• The government has published a White Paper on a future skills based immigration system for the UK.
• It proposes that following Brexit and the following implementation period, UK immigration rules will apply to EU and non-EU migrants alike in a single skills-based system.
• It proposes to scrap the current cap on the number of skilled workers such as doctors or engineers.
• There will be a consultation on a minimum salary requirement of £30,000 for skilled migrants seeking five-year visas.

Responding to the white paper on a new immigration system published by the government, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery said:

“We are deeply concerned about how some of the measures outlined in the white paper will impact the ability of the health and care sector to recruit the number of people it needs to safely staff services and meet the future healthcare demands of the population.

“High skilled does not equal highly paid. Any salary threshold must be realistic about the starting pay for a number of vital health and care roles including nurses, paramedics, social care workers, porters, cleaners and junior doctors. These roles are critical to the sustainability of health and care services.

Any salary threshold must be realistic about the starting pay for a number of vital health and care roles including nurses, paramedics, social care workers, porters, cleaners and junior doctors.

Saffron Cordery    

“The confirmation that the cap on tier two visas for doctors will no longer apply is welcome. It is also vital that a new immigration system is flexible in its approach to skills and salary levels to ensure that critical health and social care roles can be filled.

“The effect this could have on the social care sector, which is already suffering from severe workforce challenges, will be profound. The relationship between health and social care is key so this must be a consideration in a future immigration system as well as the longer term workforce strategy for health and care.”