Which route? Which profession?
This quick guide helps employers identify which immigration route the different professions fall under, when recruiting individuals from overseas who require a sponsor to work in the UK.
Key points
- The immigration health surcharge does not apply.
- The certificates of sponsorship (CoS) cap is suspended.
- The resident labour market test no longer applies.
- Applicants can be issued with either a visa if from the EEA, or a physical biometric resident card/permit if they are from outside the EEA.
- 70 points are required.
The Health and Care visa includes a dedicated support service from UK Visas and Immigration which supports individuals and their family member applications. Sponsors can contact UKVI’s NHS team directly at UKVINHSteam@homeoffice.gov.uk.
All other overseas clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals, regardless of whether they qualified in the UK or abroad, need a skilled worker certificate of sponsorship unless they already hold a Youth Mobility Scheme visa or a Graduate visa that allows them to undertake employment for up to two years while visiting and travelling in the UK. There are other visas available which grant the general right to work without needing a sponsor, such as a British National (Overseas) visa or EU Settled Status.
Medical roles | |
| Foundation programme role | |
| International graduates of UK medical and dental schools. | Student Visa – NHS England (was Health Education England) is responsible for providing sponsorship. |
| International graduates of non-UK medical and dental schools. | Skilled Worker Route (Health and Care Visa). |
| Completed foundation programme moving into specialty training or other medical posts | |
| International graduates of UK medical and dental schools. | Skilled Worker Visa – resident labour market test is not applicable. NHS England (was Health Education England) is the sponsor for all new trainees who require skilled worker sponsorship. |
| International graduates of non-UK medical and dental schools. | Skilled Worker Visa – resident labour market test is not applicable. NHS England (was Health Education England) is the sponsor for all new trainees who require skilled worker sponsorship. |
| Specialty doctors / staff grades / consultants. | Skilled worker. |
| Medical Training Initiative (MTI) trainees. | Temporary worker government authorised exchange visa– the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges administers the scheme. |
| All locum doctors. | Skilled worker. |
Observers and visitors | |
| Individuals undertaking a clinical attachment or dental observer post. | Visitor (standard). |
| Doctors taking professional and linguistic assessments board (PLAB). |
|
| Academics taking part in formal exchange arrangements. |
|
Other healthcare professionals |
| All other overseas clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals, regardless of whether they qualified in the UK or abroad, need a skilled worker certificate of sponsorship unless they already hold a Youth Mobility Scheme Visa or a Graduate visa that allows them to undertake employment for up to two years while visiting and travelling in the UK. |
| Nurses and midwives who need to complete the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) overseas registration process must enter the UK under Skilled Worker Health and Care Visa or the Visitor (Standard) route in order to complete the Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) test. |
