Overseas Vet Surgeons
As an accredited A-rated sponsor, we can support your move to the UK and issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for Skilled Worker visas to Veterinary Surgeons.
See our Veterinary Surgeon vacanciesOverseas Veterinary Surgeons
The UK is at the forefront of the global veterinary industry and we have fantastic opportunities for experienced Veterinary Surgeons from around the world to join our progressive community.
As an accredited A-rated sponsor, we can support your move to the UK. We can issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for Skilled Worker visa to Veterinary Surgeons.
The UK is a great place to work as a vet but before you can do so there are two main things for you to consider: membership of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the right to work in the UK.
At the front line of delivering exceptional care that’s always there, you’ll play an integral part in everything we do. From routine health checks to advanced surgeries, you’ll work directly with clients and their pets to offer care that’s bespoke to them.
In each region there’s a network of practices working together, with a 24-hour hospital at their centre. We call this our hub-and-spoke model, and it’s unique to us. It allows our vets to get support with cases and work collaboratively across practices. By connecting to our network of referral centres, you’ll share technology and expertise and get support with your cases. This model also means you’ll have the opportunity to work in a hospital setting.
Branch Partners
As an experienced Veterinary Surgeon, you’ll also have the option of buying into an existing Medivet practice and becoming a Branch Partner. This allows you to part-own a practice and take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the business while continuing to deliver exceptional pet care.
We have opportunities for you to join us at every stage of your career.
Salary and benefits:
- Private Medical Insurance and Health Cash Plan from day one
- Pension and Life Assurance
- Access to 24-hour counselling
- Min 33 days’ annual leave (including Bank Holidays)
- An additional ‘Day for You’, a paid day’s leave for you to use as you wish
- External Clinical CPD inc. £1,500 per year plus 3 days’ paid leave
- Funded certificate opportunities
- VDS, RCVS and BVA fees paid
Progression and development are at the heart of everything we do, and we’re dedicated to supporting you as you continue your career as a Veterinary Surgeon. Through regular performance reviews and catch-ups, we provide you with a wealth of opportunities to develop your skills in whichever way you choose.
As a Veterinary Surgeon with Medivet, you’ll receive a £1,500 CPD package, plus three days, which can be used towards external training in a wide range of areas. Certificate sponsorship is also available, allowing you to pursue a specific area of veterinary care and further your expertise.
We understand that life as a vet can be challenging, so we also offer internal courses to develop your soft skills, including personal effectiveness and handling difficult conversations with clients, ensuring you have all the tools you need to succeed.
There are several rewarding career paths available to our Veterinary Surgeons.
These include:
- Lead Veterinary Surgeon
- Night Veterinary Surgeon
- Branch Partner
- Divisional Veterinary Director
- Regional Operations Director
Membership of the RCVS, who are the governing body for all vets in the UK, is a requirement for all practicing vets in the UK. As a vet who is qualified or will be qualifying outside the UK you will firstly need to check whether your veterinary degree is recognised by the RCVS. If your degree is from a European veterinary school, then your university will need to be EAEVE (European association of Establishments for Veterinary Education) accredited or approved at the time of your graduation. If your degree is not currently recognised, then you will most likely need to sit the Royal College Statutory Membership Examination.
Please follow the link to the Royal College website for further information on the degrees recognised from around the world as well as on the Membership Examination should you require it:
If you are not from an English-speaking country or your course was not in English, you will also need to take a test to show you have the necessary language skills. This can either be an IELTS test or the OET test. You will need to have passed this test before you can apply to the RCVS and it may also be needed for a visa application (see below). You should allow up to four weeks from booking the test to getting the results. To reduce delays with your application, we advise taking the test as soon as you apply just in case a retake is needed.
Details of these requirements can be also found by following the link to the RCVS website:
You can also find on the RCVS website what further documentation you may need to make your application, e.g. degree certificate and/ or a letter of good standing from your governing body. This can depend on the country in which you graduate, and the time passed since graduation. These documents will need to be translated if they are not already in English. From the time the RCVS receives your documentation it normally takes 3 -4 weeks before being given a registration interview. Therefore, we advise again to gather the necessary paperwork and submitting it as soon as possible to avoid delay.
Since 1st of January 2021 any vet who wishes to work in the UK who does not currently hold the right to work in the UK, you will need to apply for a skilled worker visa. We can support you with this process as an accredited A rated sponsor. There is also a ‘graduate route’ visa for non-UK citizens who graduate from a UK veterinary school whilst on a tier 4 visa.
In order to qualify for a skilled worker visa, in addition to a veterinary degree, you will need a certificate of sponsorship from your UK employer. If the native language of your country of origin is not English, you will also need to pass either the IELTS or OET language test as above.
Any employer recruiting overseas vets requires a licence to sponsor. Medivet has an A-rated licence and can therefore issue a certificate of sponsorship (COS) for vets from outside the UK. This COS can then be used to apply for the skilled worker visa. This process does take time and therefore we advise applicants to take a language test and get all necessary documentation at the earliest opportunity.
Why join us as a vet?
Our Veterinary Surgeons play an integral part in everything we do. From routine health checks to advanced surgeries, you’ll work directly with clients and their pets to offer care that’s bespoke to them.
Play our video to hear from some of our vets about life at Medivet and their personal journeys.
