I have received a number of emails and enquiries from different people facing different situations and what to do.  These next few blogs are the latest information from the UKVI as to concessions currently being offered. This was published on the 27 January 2021 at 4.49pm.  I know many will find it strange that the time is also stated.  This is because sometimes we will receive updates twice a day. But this is the latest one so far.  We have previously blogged on the previous changes.

As the UK and the world face challenging months with Covid 19, the Home Office / UKVI has set up a Coronavirus Immigration Team (CIT) and released the following guidance.

In the UK – Working for the NHS

If you work in healthcare and your visa expires between 1 October 2020 and 31 March 2021

You may be eligible for a free extension to your visa. If you’re eligible, your dependants (partner and children under the age of 18) could also get their visas extended for a year.

You and your dependants will not have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.

If your visa is due to expire after 31 March 2021, or you are changing employer, you cannot extend your visa for free.

You can work at different NHS locations during this pandemic so longer as your sponsor maintain their sponsorship license and their duties that go with that license.  These duties are notifying the Home Office of any changes.  So, if you have moved from Blackburn NHS to Manchester then your sponsor needs to report this on the system to the Home Office.

There are no restrictions on the number of hours you can work, and you are able to work in different roles and skills.  The important matter here is the reporting by your employer onto the Sponsorship system.

Changes to the current restrictions on the number of hours you can work or volunteer

There is no longer a limit on the number of hours you can work or volunteer each week if you’re a:

• Student (including Tier 4 student) working for the NHS in a list profession
• worker with a Skilled Work, Health and Care Work, Intra-company Transfer or T2 Worker visa and your NHS job is a second job
• visiting academic researcher
• holder of a short-term visa and are permitted to volunteer

Pre – registration Nurse & the Occupational Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

If you are a pre- registration nurse and you have to sit your exams, the Occupational Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), the Home Office have stated that the deadline for you to sit has been extended to 30 September 2021. If you do not pass on the first attempt, you will have until 31 December 2021 to pass the exam.

Research workers

For those of you who are research workers, working on the pandemic, researching the Covid 19 situation as a scientist you may be able to apply for the Global Talent visa using the URRI endorsed funder option.