Immigration Matters Special Report from

Charles Kelly in Manila

27 July 2006

Yes, You Can Still Come to the UK...
even if General Nurses are Removed from Shortage Occupations List

As previously reported in Immigration Matters, the NHS will no longer recruit junior nurses from abroad. However, this does not mean that nurses are banned from the UK, as some Manila newspapers have suggested.

The Home Office has now officially announced that general nursing is being taken off the Home Office ‘shortage occupation’ list, from 14 August 2006, although some senior and specialised jobs will remain.

When I talked to POEA Administrator Baldoz at her office today, she confirmed that the POEA have tried to allay fears that all nurses are banned from the UK. She said that whilst general nursing is no longer a shortage, “specialized nursing is still open”

Many of the agencies here were inundated with calls from anxious applicants following alarming headlines earlier this week.

During an interview on Marvin Javier’s DZXL Bantay OFW radio show yesterday, I sought to set the record straight. I took live calls during the public service question and answer session from several anxious callers from The Philippines, Middle East and Singapore. Marvin is well aware of the problem as he is fully up to date with all the current issues concerning OFW’s. His show provides useful advice and news and can be accessed on the internet.

Cynthia Barker, a recruitment manager, says:

“private nursing and care homes still find it difficult to recruit nursing staff, which means they can still hire overseas nurses....

“...indeed, our new orders from nursing homes are buoyant.”

What should you do if you are affected?

For existing nurses holding work permits, nothing will change until you come to renew your work permit and visa. The government has announced that existing work permit holders will be unaffected by the change. However, the employer still has to give a reason for employing an overseas worker when extending a work permit.

Some of our nurses have contacted us as they have heard rumors that their hospital wards may be closing. One nurse, who prefers not to be named, enquired if we could move her to a nursing home job as she fears that the NHS will not renew her contract.

For regular immigration updates see www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND, NATIONAL BOOKSTORE IN GLORIETTA, MAKATI
HAVE ASKED UK IMMIGRATION ADVISERS CHARLES KELLY & CYNTHIA BARKER
TO LAUNCH THEIR BOOK, CALLED “HOW 2 COME TO THE UK TO LEGALLY LIVE STUDY WORK OR VISIT”, ON FRIDAY, 28 JULY 2006 AT 5PM.  THE AUTHORS WILL BE SIGNING BOOKS TOO.