UK govt publishes guidance for those applying for health and social care jobs in UK from abroad

By A Staff Reporter

LONDON April 5: The UK government has issued an updated guidance on 3rd April 2023, for people from overseas who may want to work in health and social care in the UK.

The UK government want to make sure healthcare workers understand the process of recruitment, are well informed about working rights and standards and have the information you need to make decisions.

The government states that they are also aware that there are some people and organisations who may try to take advantage of prospective candidates during the recruitment process and this guidance provides advice on how to make sure they avoid any pitfalls.

The code of practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel (code of practice) sets out our approach to ensuring that international recruitment of health and social care staff is done ethically.

The UK government wants all health and social care professionals trained overseas who come to work in the health and social care sector in the UK to be aware on how international recruitment, agencies operate and how to avoid scams.

Some of the key messages in the guidance are as below:

Check a recruitment agency is on this ethical recruiters list. Agencies on this list have signed up to act in line with the code of practice.

Do not pay any money to agencies to find work in the UK – this is illegal under UK law.

Be aware of different scams and job offers that sound too good to be true. Examples of potential scams, the warning signs, and what to check are provided in the sections ‘Scams to look out for’ and ‘How to check if your job is real’, below.

Support and advice are available throughout the recruitment process and after you’ve started your job. Have a look through the section ‘Organisations to support you through the recruitment process and during your employment’ to work out which organisation is right for you.