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Information for Overseas Applicants
Before coming to the UK to work it is important that you satisfy two main requirements; firstly you must apply to the HPC (the governing
body in the UK for professions allied to medicine) for registration before you undertake any work in your field in the UK. Without this
registration, you will only be able to work as an assistant in your field once you reach the UK (please note: Pharmacists need to
register with The Royal Pharmaceutical Society not the HPC). Please ask your Dream consultant for more information on this.
Secondly you must have either a Work Permit or Visa that entitles you to be legally able to work in the UK. Dream advises that you start
the application process for both of these as soon as possible as it can take anywhere from 3-6 months for registration with these
bodies to be approved. You must also allow enough time to receive any of the following Work Permits or Visas before entering the UK.
Work Permits and Visas
When working in the UK there are five routes for any medical practioner to go through to gain entry for work in the UK.
1. Two Year Working Holiday Visa
The Working Holidaymaker Scheme is the most common route of entry to the UK for work. It is an arrangement where Commonwealth citizens aged between 17 and
30 can come to the UK for an extended holiday of up to two years. This visa allows you to take up work, but only if this is not the main reason for your stay.
The holiday should be the main reason for your stay.
To apply for this visa, you must be able to show that you:
- Are a Commonwealth citizen, a British Overseas Territories citizen, a British Overseas citizen or a British National (Overseas);
- Are aged between 17 and 30;
- Want to come to the UK for an extended holiday, and intend to take employment as part of your holiday for no more than 12 months during your stay;
- Do not intend to set yourself up in or run a business, or work as a professional sportsperson during your stay;
- Are single, or are married to someone who also qualifies as a working holidaymaker and you plan to take the working holiday together;
- Do not have any dependent children aged five or over, or who will be five before your holiday ends;
- Can support yourself and live in the UK without needing any help from public funds;
- Have not spent time in the UK on a previous working holidaymaker visa; and
- Intend to leave the UK at the end of your holiday.
Dream advises that you approach the authorities in your home country at least 3-6 months before your planned date of departure to ensure you have enough time for processing the visa. You must also ensure that you have sufficient funds to support your initial stay in the UK.
2. Dual Nationality
If you have dual nationality in Britain or another European Union country you will be allowed automatic entry to work in the UK. A dual
second passport is all that is needed to prove this status.
3. Ancestral Visa (British Parent or Grandparent)
If you have a British parent or grandparent you are allowed to claim ancestry and the right to work in the UK for up to 4 years.
You will qualify for the ancestral visa if you can show that:
- You are a Commonwealth citizen;
- You are aged 17 or over;
- You have a grandparent who was born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man (see note below);
- You have a grandparent who was born in what is now the Republic of Ireland before 31 March 1922 (see note below);
- You are able to work and intend to do so in the UK, and;
- You can support yourself and any dependants, and live without needing any help from public funds;
- To apply for this you will need to contact the High Commission.
4. Work Permit
For those not eligible for any other type of visa, the most common route of securing entry to the UK for work is to apply for a Work Permit.
The Work Permit takes around 2-6 weeks to apply for and must be organized and applied for by the employer who is making the offer of employment or on
their behalf by Dream Group Ltd. A work permit will only be issued once a job offer has been made, has no restrictions on the amount of times it is
issued and only applies to one particular organisation. For more information on the criteria for and applying for a work permit, please see the
Home Office Website or contact one of your Dream Group consultants today.
5. Highly Skilled Migrant Visa
The UK Highly Skilled Migrant Visa (HSMP) is an excellent immigration category for individuals with highly sought after skills and experience. Eligibility for the HSMP visa is based on a points system whereby points are allocated to individuals depending upon the following criteria:
- Aged 28 or over. The HSMP have different criteria depending on whether you are over or under the age of 28;
- Tertiary qualifications. The higher your qualification, the more points you are awarded under the HSMP;
- Work experience. Under the HSMP, you will gain more points for every year you have worked at a high level in your field;
- Previous earnings. You will gain more points under the HSMP if you have earned a high level of income in the 12 months prior to your application relative to other people in the same country;
- Occasionally, if you have made a significant contribution or achievement in your chosen field, the HSMP system will award you more points for this;
- Bonus points are also available if you are a skilled migrant seeking to bring your spouse or partner to the UK who also has high level skills and work experience.
Doctors and the HSMP Visa
Doctors who are entitled to practice in the UK as general practitioners should pay particular interest to the
Highly Skilled Migrant Program (HSMP) as their applications will be considered as priority by the Home Office.
For more information on the HSMP visa, please contact one of our friendly and knowledgeable consultants who can guide you step by step through the application process.
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