More highly skilled doctors and nurses will be able to come to the
UK under plans announced by the Home Office today.
As part of a long-term Government plan for the NHS, more details
of which will be set out in due course, doctors and nurses are to
be excluded from the cap on skilled worker visas.
The move will mean there will be no restriction on the numbers of
doctors and nurses who can be employed through the Tier 2 visa
route – giving the ability to recruit more international doctors
and nurses to provide outstanding patient care when required.
The Tier 2 visa route, which has had an annual cap of 20,700
since 2011, has in recent months seen the number of applications
exceed the monthly allocation of available places.
This has been driven, in large part, by demand from the NHS,
which accounts for around 40 per cent of all Tier 2 places.
The change will be outlined in Immigration Rules laid before
Parliament tomorrow.
As well as providing a boost to the NHS, it will also free up
hundreds of additional places a month within the cap for other
highly skilled occupations, such as engineers, IT professionals
and teachers.
Home Secretary said:
“I recognise the pressures faced by the NHS and other sectors in
recent months. Doctors and nurses play a vital role in society
and at this time we need more in the UK. That is why I have
reviewed our skilled worker visa route.
“This is about finding a solution to increased demand and to
support our essential national services.”
The exclusion of doctors and nurses from the cap comes as the
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care puts in place
long-term measures to increase the supply of domestic doctors –
including increasing the number of training places.
Health and Social Care Secretary said:
“Overseas staff have been a vital part of
our NHS since its creation 70 years ago. Today’s news sends a
clear message to nurses and doctors from around the world that
the NHS welcomes and values their skills and dedication. It’s
fantastic that patients will now benefit from the care of
thousands more talented staff.
“This builds on steps we have already taken to make sure the NHS
has the staff it needs for the future – boosting training places
for home-grown doctors and nurses by 25 per cent and giving over
a million NHS employees a well-deserved pay rise.”
The Tier 2 cap forms part of the Government’s approach to
controlling net migration. It relates to certificates of
sponsorship which are applied for by UK employers looking to
bring in non-EU skilled workers.
Before December 2017, the cap, which was set on the advice of the
Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), had only been reached on one
occasion. However, it has been reached every month since last
December.
When the cap is reached, places are scored using a points-based
system, with top priority given to jobs on the shortage
occupation list. The shortage occupation list already includes a
number of medical professions and no role that is part of this
list has ever been refused.
NOTES TO EDITORS
- Employers looking to recruit doctors who are not currently on
the shortage occupation list and all nurses will continue to be
required to undertake the Resident Labour Market Test as is the
case currently. Doctors already recognised as being in shortage
will continue to be exempt from the Resident Labour Market Test.
