Health Minister Lord Warner has announced today that from July 2006 onwards, all Non EU doctors wishing to work in the U.K. will require a work permit. This effectively means that an NHS Trust hospital has to prove that a "home grown" doctor can not fulfil the position, thus ending the permit free visas.

Could this move have been sparked by protests from junior doctors who have been unable to find training posts? At present it is claimed that upwards of 1000 applications are received for each post advertised. Could this spell the end for the GMC's overseas examination centres for the PLAB and its related industry in East Ham, London?

New Work Permit Regulation

For further clarification of how this new regulation will be applied, the NHS Employers have a FAQ section.

New Work Permit FAQ