International Paramedic Jobs

Many qualified paramedics consider working internationally at some stage or another during their paramedical career. Unfortunately, transferring qualifications and experience is generally difficult between countries. This is only because of minor differences in legislation and the medical directives in which paramedics are governed. With the exception of the UK, few Ambulance Services internationally have their own Paramedic Registration, like a Nursing Registration (which can be transferred around the globe).

Can paramedics work internationally? Yes, qualified paramedics can get employed internationally and they can generally claim recognition of prior learning, provided that they have more than three years of full time experience working as a paramedic. This is where tertiary qualifications become beneficial, because they provide some level of baseline qualifications that can be acknowledged and recognised internationally.

How can a paramedic get a job internationally? Paramedics generally need to follow these steps to get a job internationally:

Contact the Ambulance Service that you want to work for and confirm job requirements, such as years of experience, paramedic qualifications required, criminal record checks, driving history checks, any anything else that they require.

Identify any work VISAs that may be required. This may include an exchange position with a paramedic from another government Ambulance Service internationally. With an exchange work VISA paramedics are sometime able to work for up to one year while someone else works their position. If you aren’t able to do a paramedic exchange program with a paramedic in the country that you want to work, you will have to gain a basic working VISA. This may be possible for a limited time period depending on the relationship between your country and the country that you want to work for. Alternatively, if you are well qualified, you may be able to approach an Ambulance Service in the country that you want to work for and get a Work Sponsored VISA.