-
- Role of the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency
- The Agency Board
- Organisational Structure
- Where to find us
- Contact Us
- Corporate Services
- Annual Reports
- Complaints
- Data Protection and Freedom of Information
- Equality
- Publication Scheme
- Business Management
- Policies and Procedures
- Privacy Notice
-
- Dental Foundation Training
- Dental Core Training
- Dental Specialty Training
- Application for a Dental Foundation Training Number (HS48A Form)
- Dental Continuing Education
- Dental Care Professionals
- Dental Simulation Training
- Wellbeing for the Dental Team
- Dental Training Newsletters
- Dental Training - Contact Information
- Refugee and Asylum Seeker Dental Professionals
- Dental Careers
-
- Foundation Recruitment
- Foundation Educators
- Foundation Doctor Information
- FLiGHT - (Foundation Learning in Generic Hot Topics)
- F1RST - (F1 Regional Skills Teaching)
- Study Leave & Taster Modules
- Curriculum Requirements
- Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP)
- TURAS ePortfolio
- Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA)
- SCRIPT Registration
- Absence Notification Procedure
- Special Circumstances
- Inter-Foundation School Transfers (IFST)
- 'Foundation Update' Newsletters
- Foundation Training - Contacts
-
- Annual Day of Celebration
- Study Leave Support and Guidance
- GP Training - Trainee Assist Pathway Programme
- GP Training - The Full Programme
- GP Training - ePortfolio & Exams
- Out of Hours Training
- GP ST3 Appraisal
- GP Quality Improvement
- EQUIP (Experience in Quality Improvement)
- GP Training - News
- GP Trainers and Training Practices
- GP - Continuing Professional Development
- GP Training - Safeguarding Resources
- GP Training - Small Group Learning (SGL)
- Royal College of General Practitioners - Northern Ireland (RCGPNI)
- GP - Key Guidance Forms and Policies
- GP Training - Balint
- GP Training - Contact Information
- Visa Sponsorship
- GP Practice - Visa Sponsorship Pathways
-
- School of Anaesthetics & Intensive Care Medicine
- Broad Based Training (BBT)
- Diagnostics
- Emergency Medicine
- Medicine
- Medical Specialties
- Obstetrics & Gynaecology
- Paediatrics & Child Health
- Psychiatry
- Surgery
- Information for Newly Appointed Doctors in Training
- iQuest
- Support and Guidance Information
- Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP)
- Hospital Specialty Training Committee
- Hospital Specialty - Leadership Opportunities
- Lead Educators Forum
- Hospital Specialty - Newsletters
- Hospital Specialty - Contact Information
-
- SAS Recognition Award Winners celebrated as part of National #SASWeek24
- ‘Orthodontic Therapy Diploma’ course commencing June 2025
- Clinical Education Day 2024 – “Innovate, Educate, Elevate”
- CALL FOR ABSTRACTS - Research for Clinicians 2024
- Trainees thrive at NIMDTA Regional Enhanced Induction Event
- Coffee and Networking Welcome Event
- Educational Excellence Award Winners shine during ADEPT Showcase Event
- Virtual Welcome Event 2024 for Trainees New to Northern Ireland (N2NI)
- PSW Masterclass Event Success
- Recruitment to Specialised Foundation Programmes from 2025
- Associate Dean appointed for SAS Career Development
- National Success for Northern Ireland Foundation School
- PSW host successful ‘Masterclass Session’
- Clinical Education Day 2023 – “High Quality Education for All”
- Turner Warwick Prize Award for ADEPT Fellow
- New 'Simulation Based Education' Newsletter released!
- PSW release Episode One in a new Podcast Series!
- #ChooseGPNI….your pathway to a GP career in Northern Ireland
- Virtual Welcome Event for trainees New to Northern Ireland (N2NI)
- New Placement Quality Survey - NOW OPEN!!!
- Educational Excellence Day 2023
- Attention Final Year Medical Students!!!
- Educational Excellence Awards 2023
- Become a Peer Mentor
- Statement on behalf of NIMDTA
- Your COURSE BOOKING SYSTEM IS CHANGING on Monday 9th January 2023
- NIMDTA ADEPT Fellows host Breakfast Session with UK Chief and Deputy Chief Medical Officers
- 2023 BMA MEDFASH Prize
- Dr Ian Steele reflects on a successful 20-year tenure as he announces retirement from NIMDTA
- Statement on continued derogations in medical education and training
- Clinical Education Day 2022 – A welcome return to ‘in-person’ conferencing…”
- Planned Closure – Bank Holiday Monday 19 September 2022
- Trainee Welcome Event 2022
- NIMDTA Welcomes New ADEPT Fellows for the training year 2022-2023
- General Dental Council calls for urgent focus on CPD renewal
- Awards celebration for the ADEPT Fellows of 2021/2022
- ST3 GP Trainees bring unique ways to share knowledge during their Celebration Day!
- NIMDTA ‘Zoom In’ on Success for its Educational Excellence Awards 2022
-
- Why Choose NI?
- Working in Health Care in Northern Ireland
- Accommodation Support and Information
- Finance Support and Information
- Childcare and Schools
- Healthcare Support and Information
- Internet/ Mobile Phone/ Television - help with getting connected
- Transport Options in Northern Ireland
- Places to Worship - Religion & Spirituality
- Entertainment and Activities
- N2NI Checklist
GP Practice - Visa Sponsorship Pathways
A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) confirms details of an applicant and the job they have applied to do.
If an applicant is not a ‘settled worker’ or they do not have the appropriate immigration permission to work in the UK, they need to be sponsored if they wish to be employed by a GP Practice in Northern Ireland.
If you are a GP Practice and wish to employ an individual who requires a Skilled Worker Visa to work in the UK, then you will need to have a Sponsor Licence issued by the Home Office.
Useful Documents
Information for GP Practices:
If your practice is hoping to employ a newly qualified GPs, you may need to consider applying to become a UK visa sponsoring practice.
International medical graduates have excellent English language skills and knowledge of the NHS ways of working, but most of them will need visa sponsorship if they are to continue working in GP practices after they qualify. The process is straightforward and can be completed online.
Please click on this Step-by-step guide to becoming a Visa Sponsor (presentation shared in the webinar provided by NIMDTA November 2022)
In the webinar (video below) you can hear from practice managers in Northern Ireland about their experience of the process and learn some of their “top tips” for completing the application.
This link outlines the Home Office process of becoming a Sponsor and provides an overview of associated costs and responsibilities. The key points highlighted within the guidance are:
Costs/Fees
To apply for a Sponsor Licence you will need to pay an application fee. The fee depends on the type of licence you’re applying for and what type of organisation you are.
Full details on Licence Fees can be found here.
After a Sponsor Licence has been approved, you can provide a CoS to a Skilled Worker. The cost of a CoS is £199 and is payable for each CoS that is assigned.
In addition to the CoS costs, you might have to pay an additional charge when you assign a CoS, this is called the ‘immigration skills charge’.
There are some exemptions to this charge, full details including the costs can be found here.
Those applying for a Sponsor Licence would need to ensure there is a payment card available for payment of both the Licence fee and any individual sponsorships costs.
Licence Fees
Small Practice: One-off payment | £536 |
Large Practice: One-off payment | £1,476 |
Sponsorship Fees
GP Certificate of Sponsorship Fee | £199 | per GP |
Immigration Skills Charge: Small Practice | £364 | per GP, per annum |
Immigration Skills Charge: Large Practice | £1000 | per GP, per annum |
Total Sponsorship Fee per Sponsor: Small Sponsor | £563 | per GP, per annum |
Total Sponsorship Fees per Sponsor: Large Sponsor | £1199 | per GP, per annum |
Application to become CoS Sponsor
You need to apply online for your licence, via this link.
You will need to provide supporting documents and the submission sheet when submitting your application, which are outlined here.
You will need to nominate key staff members within your Practice who will have specific certain responsibilities, information can be found here.
Most applications are dealt with in less than 8 weeks. You may be able to pay an extra £500 to get a decision within 10 working days. You’ll be told how to ask for a faster decision after you apply.
Home Office Responsibilities
There are responsibilities with becoming a Sponsor, full details can be found here. As a Skilled Worker Sponsor, you must:
- check that your foreign workers have the necessary skills, qualifications, or professional accreditations to do their jobs, and keep copies of documents showing this
- only assign certificates of sponsorship to workers when the job is suitable for sponsorship
- tell UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) if your sponsored workers are not complying with the conditions of their visa
Your licence may be downgraded, suspended or withdrawn if you do not fulfil these responsibilities.
Read the full guidance on sponsor requirements and duties and check workers have the right to work in the UK.