activity settings, require an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check with a barred list check. NHS Trust DBS policy documents and GOV.UK guidance on DBS checks for adult social care roles confirm this is the appropriate level for direct patient-facing care work.

The employer arranges and initiates the DBS check during recruitment. You do not apply for an Enhanced DBS independently before getting a job. The DBS Update Service lets your certificate remain valid across employers if you register it.

Care Certificate Completion

Employers complete Care Certificate induction with all new care and support staff during the induction period. The Care Certificate has 16 standards as of March 2025. Standard 16 covers Awareness of Learning Disability and Autism under Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training.

The Care Certificate is assessed by the employer in the workplace. A CPD course builds the knowledge foundation. Skills for Care confirms it does not replace employer-led workplace assessment.

Professional References

Most employers require at least two references, including at least one professional reference. Academic references from a course tutor are not always accepted in place of employment references for clinical care roles.