Immigration Fees for Healthcare Workers

The NHS relies on staff from all over the world, including those from the Windrush generation who were treated badly. She highlights that healthcare workers are paid less and face in-work poverty due to high costs of living and visa fees. Reducing visa application costs would address recruitment and retention issues.

She supports GMB's campaign to grant indefinite leave to remain for NHS cleaners and carers and questions whether the current costs are too high, suggesting a need to show more gratitude to health workers who worked during the pandemic. Many constituents have contacted me expressing that the current fees are too expensive, questioning why the Government maintains these high costs without reducing them. My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. She questions the Government's approach of encouraging skilled professionals to come to the UK while simultaneously making it difficult for them to settle. I hope the Minister will address biometric residence permits delays, which prevent NHS workers from engaging in society and suggest the Home Office needs to manage and speed up this work.

She is concerned that the costs of the immigration scheme for care workers are unaffordable, particularly for those in at-home care who earn some of the lowest wages. 28% of respondents to the Petitions Committee's survey on immigration fees for healthcare workers have delayed applying for indefinite leave to remain in the UK due to high costs. She asks how Ministers have engaged with the Scottish Government regarding immigration policies that impact healthcare staffing resilience.

The scheme has been extended by 12 months, but care workers are among the lowest paid and these fees represent significant costs. He agrees with the hon. Lady's concerns about the impact on the NHS.

Rob Roberts highlighted the issue of high fees for immigration and citizenship, which disproportionately affect healthcare workers from abroad. He cited a real-life case of Carrie, an NHS worker who incurred significant debt due to visa renewal costs and ILR applications. The fees for ILR and citizenship are over £4,000, posing a substantial financial burden on NHS staff trying to establish permanent residency. He points out that beyond visa application costs, there are additional expenses such as repeated English language tests and biometrics fees which significantly add to the financial burden on healthcare workers applying for ILR or citizenship. Asked the shadow Minister about his and his party's opinion on non-degree-based routes into nursing, suggesting that nurses used to learn on the job with mentorship without needing academic qualifications. Questions whether NHS workers are being used to cross-subsidise other areas of the system and raises concerns about financial barriers such as inability to get a mortgage for people on temporary visas.

He thanked fellow MPs for their contributions and highlighted the importance of the petition signed by 34,392 people. He discussed Labour's approach to work-based migration, supporting a points-based system but emphasizing fair treatment of migrant workers. He also addressed education issues in healthcare recruitment and the need for comprehensive reviews of immigration policies.

Praised the international NHS staff for their contribution during the pandemic and highlighted significant vacancy rates in the NHS. Cited statistics showing a shortage of nursing staff and costs incurred by employing agency staff. Criticised the Home Office for increasing fees for ILR visas, which he argued are deterring healthcare professionals from applying for permanent residency or considering careers outside the UK. Refers to figures showing significant numbers of healthcare workers deciding not to apply for ILR, questioning whether the Home Office recognises this as a problem and calls for a cross-Government review of the implications for taxpayers.