Overseas Nursing Degree

Hi all,

I'm a regular user of Boards but not this section so apologies if this isn't the right area.

I am enquiring on behalf of a Burmese friend who is currently in the final year of a Nursing Degree, taught through English, in university in Bangkok Thailand.

New laws have been introduced in Thailand which mean she has to take a written exam in Thai (Thai being the new bit) on top of her degree in order to get licenced to practice as a nurse. The exam is only available in written Thai which prevents her from taking it as she was taught in English and isn't fluent in Thai, especially written Thai. She could go back to Burma but she doesn't want to and if she did new laws in Burma mean she couldn't practice as a nurse there either becuase the Burmese authorities now only recognise nursing degrees from their own universities.

She is in a bind and would like to come to Ireland. I am happy to sponsor her to do so as I have known her for over 5 years (I lived in Bangkok for 3 years) and she is preprared to do whatever conversion or additional training course is required to enable her to use her Thai nursing degree to work as a nurse here.

Can anyone here advise what options are open to her, what visa she would need to apply for, what courses are available and where including ball park costs etc?

As ever, all input from Boards guru's much appreciated.

Regards,

Ben