To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to encourage GP Practices to become approved sponsors of international medical graduates.

The Home Office have already delivered a range of measures to support the health and care sector to recruit international medical graduates to work in the UK. The Home Office launched the Health & Care Visa in 2020, which makes it easier, cheaper, and quicker for health workers – including international medical graduates - to come and stay in the UK to work, compared to other immigration routes.

We strongly encourage more GP surgeries to become Home Office approved sponsors, as this is the best way for the sector to retain international medical graduates as GPs, providing them with the ability to continue to renew their visa while living in the UK and to qualify for permanent settlement in due course.

Sponsorship is straightforward and business-friendly; the majority of sponsors on our register are SMEs, much like GP surgeries are likely to be. The Government is working to increase the number of GP Practices registered as Home Office sponsors.

The Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Care will continue to work together to raise awareness of the Health and Care Visa.