Physiotherapy staff should be included in health professions being exempted from the government’s visa cap, the CSP has said.
Press reports today (Thursday 14 June) suggest the government is planning to remove ‘doctors and nurses’ from the tier-2 visa cap.
The CSP wrote to the immigration minister, Caroline Nokes, last week to request a similar exemption for physiotherapists.
Rob Yeldham, CSP director of strategy, policy and engagement, said:
‘We are seeking urgent clarification on which health professionals will be exempt from the government's visa cap.
‘There is currently a shortage of 4,000 physiotherapists across the UK and we simply can’t afford for immigration laws to make this shortage even worse.
‘We need more training places to develop physiotherapists in the UK but the overseas workforce is greatly valued and integral to delivering high quality patient care.
‘We strongly urge the Home Office to include physiotherapy among the professions it plans to exempt.’
In addition to lobbying the Home Office, the CSP is working on the future visa system with an alliance of unions, professional bodies and employers called the Cavendish Coalition.
It also raised concerns in its submission to the migration advisory committee.
Note to editors
For further media information about the CSP please call the CSP press office on 020 7306 1111 or email pressoffice@csp.org.uk. Out of hours please call Jon Ryan, head of press and PR on 07917 091 200.
1. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy is the UK’s professional, educational and trade union body. We have more than 52,000 members, including chartered physiotherapists, physiotherapy students and support workers.
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