An A&E doctor from overseas, who has undergone training and served in the UK for ten years, expressed strong disapproval towards Nigel Farage’s proposal to eliminate indefinite leave to remain (ILR).
Dr. Jinnie Shin, aged 44 and originally from Boston, USA, shared her concerns about the potential impact of the proposed changes on her status in the UK. She hopes that the controversial plans will not come to fruition.
Having transitioned from a career in biomedical science to medicine, Dr. Shin relocated to the UK in 2015 to join the prestigious NHS workforce. She became a qualified doctor in 2019 and diligently worked during the pandemic in the NHS. Presently holding a Tier 2 skilled worker visa, she had been considering applying for ILR within the next year.
However, Nigel Farage’s recent announcement, stating that if Reform UK assumes power, ILR would be scrapped, has caused alarm among many, as it would not only affect the pathway to citizenship for migrants but also jeopardize the status of numerous legally settled individuals in the UK. Unions representing NHS and care workers emphasized the essential role played by overseas staff in sustaining the operational functionality of the NHS.
Residing in East Hertfordshire with her European partner, whom she met in London, Jinnie conveyed a sense of unwelcome due to Reform UK’s proposed policy changes, despite having lived in the country for the past decade.
Expressing her dismay, Dr. Shin highlighted the invaluable contributions of International Medical Graduate (IMG) doctors to the NHS, emphasizing their vital role in supporting the healthcare system. She stressed the potential adverse consequences of denying ILR to these healthcare professionals, especially with the NHS already facing significant workforce shortages.
Dr. Shin pointed out that 36% of NHS doctors were non-UK nationals in the previous year, underscoring the critical need for retaining skilled medical staff to prevent the NHS from facing a collapse. She expressed concerns about the detrimental impact that a blanket denial of ILR could have on an already strained healthcare system.
In response to the proposed changes, Dr. Shin highlighted her training within the NHS and emphasized that her forced departure would represent a loss to British taxpayers. Despite the uncertainties about the future, she remains hopeful that the drastic measure of revoking ILR from individuals like her will not come to pass.
A spokesperson from Reform UK clarified that under their proposed reforms, individuals holding ILR would still be eligible to apply for a renewable five-year visa. Additionally, Reform UK intends to introduce Acute Skills Shortage Visas (ASSV) to address critical shortages in key national roles, such as those within the NHS.