RCGP responds to Government announcement on indefinite leave to remain

Responding to the Government’s announcement on changes to indefinite leave to remain rules, Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, President of the Royal College of GPs, said: "We welcome the Government's decision not to extend the five-year qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain for doctors and many other health and care professionals. This is welcome recognition of the important contribution these professionals make to the NHS and wider care sector. However, we’re disappointed that the specific challenges facing GPs from overseas who have trained in the UK and want to work in the NHS have not been addressed.

“Too many international medical graduates face difficulties securing visas and employment upon completion of GP specialty training, which typically takes three years. This leaves newly qualified GPs needing visa sponsorship for a further two years before they can apply for permanent settlement. We risk losing doctors who have trained in the NHS, at considerable public expense, at a time when we desperately need thousands more GPs delivering patient care.

"We've long called for international medical graduates to have the right to apply for indefinite leave to remain upon completion of GP specialty training in the UK, and made this case in response to the Government's consultation. We urge the Government to reconsider this, particularly given its recognition that some highly skilled professionals should be eligible for settlement after three years. We also hope its planned impact assessment will examine the implications of the five-year qualifying period for the retention of newly qualified GPs and the NHS workforce."

Further information

RCGP press office: 0203 188 7659
press@rcgp.org.uk

Notes to editors

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 54,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.