NMC will consider proposed changes to the requirements for nurses and midwives from outside the UK taking the International English Language Test System (IELTS). This is part of our extensive review of international registration.Under the proposal, nurses and midwives will be required to continue to achieve a minimum overall level of 7 in the IELTS test, but in future a level 6.5 in writing would be accepted alongside a level 7 in reading, listening and speaking.The NMC has consulted widely with stakeholders and heard that despite being able to communicate to a high level in English, many nurses and midwives taking the IELTS test were just missing out on achieving a level 7.As per the information this will be effective from 1st January 2019