No 10 and Home Secretary confirm government is looking again at "Type 2 Visas"

The NHS in Cumbria is working hard to try to recruit more doctors and nurses and has had issues with an immigration cap on Visas for skilled workers from outside the EU, the so called "Type 2 Visas" issue. They have raised this with politicians of all parties and have had a sympathetic hearing from Cumbrian representatives.

I try to keep this site non-political or at least cross-party and save the political stuff for my main blog, but as the issue of Type 2 Visa restrictions was taken up on a cross party basis by all six MPs representing Cumbria I do not see this as a party political issue.

Pleased to see that over the weekend home secretary, Sajid Javid, said he was “taking a fresh look” at the policy, suggesting that it might be changed.

Today the prime minister’s official spokesman said that officials were keeping a close eye on NHS applications, which No 10 regards as a high priority in ensuring Britain’s economy has the workers it needs.

“Visa routes are always under review and we are monitoring the situation in relation to visa applications for doctors, including the monthly limits, including through the tier 2 visa route,” he said.

“The government fully recognises the contribution that international professionals make to the UK and we do keep visa routes under review; however it’s important that our immigration system works in the national interest and ensures that employers look first to the resident UK labour market before recruiting from overseas.”

Specifically on the potential shortage of doctors, he added: “There is a review under way and we are monitoring the situation closely.” Last week, the BMJ reported that between December and March more than 1,500 visa applications from doctors with job offers in the UK were refused as a result of the cap on tier 2 visas for workers from outside the European Economic Area.