Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that new immigration framework will enable the (a) health service and (b) social care sector to continue to recruit overseas staff when necessary.

The Government recognises the valuable contribution that international workers make to our important NHS and to the social care sector and we are determined to ensure that the future immigration system is efficient and able to respond to needs.

In December 2018, we set out our proposals for the future immigration system in “the UK’s future Skills-based Immigration System” White Paper. The White Paper proposals include a new route for skilled workers which will be open to anyone at RQF level 3 (A-Level and equivalent) and above, irrespective of where they are applying from. This route will not be capped and employers will not be required to carry out a Resident Labour Market Test for higher skilled roles.

The White Paper also includes, as a transitional measure, a route for temporary workers which will be open to anyone from qualifying countries, at any skill level, for up to 12 months. We do not intend to impose a cap on the number of people wishing to use this route.

The White Paper is the start of a new national conversation and we have launched a year-long engagement programme over 2019 to take the views of a range of stakeholders across the UK, including the health and social care sector. Informed by this engagement, we will take final decisions ahead of implementing the new system from January 2021.