All applicants to medical training programmes will be required to provide right to work documentation.

All applicants will be requested to produce valid right to work documents. Applicants who do not have valid right to work documents will need to apply for Tier 2 / Skilled Worker sponsorship.

From 1 July 2021, European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) citizens will need to either:

  • provide confirmation that they have obtained EU settlement status
  • have another valid right to work visa (for example dependent visa)
  • apply for Skilled Worker sponsorship

Important: Medical practitioners

Medical practitioners are now part of the Shortage Occupation List and the Health and Care visa route is available to medical and dental practitioners.

For applicants who require sponsorship, it is important to be aware of the United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirements below.

United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirements

Criminal records certificates

The UKVI requires those applying to come to the UK as a Skilled Worker doctor or dentist in training to produce a criminal record certificate from any country in which they have been present for 12 months or more, consecutively or cumulatively, in the previous 10 years. Their adult dependants, aged 18 or over, must do the same.

If applicants are successful in being appointed to a training programme in the UK, and require Skilled Worker sponsorship, they must provide the criminal record certificate to the UKVI when they make their visa application.

As it can take some time to obtain a criminal record certificate, applicants should begin the process of seeking certificates, if required, at the earliest opportunity.

Please note that this is for entry clearance applications only, so will only be applicable if applying from outside the UK.

Details of how to obtain such a check from the relevant authorities abroad is available on the UKVI website.

If the country concerned is not listed, please contact the relevant embassy or consulate for further details. There are contact details on the Foreign embassies in the UK page.

Maintenance

Public bodies cannot offer to certify maintenance on the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). If applicants are successful in being appointed to a training programme in the UK and require Skilled Worker sponsorship, they will be required to provide evidence of maintenance (funds) to the UKVI when they make their visa application.

For full guidance, go to Gov.UK's Skilled Worker visa page.

Page last reviewed: 26 January 2024
Next review due: 2 January 2025