UK May Close Doors for Indian Doctors: New Law Prioritizes British Graduates in NHS Training

Thousands of Indian doctors currently work in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), providing essential medical care across specialties such as cardiology, neurology, and general practice. However, a new law introduced by the UK government may make it significantly harder for Indian doctors and other international medical graduates (IMGs) to secure specialty training posts in the future.

What the New Law Says
The British government has proposed the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill, which gives priority to UK medical graduates over international candidates when applying for specialty training posts in the NHS. Previously, international graduates faced the same level of competition as local graduates. With the new bill, British graduates will no longer have to compete with foreign doctors for limited specialty training positions.

The law is designed to replace the open competition system introduced in 2020, aiming to ensure that UK-trained doctors can secure foundation and specialty training posts first. These changes will take effect in the 2026 recruitment cycle, effectively halving the competition for each specialty post—from four candidates per post to two. The government has also promised to add 1,000 additional specialty training positions this year.

Impact on Indian Doctors
Indian doctors form the largest group of foreign doctors in the NHS, with 12,820 employed as of June 2025. The new bill will mainly affect two groups:

1. Current NHS Doctors: Indian doctors already working in the NHS and holding UK permanent residency will be placed in a priority group, particularly those who have completed foundation or core training in the UK. This ensures experienced doctors remain within the system.
2. New Entrants: Indian doctors planning to apply from India or recent arrivals with limited UK experience will face greater challenges in securing training posts. While applications will still be accepted, posts will only be allocated after priority candidates have been placed.

Long-Term Strategy
This move is part of the UK government’s 10-year NHS workforce plan, which aims to reduce reliance on international recruitment from 34% in 2026 to less than 10% by 2035. The government has emphasized that, given billions of pounds being invested, local graduates should be given priority for NHS jobs.

Conclusion
While Indian doctors will still be able to work and train in the UK, the new law significantly reduces their chances of quickly securing specialty training posts. Those planning to work in the NHS must now navigate a system that favors British-trained candidates, marking a major shift in international medical recruitment.