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This guide has been designed to support GP Practices by providing guidance and advice on how to apply for a Visa Sponsorship Licence, with UK Visa and Immigration. Becoming a visa sponsoring practice, will help support and retain GP IMGs in the NHS Scotland workforce, ensuring longer term stability of the Primary Care workforce.
You will find guidance and signposting to information about how to apply for a UKVI Visa Sponsorship Licence, as well as details of the benefits of becoming a visa sponsor, the steps involved and the costs.
Explore the range of tools and steps to support your practice become a visa sponsor.
Please note the information in this guide is in accordance with current immigration legislation and processes as of April 2025. In May 2025 the UK Government published their Restoring control over the immigration system white paper. We will update the guides as and when any proposed changes from the white paper come into force. Please always refer to the UKVI website for updates and changes on immigration legislation for the most up to date information.
If you have any questions about the information in this guide, or you feel there is information which would be useful to add, please get in touch with the Centre for Workforce Supply at nes.cws@nhs.scot.
Copyright
©NHS Education for Scotland 2025. You can copy or reproduce the information in this document for use within NHS Scotland and for non- commercial educational purposes.
Use of this document for commercial purposes is permitted only within the written permission of NES.
Acknowledgements
This guide has been produced with the support of our partners at Scotland's Migration Service, the Royal College of General Practitioners in Scotland and Scottish Government.
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