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Immigration rules to be relaxed for non-EU doctors and nurses | Immigration rules to be relaxed for non-EU doctors and nurses |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The government is to relax immigration rules to allow more non-EU skilled workers into the UK. | The government is to relax immigration rules to allow more non-EU skilled workers into the UK. |
On Friday, the Home Office is expected to confirm that foreign doctors and nurses will be excluded from the government's visa cap. | On Friday, the Home Office is expected to confirm that foreign doctors and nurses will be excluded from the government's visa cap. |
The cap - introduced by Theresa May when she was home secretary - sets a limit for all non-EU skilled workers at 20,700 people a year. | The cap - introduced by Theresa May when she was home secretary - sets a limit for all non-EU skilled workers at 20,700 people a year. |
But NHS bosses say the rules are making it difficult to recruit enough staff. | But NHS bosses say the rules are making it difficult to recruit enough staff. |
Saffron Cordery, of trade body NHS Providers, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the change was "absolutely the right decision". | |
"This is going to be a huge relief for trusts up and down the country who have been really struggling to fill their doctors and nurses vacancies," she said. | |
Alp Mehmet, of pressure group Migration Watch, said he accepted the change but that it should not be the long-term solution. | |
"What we must not forget to do is train our own medical staff," he said, adding that the UK should not "raid other countries that need doctors and nurses a great deal more than we do". | |
The proposed changes relate to so-called Tier 2 visas - which are used by skilled workers from outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland. | The proposed changes relate to so-called Tier 2 visas - which are used by skilled workers from outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland. |
On Tuesday, it was reported by the Financial Times that 2,360 visa applications by doctors from outside the European Economic Area were refused in a five-month period, apparently because of the cap. | |
And in April, NHS bosses warned that immigration rules were hampering their ability to find workers after visas for 100 Indian doctors were refused. | And in April, NHS bosses warned that immigration rules were hampering their ability to find workers after visas for 100 Indian doctors were refused. |
NHS England had 35,000 nurse vacancies and nearly 10,000 doctor posts unfilled in February. | NHS England had 35,000 nurse vacancies and nearly 10,000 doctor posts unfilled in February. |
According to think tank Global Future, 12.5% of NHS England's staff are from overseas. That number rises to 45% in certain specialities including paediatric cardiologists and neurosurgeons. | |
The current annual cap on these visas has also led to over 1,000 IT specialists and engineers being denied visas. | The current annual cap on these visas has also led to over 1,000 IT specialists and engineers being denied visas. |
The proposed change would only apply to doctors and nurses - but could free up thousands of visas for workers in other industries like IT and teaching, even if the 20,700 total didn't change. | The proposed change would only apply to doctors and nurses - but could free up thousands of visas for workers in other industries like IT and teaching, even if the 20,700 total didn't change. |
Home Secretary Sajid Javid hinted at the changes earlier this month, telling the BBC's Andrew Marr he "saw the problem" with the cap and would take a "fresh look" at it. | Home Secretary Sajid Javid hinted at the changes earlier this month, telling the BBC's Andrew Marr he "saw the problem" with the cap and would take a "fresh look" at it. |
His latest move could indicate a new direction for immigration policy post-Brexit, the BBC's political correspondent Ben Wright said. | His latest move could indicate a new direction for immigration policy post-Brexit, the BBC's political correspondent Ben Wright said. |
It could also encourage others to argue for the net migration target - which has never been met - to be abandoned, he said. | It could also encourage others to argue for the net migration target - which has never been met - to be abandoned, he said. |
Current government policy aims to reduce net migration to below 100,000. | |
"Perhaps this is a sign that Sajid Javid is willing to take a bolder and more flexible approach to immigration, and deliver the kind of system that Britain will need after we leave the EU," said Sunder Katwala, director of the immigration think-tank British Future. | "Perhaps this is a sign that Sajid Javid is willing to take a bolder and more flexible approach to immigration, and deliver the kind of system that Britain will need after we leave the EU," said Sunder Katwala, director of the immigration think-tank British Future. |
"It never made sense to turn away doctors and nurses that the NHS needs." | "It never made sense to turn away doctors and nurses that the NHS needs." |