Immigration controls to be relaxed to help NHS

Tough immigration rules introduced by Theresa May are to be relaxed to help the NHS recruit foreign doctors and nurses, it has emerged.

May introduced a cap on skilled non-EU workers when she was establishing the ‘hostile environment’ for foreigners as home secretary, but NHS bosses have said it has prevented clinicians entering Britain.

Tier two visas, used by skilled workers from outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland, are limited to 20,700 people a year.

The BBC is reporting it expects the Home Office to formally exclude doctors from this tomorrow.

It follows pressure from influential Tories such as Jacob Rees-Mogg and Ruth Davidson.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid has previously said he would “take a fresh look” at the cap.

He told the Andrew Marr show: "I know a number of my colleagues certainly want me to take a look at this, and that’s exactly what I’m doing and I hope to think about this more carefully and see what can be done.”

The BMA said the change "would represent a huge victory for common sense and for the BMA, which has long-campaigned for the restriction to be reviewed."