NHS Tier 2 Visa Exemption

The changes to Immigration Rules come into effect on 6th July 2018. Health sector employers will be able to employ doctors and nurses without using the restricted certificate of sponsorship system. Medics applying for Tier 2 visas under SOC codes 2211 and 2231 will be able to use certificates of sponsorship that are allocated directly to the employer. By taking doctors and nurses out of the cap, it is hoped that certificates of sponsorship will be freed up for other industries also struggling to source labour, such as IT companies and law firms. Healthcare employers will still have to request additional unrestricted certificates to cover the doctors and nurses’ applications on the Home Office online system – which can take 18 weeks unless £200 is paid to fast-track the process.