§ Mr. BaronTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of visa granted by Work Permits UK to overseas nurses seeking employment in the UK was in each of the last three years for which figures are available; whether it is possible for such a visa to be extended at the request of the applicant; and how many overseas nurses, having successfully been granted a working visa for the UK, have sought to extend this visa in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [103075]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 17 March 2003]: Figures for the average length of work permits granted to overseas nurses in each of the last three calendar years are unavailable due to the nature of the information recorded on the Work Permits (UK) Management Information system.
A work permit for an overseas nurse can be extended at the request of the UK-based employer that originally recruited the nurse.
708WIn November 2002, I established an Illegal Working Steering Group, which includes representatives from a range of business sectors, the Trades Union's Congress and Commission for Racial Equality. The group has the potential to become a key player in the prevention of illegal working, by ensuring that there is greater awareness of the problems that this form of illegality creates. The group will also be involved in ensuring that the guidance for complying with the amended legislation will be clear, concise and practical.
The figures for the number of overseas nurses who have received an extension on their original work permit in each of the last three calendar years are given as follows:
- 2002: 6,228
- 2001: 3,036
- 2000: 1,529
§ Mr. BaronTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications Work Permits UK received from overseas nurses wishing to work in the UK in each of the last five years, broken down by nationality. [103076]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 17 March 2003]: Applications for work permits are made by UK-based employers on behalf of overseas nationals.
The figures for the number of applications received from UK-based employers to recruit overseas nurses in each of the last five calendar years, broken down by the top 10 nationalities are given in the following tables:
2002 Nationality Number of work permits approved Philippines 11,921 India 4,957 South Africa 4,039 Zimbabwe 2,994 Nigeria 1,875 Ghana 700 Australia 691 Pakistan 606 Zambia 465 Kenya 444 Others 3,992 709W
2001 Nationality Number of work permits approved Philippines 10,887 India 3,416 South Africa 3,185
2001 Nationality Number of work permits approved Zimbabwe 2,068 Nigeria 1,289 Australia 760 Ghana 564 Pakistan 532 Trinidad and Tobago 410 Zambia 368 Others 3,559
2000 Nationality Number of work permits approved Philippines 6,973 South Africa 1,997 Zimbabwe 1,223 India 1,195 Nigeria 1,027 Australia 571 Trinidad and Tobago 475 Jamaica 338 Ghana 334 New Zealand 278 Others 2,198
1999 Nationality Number of work permits approved Philippines 1,103 South Africa 974 Nigeria 542 Zimbabwe 529 Trinidad and Tobago 394 Australia 371 India 219 Mauritius 184 New Zealand 158 Jamaica 157 Others 1,019
1998 Nationality Number of work permits approved Nigeria 284 South Africa 221 Mauritius 216 Trinidad and Tobago 210 Zimbabwe 210 Australia 207 New Zealand 100 Ghana 66 Malaysia 58 Canada 46 Others 351