Latest changes to immigration rules

The Home Office has just put its latest six-monthly Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules before Parliament. It includes the expected exemption of all doctors and nurses from the annual Tier 2 (General) limit. These changes will come into effect on 6 July. The statement reads: 

‘This is in response to the shortages and pressures facing the NHS at the current time, and the fact that the limit has been oversubscribed in each month since December 2017. 
 
‘The changes will mean that health sector employers will be able to sponsor doctors and nurses without requiring restricted Tier 2 certificates of sponsorship or putting pressure on the limit.
 
This will free up places within the limit for other key roles which contribute to the UK economy and other public services. The changes will be kept under review. 
 
‘In all other respects, the change preserves the existing arrangements.

This means that all applications for nurses, and all applications for doctors not currently recognised on the shortage occupation list, will continue to be required to demonstrate that they have met the requirements of the Resident Labour Market Test.

Doctors currently recognised on the Shortage Occupation List will continue to be exempt from the RLMT.’

Other changes have been announced and we will be presenting analysis in detail on those in due course.