Hey everyone, this is Nic! This is my second post as a co-editor of STP Perspectives. I’m an ‘international applicant’ and I want to shine a little light on the application process (or rather the Visa situation) for people hoping to stay or move to the UK for the STP.
There is a bit of a grey area around being an international applicant, hoping to get a Tier 2 Work Visa with the NHS while on the STP. I’ve been in the position where I’ve applied for the STP (and gotten an interview offer) and the only answer I’ve gotten was:
“If you’re successful, the appointed Trust/Organisation will be able to advise.”
From my position, and the position of at least dozens, if not hundreds, of applicants, this is not a very reassuring answer for people to receive! For the purpose of this post, I’ll be talking from my experiences of being an international applicant. I was lucky enough to be on the Graduate Visa* that the UK currently offers, which meant I had some unique circumstances that definitely supported my journey in being fully employed.
(Obviously, none of this is meant to be any formal advice on visa applications! You will have a unique situation with your specific Health Board or Trust that can support you in a different way! Some links are at the bottom of the post for reference!)
The Application Process
Realistically, the application process for an international applicant does not differ from anyone else. This is reassuring in that applicants are not treated differently based on their protected characteristics which is what you would like to expect. Throughout the application process, you’d only highlight your need for a visa in the very first step, which the hiring manager doesn’t get to see anyways!
My Experience of Applying for a Visa
You’ve thankfully been offered the position of being an STP Trainee if you’ve gotten to this step. This is where things might get a bit messy but be assured that things are more in your control than you think.
I wasn’t working under the Tier 2 Work Visa when I started the STP. When I started, I was still on the Graduate Visa, thankfully, giving me some buffer room while starting my STP to sort out the administrative bits of applying and getting the Work Visa.
You have to take initiative with your HR department and the relevant teams that you can work with to get your application through. I was in constant contact with the National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS) and Healthcare Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) to help me drive my visa situation. In my case, my hiring manager had never hired an employee who needed support with their right-to-work, so we had to reach out to contacts to support my application.
While I was trying to get my Certificate of Sponsorship to be able to apply for a visa, there was a misunderstanding between the responsible parties** for who would be paying the sponsorship fees. There was communication between the HR department of my health board, the NSHCS and HEIW for who would be responsible for this. After some lengthy discussions, the HEIW, who fund the STP for NHS Wales, agreed to fund my sponsorship fees as a one-off. This was then communicated to the HR department of my health board, with the job-code that would allow me to apply for the Health and Care visa.
There is also a lot of nuances around applicable visas for different NHS employees. The Health and Care visa is currently geared towards patient-facing roles so there is definitely research that needs to go into the visa you’re eligible for as well.
Apply for the STP!
At the end of the day, just put your hat in the ring for the STP! The visa situation can be sorted when you have to cross that bridge.
I hope this has given you some insight into the Visa situation and taken some of the lack of certainty away. There are teams and individuals put in place to support you when you’re in the onboarding process.
Some useful links:
Health and Care Worker Visa (A subcategory of the Skilled Worker Visa)
GovUK Website for Visas and Immigration
NSHCS Requirements & FAQs for International Applicants
Disclaimer
The post is based on my personal experiences and is provided for informational purposes only. It should not be considered formal or legal advice regarding visa applications. Each individual’s situation is unique, and specific advice should be sought from the relevant Health Board, Trust, or a qualified immigration advisor. The processes and policies mentioned may change, so always verify with official sources.
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