Nursing in the UK
What is a work permit for?
The work permit scheme permits British employers to hire people from outside the EU or EFTA; who would otherwise be prevented from working in the UK. Work permits are issued only where there is a clear benefit to employment and the economy in Britain. Typically, they are only issued to senior managers, highly skilled professionals or personnel with rare technical skills; when the employer demonstrates that they cannot fill the vacancy with a British, EU or EFTA national. The current shortage of nurses and midwives in the UK means that most overseas applicants are unlikely to have problems getting a work permit.
Who needs a work permit?
Everyone except:
- European Free Trade Area (EFTA) nationals, which includes British citizens, nationals of member states of the EU or Iceland, Norway, Gibraltar and Sweden.
- Commonwealth citizens given leave to enter or to remain in the UK on the basis that a parent or grandparent was born here.
How does it work?
A work permit is only issued for a specific employer and post. If you apply for a post with a different employer or for a different occupation, then your new employer must make another application (for change in status). To apply for a work permit for a prospective employee the employer must:
- be able to give reasons why they have not been able to recruit within the EC
- have advertised the post nationally (within the last 6 months) in a national newspaper or in a recognised trade or professional journal.
- provide the advertising details and the response rate, with reasons why other prospective candidates were not suitable.
Once the need for a work permit has been established, the employer will then arrange the application for the permit. Applications typically take between 6-8 weeks to be processed. If there is any doubt over a person’s work status, the employer will not make the application, as it is unlawful to employ someone without a valid work permit. So the paperwork, however complex, must be completed correctly!
