Newly qualified paramedics told to apply for jobs abroad due to hire freeze

Students training to become paramedics in Wales say they have been advised to apply for jobs abroad due to a freeze on recruitment of newly qualified paramedics.

The Welsh Ambulance Service confirmed newly qualified paramedics would not be offered roles this year due to "financial and operational issues".

Students in their final year of paramedic science degrees contacted BBC Your Voice to say they have been advised to apply for jobs in Canada, New Zealand and Australia, with one calling the move "crazy and shortsighted".

Carl Kneeshaw, from the ambulance service, said it was "navigating a difficult financial and operational landscape".

The Welsh government said it was "working closely" with the service and other bodies to address the challenges and support graduates.

The degree-level training of paramedics is heavily subsidised by Healthcare Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW), part of NHS Wales, which will have spent millions of pounds on funding this year's cohort with bursaries.

Two Welsh universities, Swansea and Wrexham, provide the BSc paramedic science courses, with around 70 students expected to graduate this summer.

One of the students affected, who asked not be named, told BBC Wales she was shocked by the news and had been told that a pattern of "retire and return" had added to the workforce pressures on the ambulance service.

"Retire and rehire" schemes are designed to retain experienced officers who leave to access their pension.

Others claimed that a re-grading process within the Welsh Ambulance Service has contributed to the current crisis.

A Swansea University student, asked to remain anonymous, said he had been ringing ambulance services throughout the UK but there were very few posts on offer.

He said the situation was extremely frustrating but he was hopeful that there may be a paramedic job available for him in Canada.

Alice, not her real name, said she was devastated by the news.

"It's an amazing career, it's so unfortunate that we don't have the opportunity to join it anymore," they said.

Alex, not their real name, also said they were disheartened.

"I had full intention of working in Wales and serving the Welsh communities. None of us will have the opportunity to serve anywhere in Wales as a paramedic," they said.

Many of those the BBC spoke to did not want to provide their real names due to concerns it could impact their future employment.

Students will have carried out months of placements, sometimes more than 100 miles from home, in different parts of Wales.

In previous years, the students would have been expected to take roles in the Welsh NHS as Newly Qualified Paramedics (NQPs) in the ambulance service at NHS Band 5.

After a period of mentorship lasting up to two years, the NQPs would progress to career paramedics on a NHS Band 6 pay scale.

However, in 2025 only around a third of graduates were initially offered NQP posts, with some offered Band 4 roles as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) rather than paramedic posts.

A spokesperson for Swansea University said it has been made aware of the situation and their immediate focus is on supporting students.

"We understand that the Wales Ambulance Services Trust is engaging with Healthcare Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) on this issue, and we continue to liaise closely with both bodies to understand the impact and any possible alternative solutions."

Kneeshaw said: "Like many NHS organisations, we are navigating a difficult financial and operational landscape, which means that decisions about recruitment have to be based on a range of factors, including current staffing levels, service demand, workforce skill mix and affordability.

"Regrettably, as things stand, we are not in a position to employ newly qualified paramedics this year.

"We know this will be deeply disappointing for those hoping to start their careers with us, especially after the time, effort and commitment they have invested in their training, but we are committed to supporting them as they consider their next steps."

He said they were encouraging graduates wanting to build a career within the service to consider emergency medical technician roles, which they expected to recruit to throughout 2026, or roles within other ambulance services and organisations within the health and social care sector.

"We are working closely with our university partners and HEIW to understand the impact of this decision on graduates and future workforce planning," he added.

"The contribution that newly qualified paramedics make to patient care and the wider health system remains hugely important and deeply valued."

Despite the bursary requirement that would normally require the students to stay in Wales, the HEIW has told the cohort they are now free agents.

A Welsh government spokesperson said: "We are committed to ensuring our investment in NHS education and training is supported by meaningful employment opportunities.

"We are working closely with the Welsh Ambulance Services Trust (WAST), HEIW and universities to address these challenges and support graduates."

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said they were "committed to ensuring the NHS in Wales has the staff it needs now and in the future" through a long-term workforce plan.

Jane Dodds, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said the decision was "a staggering waste of both talent and taxpayers' money", which made no sense "at a time when ambulance response times are still far too long and patients are waiting in pain".

Plaid Cymru's Dr Gwyn Williams candidate for Gŵyr Abertawe described the loss of graduates from the NHS workforce in Wales as "a tragedy" that "threatens to worsen ambulance waiting times".

A Welsh Conservative spokesperson said it was "a clear failure of workforce planning by the Welsh Labour Government" and it was "completely unacceptable that paramedic students are being left without job opportunities in Wales".

The Green Party and Reform have been approached for comment.