Fee-Free Visa Extensions For Those Working In Our NHS

Dear constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about fee-free visa extensions for those working in our NHS and care sector.

NHS and social care workers have been fighting on the frontline in our effort against coronavirus and it is right that the Government has extended the visas of some of those workers from overseas.

However, as you know, this excludes care workers and non-medical NHS workers – such as hospital porters, cleaners, and administrative workers. As the Home Affairs Select Committee has noted, these people are more likely to be lower paid, meaning that visa renewal costs are likely to be a much greater financial burden. Indeed, typical visa fees alone can cost more than £1,000 for individuals and close to £5,000 for a family of four.

I therefore entirely agree that the visa extension scheme should be expanded, including across the social care sector, and I would like to see the Government go further on this.

Thank you for bringing an amendment to the Immigration and Social Security Coordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill to my attention. Unfortunately, New Clause 17 was tabled for consideration during a Public Bill Committee. These are made up of only a small number of MPs to closer examine the details of a Bill and I was not a member of this Bill’s Public Bill Committee.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this issue.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP