Since the mid-1990s, the UK has relied on overseas recruitment to fill nursing shortages, actively recruiting from overseas (Bach, 2007). Buchan (2005) suggests that 'the planned and funded expansion of the NHS meant that there was an urgent need to increase the number of nurses working for the service'. (Buchan et al., 2005: 1). Although the NHS was growing in numbers by attracting returnees and training employees, there was also an "explicit policy emphasizing overseas recruitment as a method of 'growing' the NHS". (Buchan et al, 2005: 1) High levels of international recruitment have raised concerns. Unison raised its concerns at an annual conference in 2004, which focused on low pay, allegations of racism and breach of trust by agencies. (Goodman, 2005: 36). In addition, complaints have been filed by developing countries, hard hit by nursing shortages in their home countries. Such complaints were aggregated through people like Nelson Mandela from countries like South Africa and the Caribbean (Willetts and Martineau, 2004: 8). For these and other reasons, the Department of Health developed UK guidelines on ethical international recruitment in 1999, followed by a refined code of practice in 2001. (Xu and Zhang, 2005: 575). The refined code was developed based on “lessons learned” and also includes “the independent sector and the recruitment of temporary staff”. (Kuptsch, 2006: 230). This code restricts UK recruitment from “more than 150 developing countries, including South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Malawi and some Asian countries” (Kuptsch, 2006: 230). However, international recruitment can take place in countries such as India, the Philippines and Spain, if the UK has bilateral agreements with the countries' governments. ...... middle of paper ...... as a better career move, or simply a change of environment. (Withers and Snowball, 2003) Pull factors are nurses being attracted to another country. Reasons include professional development, financial aspirations, exciting learning opportunities (Alexis et al, 2007), or travel/adventure and/or leisure experience. (Withers and Snowball, 2003: 282) An opinion poll carried out by the RCN in 2002 identified two key aspects that nurses find preferable about working in the UK: ; professional development and remuneration. (Buchan, 2002)Buchan (2002) presented a typology for different groups of foreign nurses in the UK, but said it was difficult "to identify how many conform to each type" (Buchan, 2002: 21). Its typology was divided into two categories; permanent and temporary move, which made it possible to classify the reasons, as shown in the table below: