Despite the threat of NHS staffing shortages, the government has refused to extend automatic visa renewals for healthcare workers, which has caused considerable numbers of health and care staff to return to their home countries, adding to pressures at a time when the sector already has vacancies numbering 122,000.
Unison highlighted how the government is both preventing healthcare staff from entering the country and also driving away those that are already here. People who fail to renew their visas ni time are classed as illegal overstayers, which hinders their ability to subsequently apply for leave to remain.
The concerns were raised in a letter that was signed by 1,660 doctors and healthcare workers to raise awareness of the treatment of Basem Enany, an Egyptian cardiologist whose ill-health put him at risk of overstaying a Tier 2 Visa. He had treated several COVID patients prior to falling ill with complications from the virus, and fears for his family’s future because the Home Office has not confirmed what will happen.
In May the Home Office announced a free visa extension of a year for migrant health and care workers – to allow them to ‘fight coronavirus’. However, this only affected around 3,000 staff members, leaving thousands of indispensable workers with low pay such as healthcare assistants or hospital cleaners.
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