Visas - Tier 4 Sponsorship

INFORMATION

Re: STFS TRUST AGREEMENT TO MONITOR FOUNDATION DOCTORS WITH TIER 4 VISA STATUS

Introduction

The UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) has agreed to undertake the role of Tier 4 sponsor on the understanding that they had the full support of the four UK health departments and that all Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs), through their postgraduate deaneries, comply with the terms of a service level agreement (SLA) in order that the UKFPO can comply with the reporting requirements complicit with being a Tier 4 sponsor.

As part of this service level agreement, South Thames Foundation School (STFS) is required to monitor the sponsored foundation doctors with Tier 4 status within each trust.

By signing the SLA, the Hospital/Trust has agreed to:

• Monitor sponsored foundation doctors with Tier 4 visa status
• remind sponsored foundation doctors with Tier 4 visa status that it is also their responsibility to engage with the monitoring process and advise the Hospital/Trust about any issues
• report to STFS within seven working days of the information becoming known or the event occurring.

Activities to be reported upon

Employers must report the following to STFS (via Janet Benjamin – tier4@stfs.org.uk) any of the following issues within 7 working days of the information being known using the Activity Report form below:

a) a sponsored foundation doctor does not turn up for their first day at work. The reason the doctor gave for non-attendance must also be included (for example, a missed flight)

b) a sponsored foundation doctor has more than 10 working days of unauthorised absences from work

c) a sponsored foundation doctor misses 10 ‘expected contacts’* during their Foundation Programme without the foundation school/employers reasonably granted permission.  STFS will report to UKFPO within 7 working days of the 10th missed contact

d) a sponsored foundation doctor transfers to another foundation school**

e) a sponsored foundation doctor leaves the Foundation Programme, or if their contract of employment ends (including where they resign or are dismissed).  The foundation school should inform the UKFPO of the name and address of any new employer or institution that the doctor has joined, if known

f) a sponsored foundation doctor changes to flexible or part-time training*** 

g) a sponsored foundation doctor’s length of foundation training changes and they will shortly require an extension of sponsorship by the UKFPO (if they need to undertake remedial training, if they are out of programme for more than 4 weeks in one year or if they undertake a period of maternity leave).

 *Expected contacts include any instance where the foundation doctor is expected to attend a lesson, lecture, tutorial, seminar or scheduled meeting with tutors or advisors in relation to their Foundation Programme. If the foundation doctor misses an expected contact due to covering service delivery needs, it should NOT be counted as a missed contact.

 ** Please note that reporting a change of foundation school will not affect the doctor’s visa status. We need to keep a record of the doctor’s primary place of study, which is shown as the foundation school to which s/he is allocated, as agreed with the UKBA.

 ***Under the UKBA guidelines, the UKFPO can only sponsor foundation doctors working full time within the Foundation Programme.

Any Tier 4 queries should be directed to tier4@stfs.org.uk