NHS Staffs Can Still Bring Dependents! Confusion among healthcare professionals and the public. NHS jobs london FAQ

The recent announcement by the UK Home Office regarding changes to the Health and Care Visa has caused confusion among healthcare professionals and the public.

On 4 December 2023, the UK government announced changes to the immigration system that will take effect from Spring 2024. In response, we have pulled together a brief FAQ below.

Details of the changes to the immigration system can be found on the .GOV website.

The changes being made to the Health and Care Visa route will only affect the care sector. When the changes take effect, care workers and senior care workers will be unable to bring dependents when they migrate to the UK, and only CQC-registered providers in England will be able to sponsor Health and Care Visa applicants. These changes do not affect the NHS.

Other changes, such as the increase in salary thresholds, do not apply to the Health and Care Visa route. Health and Care Visa holders will continue to be exempt from paying the Immigrational Health Surcharge (IHS).

The government stated it will ask the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review replacing the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) with an Immigration Salary List (ISL) with reduced occupations and also review the Graduate Visa route.

The government has reassured us that, while it is determined to reduce net migration, it understands the importance of internationally educated health and care workers. We understand that these changes are likely to result in a number of questions, especially for internationally educated staff and those working on international recruitment.

This FAQ is based on what we know now and we anticipate that there are some questions we can’t answer yet.

Please continue to check the NHS Employers and .GOV websites for latest information.

Question: Can I bring my family?

Answer: There are no changes to the policy on dependants for NHS staff. You will be able to bring your partner and children as your dependants if they’re eligible. A dependant partner or child is any of the following:

your husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner
your child under 18 – including if they were born in the UK during your stay
your child over 18 if they’re currently in the UK as your dependant

You will still need to provide evidence of your relationship to your dependant when you apply for their visa.

Question: My dependants are already in the UK – will they be able to stay?

Answer:  Yes. There are no changes to eligibility of dependents for NHS staff.

Question: When will these changes take effect?

Answer:  We expect the changes to take effect in Spring 2024. We will provide an update when we have more information.

Question: I have a job offer and some if these changes will affect my plans – what should I do?

Answer:  If you are being recruited to an NHS role there should be no changes to your current offer.

Question: Can I come to the UK sooner, so I’m not affected by these changes?

Answer:  If you are being recruited to an NHS role there should be no changes to your current offer. Your agency or employer should be able to advise when you might expect to start work – but these changes will not affect your current offer.

Question: Where can care workers and organisations that support care workers find more information on how this affects them?

Answer:  This Q&A is for NHS staff only. We hope to provide a link to advice for care workers shortly.

Source: https://www.nhsemployers.org/news/changes-uk-immigration-policy-faq

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For more about UKVI:https://gov.uk

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