Automatic Visa Extensions for Frontline Healthcare Workers

Policy effect

Expanded the automatic, free one-year visa extension scheme to include midwives, radiographers, social workers, pharmacists, and their family members with visas expiring between March 31, 2020, and October 1, 2020.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

Matt Hancock and The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP Published: 29 April 2020 This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government 3 health workers. Free visa extensions will be automatically granted to more crucial overseas health and care workers, the Home Secretary has announced today. Frontline workers, including midwives, radiographers, social workers and pharmacists, with visas due to expire before 1 October 2020 will receive an automatic one-year extension. It will apply to those working both in the NHS and independent sector and include their family members. This builds on the Home Secretary’s announcement last month for NHS doctors, nurses and paramedics. All will be exempt for the Immigration Health Surcharge for the duration of the exemption. In total approximately 3,000 vital health and care workers and their families will benefit from the extension. Home Secretary Priti Patel said: We are incredibly grateful to all overseas health and care workers fighting this invisible enemy. We have already announced the extension of visas for NHS doctors, nurses and paramedics. Now we are going further by extending this offer to hundreds of other frontline health and care … workers, both in the NHS and in the independent sector. These extensions will be automatic, free and include exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge. Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said: Frontline health and social care workers from overseas are doing extraordinary work in responding to this global outbreak. Around 3,000 vital health and care workers and their families will benefit from the extension, and we are hugely grateful to them for protecting the vulnerable and saving lives. Those benefiting are providing essential services in response to the coronavirus pandemic. It is important we relieve the pressure from the whole of the NHS, so it can focus maximum effort on fighting the coronavirus and saving lives. The extension comes into effect immediately and is for all visas expiring between 31 March and 1 October 2020. Those benefitting from this extension will be identified by health and care employers across the UK. Any NHS workers who have paid for an unresolved application will be offered the option of a refund. The Home Secretary has also confirmed family members and dependants of healthcare workers who sadly pass away as result of contracting …

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Other United Kingdom changes operative in 2020

• 2020-01-31EU Settlement Scheme Appeals System Establishment
• 2020-02-20Global Talent Visa Application Fees & Fast-Track Endorsement Fees
• 2020-02-20Launch of the Global Talent Visa Route (Statement of Changes HC 56)
• 2020-04-05Transition of Priority Change of Circumstances Service to Email-Only
• 2020-06-04Stricter Rules for Representative of an Overseas Business Route (Statement of Changes CP 232)
• 2020-06-22Youth Mobility Scheme 2020 Deadline Extension for Taiwan
• 2020-08-01Implementation of Coronavirus Grace Period
• 2020-09-01Implementation of Exceptional Assurance Concession for Overstaying
• 2020-10-05Introduction of New Points-Based Student and Child Student Routes
• 2020-11-12COVID-19 Financial Requirement Concessions for Family Visas
• 2020-12-01Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 813 (Introduction of the Skilled Worker Route and Global Points-Based Framework)
• 2020-12-31End of EU Free Movement and Repeal of Free Movement Law
• 2020-12-31Introduction of Post-Brexit Third-Country Asylum Inadmissibility Rules (HC 1043)
• 2020-12-31Post-Transition Visitor and Trade-Related Service Provider Rules
• 2020-12-31Saving of EU Public Policy Deportation Grounds for Pre-Transition Conduct