Midwife Jobs in Ireland
Supporting families from the very start.
Ireland’s maternity services need qualified midwives. This guide explains how international midwives register with the NMBI, what maternity services look like in Ireland, and how to build a midwifery career here.
Midwifery is a separate register
In Ireland, midwifery is a distinct profession with its own division of the NMBI register. To work as a midwife, you must be registered in the midwives division, not only as a nurse. Many international applicants trained in combined nursing and midwifery programmes; the NMBI assesses your midwifery education separately against Irish and EU standards, including the number of births conducted, antenatal and postnatal care, and care of newborns.
If you hold both nursing and midwifery qualifications, you can apply to both divisions. Read our NMBI registration guide.
Documents for midwives
In addition to the standard NMBI documents, midwifery applicants usually need transcripts and records showing:
- Theory and clinical hours in midwifery
- Number of births personally conducted
- Antenatal examinations and postnatal care completed
- Care of women with complications and care of newborns
Ask your training institution for a detailed midwifery record early, as it is often the hardest document to obtain. See our NMBI document checklist.
Maternity services in Ireland
Maternity care in Ireland is delivered through maternity hospitals and maternity units within general hospitals, organised into maternity networks. The large Dublin maternity hospitals are among the busiest in Europe. Services are guided by the national maternity strategy, which promotes choice and midwife-led care for women at lower risk.
Midwives work in:
- Labour wards and birthing suites
- Antenatal and postnatal wards
- Antenatal clinics and day assessment units
- Midwife-led units and community midwifery
- Early transfer home and domino schemes
- High-risk and fetal medicine units
- Neonatal care support
What employers look for
- Confident management of normal labour and birth
- Recognition and escalation of obstetric emergencies
- CTG interpretation skills
- Breastfeeding support and postnatal care
- Clear, compassionate communication with women and families
- Experience in emergency drills such as postpartum haemorrhage and shoulder dystocia
Irish maternity units provide training programmes in fetal monitoring, emergency skills and neonatal resuscitation.
Compensation measures
Many international midwives receive a decision letter requiring adaptation or an aptitude test, often due to differences in the number of births or clinical experiences recorded. Maternity hospitals sometimes offer adaptation places for midwives. Read our adaptation guide.
Pay and progression
Staff midwives in the public service are paid on HSE scales similar to staff nurses, with premiums for unsocial hours. Career pathways include clinical midwife manager, clinical midwife specialist in areas like lactation, bereavement or diabetes in pregnancy, advanced midwife practitioner, and midwifery education. See our nurse salary guide.
Permits and visas
Midwives are on the Critical Skills Occupations List alongside nurses, so the Critical Skills Employment Permit is the usual route for non-EEA midwives. Read our nurse visa guide.
Working culture
Irish midwifery emphasises women-centred care, informed choice and partnership with families. You will work closely with obstetricians, neonatologists, anaesthetists and physiotherapists. Maternity units can be very busy, especially in Dublin, and teamwork is essential.
Frequently asked questions
Can a nurse work as a midwife in Ireland?
Only if registered in the midwives division of the NMBI register.
Are midwives in demand in Ireland?
Yes. Maternity services recruit midwives, including internationally.
Do I need to show my birth numbers to NMBI?
Yes. Midwifery applicants usually need records of births conducted and other clinical experience.
Are midwives on the Critical Skills list?
Yes, midwives are listed alongside nurses.
Explore all career paths
See specialist and leadership roles for nurses and midwives.