Home Secretary Priti Patel announced that NHS migrant workers and their family members’ visas that are due to expire before 1 October 2020 will be extended automatically for one year free of charge. They will also be exempt from Immigration Health Surcharge.
This should help the frontline NHS workers to concentrate on battling COVID-19 pandemic rather than worrying about making immigration applications and enduring additional stress attached to it.
The Home Office has also lifted restrictions that normally apply to student and trainee nurses and doctors regarding the number of hours they are able to work in the NHS during term time. Furthermore, pre-registered migrant nurses who are currently required to take their first skills test within 3 months and to pass the test within 8 months, will now have this deadline extended to the end of 2020, so that they can focus on working on the frontline.