Coming to the UK
August 2008
International doctors who come to the UK must satisfy UK immigration requirements. This is separate from professional registration through the General Medical Council (see below). The granting of a particular type of registration has no influence on a doctor’s immigration status.
Immigration
Detailed immigration advice should be sought from the UK Border Agency or from an immigration adviser. Doctors who are currently overseas can seek advice from the British High Commission, embassy or consulate, contact details for which are available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website. The British Council is the UK's international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations.
Guidance from the British Medical Association
The BMA provides detailed information and guidance for international/EEA doctors wishing to come and work in the UK. The BMA International Department has published a comprehensive ‘Guide for doctors new to the UK‘ which details the processes that international/EEA doctors need to follow in order to register with the General Medical Council (GMC) and practise medicine in the UK. It also contains information on the following:
- National Health Service (NHS)
- medical career structure and training
- immigration
- access to postgraduate training
- finding a post
- contracts and working conditions
- medical defence (indemnity insurance)
- personal health.
Registration
All doctors wishing to practise medicine in the UK must be registered with the GMC. The activities that require GMC registration include:
- working as a doctor in the NHS or in private practice
- prescribing drugs, the sale of which is restricted by law
- signing certificates required for statutory purposes (death certificates, etc)
The GMC website details the requirements for gaining registration. An IMG has to provide objective evidence of knowledge, skill and experience. This normally involves evidence of a pass in the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test, an acceptable postgraduate qualification or evidence of sponsorship by an approved GMC sponsor. They also need to provide evidence of their English language capability, an acceptable primary medical qualification and that their fitness to practise is not impaired. The GMC website also provides guidance on the online application process, detailing the evidence required and the steps that need to be taken. The GMC leaflet on ‘Working as a junior doctor in the UK‘ gives a step-by-step guide for IMGs following the PLAB route to registration
Work permits
A work permit will be required for all job applicants from outside the EEA unless the doctor is on the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP), which is now known as Tier 1. It should be noted that an employer will not be able to get a work permit for an applicant if the post can be filled by a UK or EEA resident. Employers are unlikely to consider applicants resident outside the EEA if the post can be filled from within. For further information refer to the UK Border Agency website.
The Applicant’s Guide produced by the Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) team provides current information for potential applicants to NHS specialty training.
Recently there have been a number of changes to Tier 1 (former HSMP). Currently:
- IMGs who were in the UK and on the HSMP prior to 29 February 2008 can compete on an equal footing with UK/EEA candidates for specialty training posts
- IMGs who are coming to the UK or who are already in the UK but are not in a highly skilled immigration category but wish to be a highly skilled migrant can apply to the newly created Tier 1 category (established February 2008). Doctors applying to Tier 1 will be restricted from applying to be a doctor-in-training. Doctors from outside the EEA who qualified at a UK medical school will still be able to apply to be a doctor-in-training
- IMGs whose HSMP visas are coming to an end will need to extend their stay by applying to get on to Tier 1. They will not be subject to restrictions if they were existing HSMP holders prior to the immigration rule changes of February 2008, and will, therefore, be able to compete on an equal footing to UK/EEA candidates for training posts.
- IMGs currently in a training post with leave to enter/remain in the UK as a work permit holder, are advised not to apply to switch to Tier 1, as the restriction on accessing training posts will be imposed. The Home Office has advised that doctors in these circumstances should seek to extend their leave to remain as a work permit holder in order to complete their training programme.