Every year there are more nurse That leave Spain to work abroad after completing her nursing studies. According to data provided to ConSalud.es by General Council of College of Nursing in the first five months of the year more than 700 nurses They have requested documentation to be able to work outside our country.

“That trend still growth, more nurses stain us than in recent years,” said Diego Ayuso, general secretary of the General Council of Nurses (CGE). During 2021, 572 nurses left Spain. In the 2022 this number has doubled 1,100 professionals. And in 2023 “the trend will continue like this,” said Ayuso.

Temporality and job insecurity are behind the professional exodus of nursing

That reason behind this exodus “there is discontent at the labor level, that is low stability in work and Low salary”, indicated Ayuso who added: “If nurses had the option of going to Norway, I would give you an example because it is one of the countries where more diseases go nowadays, where they charge 4,000/4,500 euros with two contracts – year is in and here they offer a contract for days and charge 1,400, then they leave ”.

According to CGE in Spain more than 100,000 nurses were missing. This shortage of professionals exists in almost all Autonomous Communities, according to the 2022 ratio of nurses report. More and more professionals are deciding to leave Spain before starting their professional careers, as Ayuso points out: “Many nurses have now completed their studies, in May, June this year, they don’t stay working here right away. They have already asked for a certificate of good behavior to work abroad right away. It’s a shame”.

“If you ask the hospitals now for this summer, for example in Madrid, they are really having a hard time recruiting,” said Ayuso.

Norway, England, Ireland is the main destination country for Spanish nursing professionals. Although in recent years the number of nurses leaving for Arab countries, the United States or Australia has also increased. “We have the advantage that the training of nurses in Spain is very good, very strong, very recognized at international level and there are many offers around the world, therefore as soon as you say you are a Spanish nurse and want to work, they immediately open the door for You. That’s the situation. They are luxury migrants. Nobody leaves their country if they have good working conditions. Spain has become a nursing factory for the world. And it turns out that we don’t have what we need in Spain,” Ayuso said.