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UK Immigration - Medical practitioners
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Medical practitioners
The UK has need for Doctors, Nurses and associated professionals. If you are a Postgraduate Doctor or a Dentist who wants to work in the UK public or private hospitals and homes, including for research and teaching, then you will need a permit from the UK Immigration (with some exceptions!).
There has been a longstanding provision which has enabled overseas medical practitioners to come to the UK to pursue their training. We are updating the Immigration Rules relating to this category to reflect the changes to the training structure for doctors which come into effect this summer. These changes to the Immigration Rules ensure that overseas doctors coming to the UK to undertake one of the new Foundation Programmes can be granted leave for the duration of this programme, rather than having to apply for an extension of stay partway through the programme.
- We have also used this opportunity to clarify the provisions for overseas doctors and dentists and to formalise the role of the Postgraduate Deans, who supervise the training of doctors and dentists. This is to address the previous confusion as to which posts are recognised training posts, as these change over time. Postgraduate Deans will be aware of which posts will enable a doctor or dentist to pursue their training in the UK. Each migrant applying for leave in this category must submit a letter from the Postgraduate Dean with their application.
- These changes have been prompted by changes made by the Department of Health. We have circulated our new provisions to the Department of Health, General Medical Council, General Dental Council, British Medical Association and representatives of the Postgraduate Deans. They have supported the added clarity of these provisions and we have incorporated as many of their comments as possible.
You will also be expected to be registered with the General Medical Council. We can help you register.
Please click on the category applying to you to find out the requirements you will need to fulfill in order to obtain a UK work permit:
UK Work Permit Information for Vets
This is a guide to obtaining a Work Permit and is mainly for the benefit of those practices that are willing to employ a Vet with a Work Permit requirement. If however, you are a Vet / Nurse and you don't have UK Residency or the ability to work in the UK, you MUST obtain a Work Permit. Failure to do so will have very serious consequences not just for you personally but the practice you are ' working ' at also !
Firstly then, only a UK Employer, or in this case the practice, with a vacancy may apply for a Work Permit. Neither locum agencies nor you, the individual, can apply.
Normally an employer should apply at least three months before they want the Vet / Nurse to start in the UK. This is to take into consideration the generally lengthy process of Work Permit applications. The employer first has to prove to the Work Permit authorities that a UK resident cannot fulfil the role. Such proof would come after first advertising for a UK national within specific media for at least one month but having had very poor or indeed no response. The employer would then have to find an alternative in the form of an overseas worker - this of course may have already been done - and again convince the Work Permit authorities that only this individual has the necessary skills and experience needed for the role. The whole process can easily take 3 months!
If you have received a job offer for employment; contact us we’ll be able to assist you more.
Click on the following links to find out more about working in the UK:
Vets in Student Internships
Vets in Training and Work Experience
The UK needs your skills, expertise and enthusiasm.
If you have received an offer for employment; contact us we’ll inform and assist you.
Training Positions for Postgraduate Doctors/Dentists
Whether you have qualified in the UK or abroad as a doctor or dentist, you have the possibility to do postgraduate training in the UK. But before starting your training you will need to register with either the General Medical Council or the General Dental Council.
PLEASE NOTE: some changes took effect in June and July 2006.
If your degree isn’t from a UK university and you are from a country other than the UK, or outside the EU or from some EEA countries, you will now need a work permit to be eligible for posted positions.
You can qualify for full registration with the General Medical Council if you have worked as a house officer in a hospital in the UK for up to 12 months. However an English language test might be necessary if you have qualified abroad. As a doctor you will have to pass the IELTS test before you take the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) exam. You can be allowed to stay in the UK to take the PLAB exam.
These are the evidence that you will have to show in order to qualify for postgraduate training in the UK. You will have to prove that:
- You plan to carry out postgraduate training in a hospital or the Community Health Services (or both)
- You are a doctor or dentist;
- You are registered, or eligible to be registered, with the General Medical Council or General Dental Council;
- You have not already spent four years in postgraduate training in the UK (this does not include the 12 months you worked as a house officer); and
- You plan to leave the UK when you finish your training.
You will be granted a visa for the UK for up to three (3) years if you fulfil the above requirements. As you have a job in basic specialist training or a similar position, you are entitled to stay for four (4) years. After that your visa can then be extended for up to three years at a time.
If you come to the UK to do work other than in a training post, you will need a work permit.
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