Visas extended for thousands of frontline health and care workers
Extension to benefit 14,000 applicants.
From:
9 April 2021
Thousands of crucial frontline health workers and their dependents will be granted free visa extensions, Home Secretary Priti Patel has announced today.
Free one-year visa extensions will be automatically granted to eligible overseas health and care workers whose visas were due to expire before 1 October 2021.
Since starting the free extensions last year, the Home Office has extended the visas of more than 10,000 people across the UK. It is expected that today’s announcement will benefit a further 14,000 applicants.
This will mean that doctors, nurses, paramedics, midwives, occupational therapists, psychologists and others will be able to continue their crucial work in the fight against coronavirus.
Indian doctors, nurses to benefit from UK s fee-free 1-year visa extension
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Last Updated: Apr 09, 2021, 06:44 PM IST
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Synopsis
The UK Home Office said that the free one-year visa extensions will be automatically granted to eligible overseas health and care workers and their dependents whose visas were due to expire before October 1.
PTI
Indian doctors and nurses are among 14,000 applicants from across the world that are set to benefit from a one-year fee waiver for visa extensions announced on Friday for frontline workers dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK Home Office said that the free one-year visa extensions will be automatically granted to eligible overseas health and care workers and their dependents whose visas were due to expire before October 1.
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Extension to benefit 14,000 applicants.
Thousands of crucial frontline health workers and their dependents will be granted free visa extensions, Home Secretary Priti Patel has announced today.
Free one-year visa extensions will be automatically granted to eligible overseas health and care workers whose visas were due to expire before 1 October 2021.
Since starting the free extensions last year, the Home Office has extended the visas of more than 10,000 people across the UK. It is expected that today’s announcement will benefit a further 14,000 applicants.
This will mean that doctors, nurses, paramedics, midwives, occupational therapists, psychologists and others will be able to continue their crucial work in the fight against coronavirus.
Mar 16, 2021
In July last year, the UK government announced that it would be launching a special visa for Health and Social Care workers to apply to work in the UK. This included, amongst other things, faster visa turn-around times, reduced visa fees compared to that paid by other skilled applicants and exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge.
This, according to the Home Secretary, Piri Patel, is in an effort to attract the ”best and brightest heath and care professionals” globally to work and help strengthen the National Health Service (NHS).
Skills shortage in SA
South Africa is experiencing a mass exodus of healthcare professionals who look for greener pastures after graduating. In addition, 48% of practising nurses in South Africa are due to reach retirement age in the next 15 years, with not nearly enough in training to fill the shortfall.