Is it normal for an agency to ask for a fee before I see a job offer?

No. Genuine employers and agencies do not ask a nurse for a fee to be hired, and a request for money before you see a written offer is a warning sign on our fake-agent check. This applies in the UK, Ireland, the Gulf and elsewhere, including requests described as an interview fee, a visa processing fee or a fee to see the job. Ask for the offer letter and the contract from the employer in writing, with the employer's name and address. Check the agency against your government's official licensed list, and ask whether the employer pays the recruitment costs. Ask for an official receipt for every payment, and pay only through official channels, never to a personal account, a mobile wallet or cash without a receipt. Do not send your passport or original certificates. If the agency cannot show the offer in writing, or it asks you to decide today, stop. A recruiter who asks for a fee to arrange a job should be treated as a scam until it proves otherwise.