HEALTHCARE ASSISTANT
A Healthcare Assistant (aka Auxiliary Nurse) provides care to patients in hospitals or other medical settings under the watch of a professional, and they work closely with patients to help aid their recovery and safety.
An overseas qualified dentist can apply for temporary registration in specific approved posts if they hold a dental qualification from a university which is recognised by UK ENIC for the purposes of temporary registration and the overseas registration examination (ORE).
Temporary registration is granted for a minimum of 84 days and a maximum of 365 days at a time and may be renewed by means of application, for up to a maximum of 1826 days (5 years).
Qualifications:
There is extensive on-job training and supervision for healthcare assistants, therefore applicants of a wide range of degrees and qualifications are accepted. Applicants may be at an advantage if they have any of the following:
- Care Certificate (can be gotten from HEE – Health Education England approved training organization in the UK)
- Diploma in Health and Social Care
- GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) at grades 9-4 (A* to C) or equivalent qualifications.
Work experience:
To qualify for a tier 2 visa (Health and Care Worker visa) applicants must have experience working in health or social care jobs (such as social work or nursing).
English Proficiency:
You must prove you can read, write, speak, and understand English to at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale. You can prove your knowledge of English by:
- passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider
- having a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, gained through study at a UK school that you began when you were under 18
- having a degree-level academic qualification that was taught in English – if you studied abroad, you’ll need to apply through Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) for confirmation that your qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD
Points-based immigration system:
The Home Office (of which UKVI is a part) is responsible for governing the way individuals from outside the EEA can work, train or study in the UK.
A new points-based immigration system was introduced in January 2021 with parts of it in place towards the end of 2020. The system provides a route for both EEA and non-EEA nationals to work, train or study in the UK if they meet the eligibility criteria.
This points-based system has largely replaced the previous tiered system. It applies to everyone from outside of the UK who wishes to live and work here, apart from people from the Republic of Ireland and individuals who were already in the UK by 31 December 2020.
A Health and Care Worker visa (tier 2) allows health and care professionals to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job with the NHS, an NHS supplier or in adult social care.
Applications are assessed using a points system that is intended to only allow entry to those whose skills will benefit the UK. The number of points required, and the way the points are awarded, depend on the category under which individuals apply, but reflect:
- A job offer
- Skill level
- language competence
- qualifications
- other set criteria
Biometric residence permits
Issued to foreign nationals, a biometric residence permit (BRP) is a card which holds your biographic details (name, date and place of birth), your ‘biometric information’ (fingerprints and digital facial image) and shows your immigration status and your entitlements while you are in the UK.
Individuals are issued a BRP automatically when they apply for a visa or immigration. A sticker or vignette, valid for 30 days, is issued in passports, allowing enough time to travel to the UK. On arrival, you will have ten days to collect your BRP from a post office branch, as specified in your decision letter.
As part of recruitment practice in the NHS, verification of identity checks is used to determine that an identity is genuine and that it belongs to the individual presenting it.
BRP cards can be used to verify identity and complete this check.