Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of supporting pandemic health and social care workers with future immigration costs after the covid-19 outbreak.

The UK Government recognises the vital contribution which overseas NHS, health and social care workers have made and continue to make in fighting the pandemic across our United Kingdom.

To provide support to them in terms of future immigration costs, last year the UK Government introduced the Health and Care visa. Thanks to this new visa they, and their dependants, pay significantly reduced visa fees and are exempt from having to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. Those who are eligible also benefit from fast-tracked processing and can expect a decision within three weeks of enrolling their biometrics.

On 29 January 2021, we expanded the list of occupations which are eligible for the Health and Care Visa, meaning more skilled workers will be able to benefit from this offer. The new visa will be a key part of our immigration system going forward.

Those who are not eligible for the Health and Care Visa, and are working in eligible roles due to having rights to work in the UK which are not tied to a health and care role, may still benefit from the Department for Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) surcharge reimbursement scheme which was launched on 1 October 2020.