Now much harder for US & other doctors to work in UK

[Retinamark]

I just found out that the UK has changed their immigration rules to make it much harder for foreign medical graduates to work in the UK. Hospitals now by law must give preference to local UK candidates, and can only employ overseas trained medical graduates if there is no suitable local candidate. And then they must give preference to EU doctors.
It seems this will make it almost impossible for Americans, Canadians, Australians, Indians etc to do post-graduate training in the UK. What a shame, I would have liked to work in London for a year.

http://www.mmc.nhs.uk/pages/foundation/FAQ

Overseas doctors
Q. Given the statement released from the Department of Health regarding withdrawal of permit-free training, what is MMC's advice for international medical graduates regarding provision of and application for F1/2 posts and future specialty training posts?
A. The new Immigration rules are now in force. They were issued by the Home Office and they have changed the work status of any international medical graduates doctors seeking training posts in the UK.
The following note has been provided by the DH officials working with the Immigration section of the HO: The UK will continue to accept (small numbers of) international medical graduates into postgraduate medical training programme, although they will now have to use the appropriate employment route for immigration purposes. Any doctor who wants to work in the NHS from abroad must meet the requirements of a relevant category within the immigration rules, such as the work permit system. Work permits will only be issued where there is a specific post for the overseas doctor which cannot be filled by someone from within the UK or EEA.
There will be transition arrangements for doctors already in post to ensure that their training needs are met. However for those international medical graduates thinking of coming to the UK the situation has altered significantly. Employers will have to be satisfied that there are no doctors from the UK and the rest of the EEA available for any training post before they can seek international applications. This does not mean that international medical graduates will cease to be able to access a UK postgraduate training but it will inevitably reduce the numbers of posts available.
The UK has long had a policy of increasing its self sufficiency in the matter of medical staff and the recent Government sponsored expansion in medical student numbers has given expression to this policy. The need now, as those students come through the system and qualify is to ensure that they can access sufficient posts to continue in training.

http://www.admissionsforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15044&page=2

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2006/04/05/stories/2006040510260100.htm

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[Retinamark]

more info

http://www.nhsemployers.org/workforce/workforce-723.cfm
http://www.mmc.nhs.uk/pages/careers/overseas-doctors

 

[Mossmoon]

I am American and living in the UK and have quite a few friends that have come here from various countries. It is far easier to come to the UK when you are a highly-skilled professional, whether this be as a doctor, nurse, teacher or business person than when you are untrained. Also, if you come from a country that they consider "safe" they unofficially make it easier for you than if you come from a country they consider "risky". For example, a doctor from the USA would have a much easier time coming here than a doctor from say... anywhere in Africa, most of Asia or Eastern non-EU countries because they will expect you are more likely to be willing to return home than disappear into the system. As long as you have a good CV you should find a place. Also, you will have to be willing to be flexible on where you go because I know a lot of SHOs here that are expecting to have to move hundreds of miles away after their current posts just to be able to find a vacancy.