NHS: Migrant Workers

(asked on 30th October 2020) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of further (a) visa extensions and (b) reduced visa costs for NHS workers during the covid-19 outbreak.


Answered by
Kevin Foster Portrait
Kevin Foster
This question was answered on 4th November 2020

The Government recognises the vital contribution which overseas NHS, health and social care workers have made and continue to make in fighting the pandemic. That is why we automatically extended the visas of thousands of health professionals who had visas expiring between 31 March and 1 October, free of any charges.

On 4 August, the Government also introduced the Health and Care visa. Those who are eligible can expect a decision within three weeks of enrolling their biometrics. They, and their dependants, also pay significantly reduced visa fees and are exempt from having to pay the Immigration Health Charge.

Those who are not eligible for the Health and Care Visa may still benefit from the Department for Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) reimbursement scheme which was launched on 1 October.

We are keeping all measures under review and continuing to work closely with the DHSC to ensure individuals working in the health and care sector are supported fully.

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