Foreign doctors, nurses and paramedics have been granted free year-long extensions to their visas since March to help staff the coronavirus crisis. But as the UK enters the deadly pandemic’s second wave, the Government has vetoed extending the October 1 deadline for automatic renewals for key workers from abroad. MPs and union bosses urged ministers to re-think the cliff edge for overseas staff, who account for 13.8% of NHS workers - 5.5% of which are from the EU. “We now risk losing vital health care workers, just as we face a second wave of infections. A Home Office spokesperson confirmed the free extensions would end but pointed to a new visa route for NHS staff.

Source: Daily Mirror September 30, 2020 17:10 UTC