From overseas? RCN Immigration is here for you

Published: 20 December 2012

The RCN can help Independent Sector (and NHS) employees navigate their way through the immigration rules.

The RCN Immigration Advice Service, based in Croydon in the South East region, is accredited by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner to give immigration advice and representation on working in the UK and on all other immigration and nationality applications.

This means the service could help you if you are:

• An overseas health care worker or nurse who has a job in the UK and needs help applying for permission to remain or applying for settlement in the UK;
• A health care worker in the UK who is settled here and wants to apply for British citizenship;
• An overseas nurse or HCA who is having immigration-related employment problems.

Andrew Jordan, RCN Immigration Adviser, said: "Immigration rules are constantly evolving and we can help nursing staff navigate the system.

"Recent changes to immigration rules in April, July and December this year mean people often need help working out what their status is and what they need to do next. We regularly deal with applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK and British Citizenship.

"Recently we supported a member who had been suspended from employment as a result of his immigration status. We made representations to his employer concerning his impending immigration application and stood by him until he was finally granted Indefinite Leave to Remain six months later."

To contact the RCN IAS and see if it can help you, call the duty advice line Monday to Friday between 12 and 2pm on 0345 408 4391 or email immigration.advice@rcn.org.uk.

You can also visit the IAS page at http://www.rcn.org.uk/support/services/immigration_advice_service.

The RCN IAS is part of Member Support Services which includes Welfare Rights and Guidance, Careers, Counselling and Peer Support.