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Foreign Workers

Volume 487: debated on Thursday 29 January 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2009, Official Report, columns 706-07W, on foreign workers, if she will break down the figures by year, and indicate the percentage of the relevant work force they constitute. (249751)

The following tables provide information on the number of work permits approved and Worker Registration Scheme certificates issued by occupation category. We are unable to provide an indication of the percentage of the relevant work force they constitute as data are not held on the size of each work force.

Work permit approvals for the period 1 January 2000-30 September 2008

Occupation

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Total

Acupuncturist

10

25

35

40

25

40

20

20

20

230

Assistant dentist

160

115

140

105

70

20

30

20

5

655

Assistant optometrist

0

1

1

1

0

0

0

1

0

5

Biomedical scientist

15

45

90

100

110

120

135

100

75

785

Chiropodist/podiatrist

10

10

5

5

5

1

1

1

1

45

Chiropractor

55

40

15

25

25

25

25

25

10

245

Dental anaesthetist

1

10

15

5

5

5

5

1

0

45

Dental nurse

0

20

40

40

40

100

60

45

40

380

Dental surgeon

195

260

275

225

160

175

215

155

120

1,785

Dietician

20

40

70

50

55

45

30

20

20

350

Doctor

0

840

2,440

3,265

4,315

3,880

3,035

910

750

19,435

Foundation programme doctor

0

0

0

0

0

0

355

220

130

705

Hospital consultant

0

30

75

140

170

95

80

50

50

690

Medical practitioner

580

940

605

410

205

95

55

35

55

2,975

Midwife

90

90

95

100

85

85

70

90

65

780

Nurse

15,040

24,265

28,640

29,490

29,095

22,580

13,615

8,520

7,060

178,305

Occupational therapist

115

165

250

205

235

250

180

155

120

1,680

Optician

90

120

105

90

90

75

80

45

30

735

Other health/medical occupation

3,345

3,800

7,005

10,670

13,670

10,030

6,495

3,350

2,470

60,845

Pharmacist

580

575

620

620

645

585

660

685

685

5,655

Physiotherapist

195

325

425

440

460

410

305

245

130

2,935

Psychiatrist

120

220

240

215

190

140

110

40

20

1,295

Psychologist

55

45

65

65

45

40

30

20

10

375

Radiographer

75

165

400

435

510

450

345

445

250

3,075

Senior carer

0

0

0

0

0

1,870

5,690

2,250

2,660

12,465

Senior house officer

0

0

0

0

0

0

640

345

55

1,045

Social worker

185

380

640

940

1,050

945

785

570

450

5,955

Specialist registrar

0

0

0

0

0

0

595

250

155

1,000

Speech therapist

50

80

70

65

40

45

35

35

15

440

Total

20,990

32,605

42,350

47,755

51,305

42,115

33,675

18,655

15,455

304,910

Note:

Work permit approvals includes all work permit application types—including work permit extensions, change of employment and technical changes to existing work permits and therefore does not equate to the number of individuals to whom permits were issued. The figures do not equate to the number of individual nationals because they include those applications approved to extend or amend an existing permit or where the individual has moved to another job with a different employer. Additionally, not all of those who are granted a permit take up the job, some may be refused entry clearance or further leave to remain.

Worker Registration Scheme certificates granted for the period 1 May 2004-30 September 2008

Occupation

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Total

Alternative/complementary medicine specialist

5

10

5

5

5

35

Anaesthetist

30

65

35

15

25

170

Care assistants and home carers

2,860

6,880

6,285

4,340

2,410

22,775

Chiropodist

0

0

0

1

0

1

Consultant, hospital

20

105

50

50

30

255

Dental hygienist

15

30

10

15

5

80

Dental nurse

85

130

110

65

35

420

Dental practitioner

20

235

85

30

10

385

Dietician

1

0

0

1

1

5

Doctor (hospital)

60

230

250

205

120

860

General practitioner

15

50

35

25

10

130

Manager, care home

5

10

5

10

10

40

Manager, health and social services

15

25

20

55

25

135

Midwife

1

5

1

1

1

5

Nurse

35

125

120

90

60

425

Nursing auxiliaries and assistants

135

145

150

75

65

570

Optician

20

10

15

15

5

65

Pharmacist/pharmacologist

40

135

210

220

130

730

Physiologist

1

5

5

5

0

10

Physiotherapist

10

25

20

10

5

70

Psychiatrist

5

15

25

5

5

45

Psychologist

5

5

1

1

1

15

Researcher (medical)

30

110

100

110

85

430

Residential wardens and Houseparents

45

60

55

70

55

285

Social Worker

55

145

115

50

25

390

Surgeon

10

35

15

15

5

75

Technician, medical

25

65

75

125

70

360

Ward Sister

5

1

5

5

1

15

Warden (care home)

15

15

20

10

10

65

Total

3,560

8,660

7,820

5,620

3,200

28,855

1 Indicates one or two

Notes:

1. The figures are for initial applications only; they do not include multiple applications, where an individual is doing more than one job simultaneously nor re-registrations, where an individual has changed employers.

2. Data presented up to the same period as the current published Accession Monitoring report.

3. Figures are rounded to nearest five.

4. Because of rounding figures may not add up to totals shown.

The figures quoted are not provided under National Statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. The occupational categories used are not compatible with the Standard Occupational Classification.