NHS: Migrant Workers

(asked on 19th February 2021) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of giving Indefinite Leave to Remain to all migrant NHS workers and their families.


Answered by
Kevin Foster Portrait
Kevin Foster
This question was answered on 1st March 2021

Workers from overseas in the NHS and wider health and care sector have made a huge contribution in tackling COVID-19 and the Government has taken unprecedented measures to ensure the sector is supported fully, including free 12-month visa extensions for those working in eligible occupations in health and social care.

Individuals working in healthcare, on a route which leads to settlement, will be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) for themselves and their family, providing they meet the requirements, including a period of lawful residence in the UK without excess absences, sufficient knowledge of the English language and life in the UK. In sponsored work routes, settlement relies on applicants having worked in their sponsored job for five years. Given the wider requirements for a grant of ILR we will not be making a general grant of it to those working in the NHS.

We will though grant immediate indefinite leave to remain (ILR), free of any charges, to family dependants of NHS, health and care workers who unfortunately lose their lives as a result of contracting COVID-19. We hope this number will be limited.

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