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urses leaders are urging the Government to scrap a rise in the price of a well being and care visa which they warned will make the UK a much less enticing place to work for well being workers.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) wrote to the Home Secretary saying the rise could also be unaffordable to many well being staff and act as a “significant barrier” to retaining workers.
The RCN stated value of making use of for the visa, which permits nursing workers from abroad to work within the NHS or grownup social care is about to “soar” by 15% to £551 for employees working within the UK for greater than three years.
In addition to this, nursing college students will see their visa charges rise by £127 to £490.
The value to use for “settlement” within the UK (indefinite go away to stay) is about to extend by 20% to £2,885, the RCN added, stating that the Prime Minister had admitted that not sufficient nurses had been educated.
The RCN stated there are tens of 1000’s of nursing vacancies within the NHS and extra gaps in social care.
In the letter, RCN common secretary Pat Cullen stated: “These fee increases will make the UK a less attractive place to live and work for the nurses and other health professionals who make vital contributions to our health and care sector every day.
“Nurses and care workers, regardless of their country of origin, make a vital contribution to this country in both the care they provide and the taxes and national insurance contributions they already pay.
“They deserve to be valued and recognised.
“Subjecting our much-needed internationally educated staff in the health and care sector to additional levies is not only unjust but divisive and short-sighted.”
A Government spokesperson stated: “We recognise the significant contribution of overseas NHS workers but must keep our immigration policies under constant review to ensure they best serve the UK and reflect the public’s priorities.
“There are already a record number of nurses working in the NHS. The health and care visa also remains significantly cheaper for eligible people working in health and social care to come to the UK with their families.”
