Nearly half of Britain’s newly-hired nurses and midwives were recruited from abroad, figures revealed last week. Forty-eight per cent of the 48,436 staff who joined the UK’s nursing and midwifery workforce came from different countries in 2021/22 — a record high.
The vast majority of the overseas-trained joiners (66 per cent) hailed from India and the Philippines. India has contributed to the rise of the highest registered professionals in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), according to the annual report released in London on Wednesday. Around 7.6 lakh professionals including nurses and midwives were accounted for as on March 31, 2022. “That’s around 30,000 more than there were a year earlier and is the highest level it has ever been,” according to the report.
The UK government says that the NHS follows ethical recruitment practices by not recruiting from a red list of countries. Concerns have been raised about the UK’s overreliance on overseas nurse, with top medics questioning how sustainable it is to ‘recruit half of new nurses from around the world’.
Meanwhile, nurses are leaving their jobs at an alarming rate. Leavers complained the job put them under ‘too much pressure’. In another warning sign, one fifth of the workforce are currently at retirement age, risking a further exodus next year.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) statistics suggest there has been a slight increase in the number of staff – with some 758,300 now registered to work across Britain. However, concerns have been raised about the rising number of people leaving the register.
A total of 27,133 nurses and midwives left the NMC register in 2021/22 – 13 per cent more than the year before. Nursing leaders have voiced concern over a rising reliance on overseas trained nurses and midwives in the UK with them now accounting for nearly half of newly registered professionals, a huge increase compared to previous years. The vast majority of these were nurses, some 25,000, and almost 1,500 midwives.
Among 6,500 nurses and midwives who responded to a ‘leavers’ survey’, the top reasons for quitting the register was retirement (42.9 per cent). Personal circumstances were mentioned by a fifth (21.7 per cent), while ‘too much pressure’ was cited by a similar amount (18.3 per cent). The report states that stress and poor mental health are factors in ‘many people’s decision to stop practicing’. Midwives were the most likely to cite this reason, closely followed by mental health nurses.
One nurse who left due to workplace pressures told the NMC: ‘Pressure at work and the change of working practice didn’t allow me to provide the care I wanted to give. ‘Covid restrictions compounded this. I was becoming stressed, tired and not sleeping well.’
Additionally, 36.5 per cent of leavers reported their experience of working during the pandemic had influenced their decision to quit the register. One midwife told the NMC it was not the virus itself but the associated workplace pressures that led to them leaving.
‘Regularly caring for two, three, four women who should have been one-two-one was terrifying and exhausting,’ they said. ‘Wearing the same mask all day because there were no others, begging for sterile gowns for crash sections, holding pee in all day because you are so short staffed, the list goes on.’
The figures also suggest one in five nurses and midwives (21 per cent) working in the UK are ‘of potential retirement age’. Andrea Sutcliffe, NMC chief executive, said the total number of registrants was the highest level ever, however there were some concerning signs.
Why are nurses and midwives leaving the profession?
A total of 27,133 nurses and midwives left the NMC register in 2021/22 – 13 per cent more than the year before.
Of theses 5,927 British trained nurses told the NMC why they were leaving and these were the top reasons:
- Retirement: 49.3 per cent
- Change of personal circumstances: 23.2 per cent
- Too much pressure at work: 20.1 per cent
- Negative workplace culture: 14.3 per cent
- The Covid pandemic: 11.5 per cent
‘The total number of people leaving the register has risen, after a steady and welcome fall over the previous four years,’ she said.
‘Another note of caution is that growth of the workforce has become more reliant on internationally trained professionals joining our register.
‘These professionals make a welcome and vital contribution to our nation’s health and wellbeing. But we can’t take them for granted.’
She said the pandemic had demonstrated the vulnerability of relying on overseas trained professionals.
‘Two years ago, we felt the pandemic’s impact on global travel; the number of international joiners to our register fell sharply,’ she said.
‘A future pandemic or other global disruption could see history repeat itself, but with an even bigger impact on the overall growth of the register.’
The figures also show the number of nurses coming from the EU has fallen for the fifth year in a row.
Commenting on the figures, Pat Cullen, general secretary and chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said: ‘The loss of 25,000 registered nurses last year is being felt profoundly by both patients and nurses alike.
‘When we have tens of thousands of vacant nurse jobs, a sharp rise in leavers should not be overlooked while we welcome new recruits.
‘Ministers should avoid overclaiming today – nursing staff tell us these shortages are biting more than ever.’ She also questioned the sustainability of recruiting ‘half of all new nurses from around the world.’
‘The UK’s health and care workforce is proudly diverse, but it must be done ethically and come at the same time as increased investment in education and domestic workers,’ she said.
Gill Walton, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, added: ‘We are already 2,000 midwives short in England, yet the number in the NHS continues to fall while demands on maternity services grow.
‘Other UK countries are also facing pressures.
‘This is not sustainable and is without doubt having an impact on the safety and quality of care for women, babies and their families.
‘It is also putting massive and unreasonable pressures on NHS midwives and maternity support workers – already battered by the pandemic – and many are starting to vote with their feet and leave the NHS.’
Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, added: ‘It is concerning to see a rise in the number of nurses, midwives and nursing associates leaving the register, reversing the trend of recent years.
‘Workforce shortages across the NHS, with more than 110,000 vacancies, are a huge risk to patient safety by impacting the quality of care that overstretched staff can provide – ‘too much pressure’ is the third most common reason cited by leavers.’
The recommendations of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (PACAANHPI) are to be sent to the White House now for approval. If adopted, it is is likely to bring cheers to the hundreds and thousands of Indian-Americans and those waiting, some even for decades, for a Green Card.
Now, an AOS applicant, or an eligible H-4 spouse, or L-2 spouse among other eligible EAD applicants, can be assured that there will be minimal concern of an employment-gap in their work authorization as they await their renewed EAD cards to arrive, Kim explains.
The US approved 407,071 H-1B petitions in 2021 and 301,616 of them 74.1 per cent were for Indian workers, according to the latest report on this topic released recently by the Department of Homeland Security, the government agency that oversees immigration.
“By restoring the availability of immigrant visas lost due to COVID-19 or bureaucratic delay and enhancing green card processing, we are investing in our families and U.S. businesses,” said Chair Nadler. “Our immigration system is in desperate need of reform and this legislation is a vital step in the right direction. That is why I am proud to join Subcommittee Chair Lofgren in introducing the Jumpstart our Legal Immigration System Act, which will recapture some 400,000 family- and employment- based visas, create an accelerated path to adjustment of status for those already here, and give much need funds to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to improve visa processing. This legislation, much of which was included in the House-passed version of the Build Back Better Act, is a no-brainer for our communities and economy.”
Additionally, the authority’s smart application provides the possibility to obtain an electronic copy of the Emirates ID upon request.
As per figures released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), it also issued 450,000 study permit applications. As of December 31, 2021, of the approximately 622,000 foreign students in Canada, Indians number as high as 217,410.
Exempting individuals with Ph.D.s in STEM fields from annual green card limits would relieve many from long wait times for permanent residence and (indirectly) reduce the decades-long waits for other highly skilled immigrants. The provision would allow U.S. employers to gain a significant competitive edge by offering the chance at permanent residence to outstanding researchers from around the world, including those early in their careers and engaging in cutting-edge work. (See 
U.S. hospitals are struggling with a shortage of nurses that worsened as pandemic burnout led many to retire or leave their jobs. Meanwhile, coronavirus cases continue to rise and fall, placing tremendous pressure on the health care system. In California alone, there’s an estimated gap of 40,000 nurses, or 14% of the workforce, according to a recent 
That travel ban does not apply to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, and it’s possible the ban could be lifted soon.
“On arrival, the passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to medical facility as per health protocol. If tested positive, their contacts shall be identified and managed as per laid down protocol,” said the updated guidelines.
Speaking on the occasion of the foundation laying stone ceremony of Noida International Airport here, PM Modi said, “Tourism of land-locked states like Uttar Pradesh will greatly benefit from the Noida International Airport. Now, pilgrims will be able to easily travel to temples and shrines in Uttar Pradesh.”
The Build Back Better Act includes long-term work permits and protections for seven million hardworking immigrant essential workers that will help prevent family separation, stabilize our workforce, boost our economy, and create jobs,” said Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Raúl Ruiz (D-Calif.).
India is followed by China, Mexico, the Philippines, and Egypt, the report said. In India, remittances are projected to grow 3% in 2022 to $89.6 billion, reflecting a drop in overall migrant stock, as a large proportion of returnees from the Arab countries await return, it said.
“For H-4 spouses who have lawful status and merely need to renew their employment authorization, they will now enjoy an automatic extension of their authorization for 180 days after expiration should the agency fail to process their timely-filed applications,” said Bless.
Lopez noted that while these programs do benefit hospitality companies, their overall impact is small. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the hospitality industry had 1.58 million job openings in September, and the federal government caps the number of H-2B visas issued annually to 66,000.
Now the administration has agreed to provide automatic work authorization permits to the spouses of H-1B visa holders, most of whom are Indian IT professionals.
The United States is largely wide open, although there are some state and local restrictions that still apply. For example, there are mask mandates in Hawaii, Illinois, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. Washington, DC and Puerto Rico also require masks in indoor public spaces.
Starting on November 8, non-citizen, non-immigrant air travelers to the United States will be required to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to fly to the U.S., with only limited exceptions. The updated travel guidelines also include new protocols around testing. To further strengthen protections, unvaccinated travelers – whether U.S. Citizens, lawful permanent residents (LPRs), or the small number of excepted unvaccinated foreign nationals – will now need to test within one day of departure.
The guidelines released last week had said that travelers coming from a country with which India has reciprocal arrangements for mutual acceptance of WHO-approved Covid-19 vaccines would not have to self-isolate but would have to produce a negative RT-PCR test.
The department said Oct. 19 that Facebook, headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif., will also pay up to $9.75 million to the workers it had discriminated against under a settlement it made with it and the Labor Department, reported IANS. “This settlement is an important step forward and means that U.S. workers will have a fair chance to learn about and apply for Facebook’s job opportunities,” Labor Department’s Indian American Solicitor Seema Nanda said.
Sure enough, both Wages’s and her partner’s passports had expired during the 
The move comes a year and a half after grant of tourist visas was suspended in the wake of Covid pandemic. The ministry said in a statement that the decision was taken following consultations with stakeholders like the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Tourism and state governments.
The United Kingdom is easing its travel restrictions starting from October 11 allowing travellers from more countries to enter the UK. Indians were already allowed to travel to the UK but what changes from October 11 is that those who are vaccinated with both doses of Covishield will not require to undergo 10-day mandatory quarantine in the UK.
In other words, she said, lawmakers cannot squeeze giving eight million immigrants a pathway to legal citizenship into a legislative 
Under these quota rules, unused Green Cards in the Family-based categories are added to the Employment-based categories and vice versa. Typically, a very large percentage of Family-based Green Cards are issued by U.S. Consulates abroad (through the Immigrant Visa application process) and a very large percentage of Employment-based Green Cards are issued by the USCIS in the United States through the Adjustment of Status application process. Due to such restrictions, the American economy is unable to access the full international talent pool of high-skilled workers already present and working in the United States today – indeed, the very scientists, inventors, health care workers, entrepreneurs, and other professionals that give the United States its edge over its global competitors today, the lawmakers write.
The restriction does not apply to international cargo operations. Exceptions are also made to international flights under travel bubble agreements or flights approved by the DGCA. India currently has travel bubble agreements with 28 countries, the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry website indicates. The DGCA also said that scheduled international flights might be allowed on selected routes on a case-to-case basis. Commercial international flights have remained suspended since March 23, 2020, to check the spread of the Covid-19 infection. The Indian government had initially imposed international travel restrictions in March 2020, which have since been prolonged by almost 18 months Special international flights were also operating under the ‘Vande Bharat Mission’ since May 2020 to bring home thousands of Indian nationals stranded abroad due to the 
This is the first such attempt in the state where expatriates, and returnees, of a village have come together and mobilized capital for a business enterprise of this kind. The total investment of Rs 18 crore was raised from 207 people. Of these, 147 invested only Rs 1 lakh each. The price of a share was fixed at Rs 50,000, and an individual had to invest in at least two shares. There was a cap on the maximum investment as well – Rs 40 lakh per person. “The major highlight of the venture is that a large section of investors are ordinary people who have some small savings, a few lakh rupees, after years of toil in the Gulf. But for an initiative of this type, they would not have been able to be a part of a professional business venture,” said GTF Steels Chairman Mohammed Basheer Nadammal.
From the baptism of Peter Pope (in the year Shakespeare died) to the death of Catherine of Bengal; the chronicles of Joseph Emin, Abu Taleb and Mirza Ihtishamuddin to Sake Dean Mahomet’s Hindoostane Coffee House; Gandhi’s experiments in Holborn to the recovery of the lost manuscript of Tagore’s Gitanjali in Baker Street; Jinnah’s trysts with Shakespeare to Nehru’s duels with destiny; Princess Sophia’s defiance of the royalty to Anand establishing the Progressive Writers’ Association in Soho; Aurobindo Ghose’s Victorian idylls to Subhas Chandra Bose’s interwar days; the four Indian politicians who sat at Westminster to the blood pacts for Pakistan; India in the shockwaves at Whitehall to India in the radiowaves at the BBC; the intrigues of India House and India League to hundreds of East Bengali restaurateurs seasoning curries and kebabs around Brick Lane�the book details all this and more. “Indians in London” is a scintillating adventure across the Thames, the Embankment, the Southwarks, Bloomsburys, Kensingtons, Piccadillys, Wembleys and Brick Lanes that saw a nation-a cultural, historical and literary revolution that redefined London over half a millennium of Indian migrations-reborn as independent India.
Lawmakers approved Democrats’ budget resolution on a party-line 50-49 vote, a crucial step for a president and party set on training the government’s fiscal might at assisting families, creating jobs and fighting climate change. Higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations would pay for much of it. Passage came despite an avalanche of Republican amendments intended to make their rivals pay a price in next year’s elections for control of Congress.
Overall, the region’s population grew by 12.9% to 6.6 million, less than in past decades. Loudoun County led northern Virginia and the metro area with an increase of 38.4%, while in the Maryland suburbs of D.C., Howard County grew the most, 15.8%.
The figures released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau offered the most detailed portrait yet of how the country has changed since 2010 and will also be instrumental in redrawing the nation’s political maps.
Biden and Harris said they backed achieving this by using the budget process known to get the necessary legislation for it through the Senate, where the Democrats do not have the 60 votes needed for passing a separate law for it.
The commemoration took place on Thursday, August 5th during a meeting with representatives of the Asian, Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community during which they discussed combating hate crimes against Asians, the White House said.
The recommendation comes because “assigning sex using a binary variable and placing it on the public portion of the birth certificate perpetuates a view that it is immutable,” the AMA’s LGBTQ+ advisory committee stated in a 
“Ultimately we realized our case worker was not able to make anything happen,” Wages says. “We’d spent hours refreshing the page to get appointments, and nothing was becoming available. We decided there was no way [we could still go on the trip].”
Since Indo-Canadians are one of the fastest growing communities in Canada, they will be the major beneficiaries of the program. Applications can be submitted online over a two-week period, starting September 20.
The Biden administration had no immediate response to Friday’s ruling. But the long-awaited knockdown spurred a political outcry and intensified pressure on the White House and Congress to pass an immigration measure this year. Immigrants brought to this country as children, known as “dreamers,” are among the most sympathetic of the 11 million immigrants in the United States illegally. Still, Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been unable to agree on whether to grant them legal status despite months of negotiations.Democrats are considering whether to use a budget reconciliation measure to take that action, a move that would require only a simple majority vote in the evenly divided Senate.
“Over the last 15 years, the Conrad 30 program has brought more than 15,000 physicians to underserved areas, filling a critical need for quality care in our rural communities – a need that was highlighted during the coronavirus pandemic,” Klobuchar said in a statement. “Our bipartisan legislation would allow doctors to remain in the areas they serve, improving health care for families across the nation while retaining talent trained and educated here in the United States,” she added.
San Francisco Bay Area-based Prashant Prasad, a volunteer for Immigration Voice, a grass roots organization representing the high skilled immigrants in the US, explains why the current bill may be good news. He says, “We started advocating for a simple bill which would remove the per country caps for employment based green cards many years ago. The primary purpose of this was to ensure that employment based green cards are given on a first come first served basis.
Speaking on her first overseas trip since taking office, she said the journey north was dangerous and would mainly benefit people smugglers. Her comments, during a press conference after she met privately with Giammattei, underscored the challenge that remains even as Harris engages in substantive talks with the Guatemalan and Mexican presidents during a three-day visit to the region this week, her first foreign trip as vice president.“I want to emphasize that the goal of our work is to help Guatemalans find hope at home,” Harris said. “At the same time, I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border: Do not come, do not come.”
In a Level 4 travel advisory — the highest of its kind issued by the State Department — U.S. citizens were told “not to travel to India or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so.” There are 14 direct daily flights between India and the U.S. and other services that connect through Europe, the department said.
The restrictions cover South Africa, China, Iran, Brazil, Ireland, Britain and the 29 countries belonging to the common visa zone known as the Schengen Area. US citizens and legal residents and their immediate family members are exempt from the restrictions, as also are diplomats, but they are advised to follow precautions. They are asked to test themselves for COVID-19 between three and five days after arrival.
With a view to update the data regarding new passports obtained by the OCI cardholder, it has been decided that he/she shall upload a copy of the new passport containing his/her photo and also a latest photo on the online OCI portal, each time a new passport is issued up to 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age. These documents may be uploaded by the OCI cardholder within 3 months of receipt of the new passport.