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Less Than Full Time (LTFT) training for IMGs in the UK

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The rules, guidelines and criteria for working as a doctor in the UK change frequently. Please make sure you check the latest official guidance before taking action.

One of the benefits that drew us to a career in the UK was the support for work-life balance for doctors. Many other countries simply do not entertain doctors who need to work part-time for any reason and because of this, it’s common for these doctors to have very long clinical career gaps while they care for children or family, or pursue non-medical interests.

In the UK, there is far more understanding for an individual doctor’s situation and there are provisions for doctors in specialty training to work part-time while remaining on the pathway to becoming a Consultant or GP. But there are some restrictions for doctors working in the UK on a Tier 2 visa to work part time.

This article explores the current restrictions to help you understand whether you can work part-time, and how much you can reduce your work hours.

What is Less Than Full Time (LTFT) training?

This is when you work part-time while remaining in your training job. Full time means working between 40-48 hours per week on average and is considered 100%. 

Any LTFT plan is expressed as a percentage and refers to the percentage of full time hours you work per week. You can do 80%, 70%, 60% or 50%. The lowest percentage any trainee can work while retaining their training number is 50%.

Doctors usually apply for LTFT for reasons such as caring responsibilities (children or ill family members), personal disability, or ill health. But you can also apply for LTFT for other reasons such as training for national/international sporting events, being a member of a national committee, pursuing an additional degree, or simply for work-life balance.

What happens when you go LTFT?

There’s a lot to know about LTFT but I wanted to give you a quick overview of what to expect. Here are some of the things that will happen once you work LTFT.

  • You will be able to state specific days of the week you don’t work depending on your needs.
  • You will work less hours per week.
  • In most cases, your training will be proportionately extended and will take longer to complete. To calculate this, divide the remaining years you have left by your percentage.
    • Eg. If you 2 years left to go and you work 50% LTFT, then 2 years divided by 0.5 = 4 years to finish. If you have 3 years left to complete training and you work 80%, divided 3 years by 0.8 = 3.75 years left.
  • You will have proportionately fewer on calls.
    • Eg. If you work 60% LTFT then you will only do 60% of the on calls.
  • Your salary will be proportionately lower.
    • The calculation for this is complex calculation but for a very rough idea, 80% LTFT means 80% pay of a full time colleague working on the same rota. For a better explanation, please see this BMA guide on LTFT pay.
  • You will have proportionately less annual leave and less study leave.
    • Eg. If the annual leave allowance is 27 days + 8 bank holidays and you work 50% LTFT, then your annual leave allowance is 23.5 days + 4 bank holidays.
  • You have the same entitlement to maternity leave (52 weeks) and paternity leave (2 weeks).
  • You will still have an ARCP every calendar year ie. every 12 months, not every training year.

Can IMGs on a Tier 2 visa apply for less than full time training?

Yes, provided you meet the minimum salary and weekly hours requirement appropriate to your visa situation. These are all explained in detail below.

“I’ve heard that IMGs on a Tier 2 visa can only go as low as 80%”

We’ve heard that too, and it seems roughly right but doesn’t tell you the whole picture.

To understand how low you can go LTFT as a Tier 2 visa holder, there are several factors to consider. These include:

  1. Whether your HEE sponsored Tier 2 visa was issued under the Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT) or the Shortage Occupation List (SOL)
  2. The number of hours you work each week
  3. Your annual salary
  4. When your visa was issued
  5. If you’re switching to a Tier 2 visa from a Tier 4 visa
  6. Your age

How do these factors affect your application for LTFT?

1. Whether your HEE sponsored Tier 2 visa was issued under RLMT or SOL

This determines whether you will have to work a minimum number of hours per week. There is a minimum requirement of weekly hours if you were issued a visa under the SOL.

2. The number of hours you work each week

If your visa was issued under SOL, then you need to work more than 29 hours per week. It is further stated in the HEE Tier 2 FAQ that these hours do not include on-call hours.

If your visa was issued under RLMT, then you do not need to work for more than 29 hours per week as long as you meet the minimum salary requirement.

Was your visa issued under RLMT or SOL?

Before October 6, 2019, only certain specialties would have been issued Tier 2 visas under SOL. Most visas would have been issued under RLMT.

However, due to the SOL change, all new visas issued after October 6, 2019 should now be issued under SOL.

If you need to clarify whether your visa was issued under RLMT or SOL, you can simply email the Tier 2 team of your UK nation.

The contact details can be found here:

Related: 9 ways the new Shortage Occupation List affects IMGs dreaming of UK specialty training

3. Your annual salary

According to the HEE Tier 2 FAQ, only your basic salary will be considered in the calculation. This means it excludes on-calls, London weighting, and LTFT allowance.

Related: How much do doctors in specialty training (residency) earn in the UK?

4. When your visa was issued

This influences the minimum salary requirement.

  • If your Tier 2 visa was issued after 5th April 2017, then the minimum annual salary requirement is £30,000.
  • If it was issued between 24 November 2016 and 5th April 2017, then the minimum is £25,000 for the current duration of your visa, but £30,000 for any extensions.
  • If it was issued before 24 November 2016, then the minimum salary threshold is £20,800.

5. If you’re switching to a Tier 2 visa from a Tier 4 visa

This also influences the minimum salary requirement.

If you’re switching to a Tier 2 visa from a Tier 4 visa, and your Tier 2 Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) is for 3 years and 1 month or less, then the minimum salary threshold is £20,800.

If your COS is for more than 3 years and 1 month, then the minimum salary threshold is £30,000.

6. Your age

This is the final factor that determines the minimum salary requirement.

If you are less than 26 years old and you are switching from any other visa type other than Tier 4, then the salary threshold is significantly lower at £20,800. This allows you to work at a lower LTFT percentage.

If you are 26 years old or older, then the salary threshold is still £30,000.

Examples of “other visa types” might include Tier 2 dependent or Tier 5 (MTI).

So, how low can you go?

We’ve done the calculations based on the current guidelines published for Health Education England (HEE) and the salaries listed in the 2016 Junior Doctor Contract in England. Presuming our calculations are correct, this is what we concluded. 

(Please note, we created these categories to simplify the rules for you. These categories are NOT used by HEE or the Home Office.)

Category 1

This category is applicable to you if the Tier 2 visa for your training job was issued under the Shortage Occupation List. In that case, you must work more than 29 hours per week AND meet the minimum salary requirements.

Because you must work more than 29 hours per week, and meet the minimum salary requirement:

  • It is not possible to go LTFT as an FY1 or FY2 unless you fulfil one of the following:
    • You are switching from a Tier 4 visa and your Tier 2 visa is for 3 years and 1 month or less, OR
    • You are switching from any other type of visa and you’re younger than 26 years old. 
    • In these cases you may be able to go down to 80% LTFT.
  • If you are CT/ST1-2 level, you should be able to as low as 80% LTFT.
  • If you are CT3/ST3+, you can go as low as 75% LTFT.
    • Most of the time, LTFT percentages are in increments of 10 so it’s more likely that you will apply for 80% LTFT.

Category 2

This category is applicable to you if you meet the following criteria:

  • Your Tier 2 visa for your training job was issued under RLMT, AND
  • Your Tier 2 visa was issued after 5th April 2017,  OR
  • Your Tier visa was issued between 24 November 2016 and 5th April 2017 and you are applying for an extension,  OR
  • You are switching to Tier 2 from Tier 4, and your CoS is for more than 3 years and 1 month,  OR
  • You are switching from any other type of visa to Tier 2 and you are 26 years old or above.

The minimum salary requirement for this category is £30,000 therefore:

  • It is not possible to go LTFT if you are an FY1 or FY2.
  • If you are CT/ST1-2 level, you can go as low as 80% LTFT.
  • If you are CT3/ST3+, you should be able to go as low as 65% LTFT.
    • Most of the time, LTFT percentages are in increments of 10 so it’s more likely that you will apply for 70% LTFT

Category 3

This category is applicable to you if you meet the following criteria:

  • Your Tier 2 visa for your training job was issued under RLMT, AND
  • Your Tier 2 visa was issued before 24 November 2016, OR
  • You are switching to Tier 2 from Tier 4, and your CoS is for than 3 years and 1 month or less, OR
  • You are switching from any other type of visa to Tier 2 and you are below the age of 26.

The minimum salary requirement for this category is £20,800 therefore:

  • If you are an FY1, you can go as low as 80% LTFT.
  • If you are an FY2, you can go as low as 70% LTFT.
  • If you are CT/ST1-2 level, you can go as low as 55% LTFT.
    • Most of the time, LTFT percentages are in increments of 10 so it’s more likely that you will apply for 60% LTFT.
  • If you are CT3/ST3+, you should be able to go as low as 50% LTFT.

Category 4

This category is applicable to you if you meet the following criteria:

  • Your Tier 2 visa for your training job was issued under RLMT, AND
  • Your Tier 2 visa was issued between 24 November 2016 and 5th April 2017 and you still have some time leave left on your visa therefore you are NOT applying for an extension.

The minimum salary requirement for this category is £25,000 therefore:

  • It is not possible to go LTFT if you are an FY1
  • If you are an FY2, you should be able to 80% LTFT.
  • If you are CT/ST1-2 level, you can go as low as 70% LTFT.
  • If you are CT3/ST3+, you should be able to go as low as 55% LTFT.
    • Most of the time, LTFT percentages are in increments of 10 so it’s more likely that you will apply for 60% LTFT

Our calculations and conclusions are only a rough guide and the final decision lies with the Tier 2 team of the UK nation you will be working in so make sure you contact them to discuss your situation!

Also, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland may still be using the old Junior Doctor contract and therefore the salaries and calculations will be different. Again, we advise you to contact them directly for advice.

You can find the relvant contact details here:

Does LTFT have any implications for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)?

Unfortunately, we’re not too clear on this as immigration is not our area of expertise. The way we understand it, Indefinite Leave to Remain has a minimum requirement for both salary and weekly hours, but how this applies to doctors and occupations on the SOL is confusing.

For definitive advice, we recommend consulting an immigration expert. Immigration rules constantly change so asking IMGs who applied for Indefinite Leave to Remain recently may end up with you receiving unknowingly outdated advice. Definitely consult an immigration expert.

How do you apply for LTFT?

Each deanery will have a different application process. Check your deanery website or contact them directly to find out what the process is.

For any application, you will need to provide documentation of your reason to go LTFT. Your deanery will tell you what documents you need to provide.

Need more information about LTFT?

When it comes to salary requirements and eligibility for LTFT on a Tier 2 visa, you need to contact the Tier 2 team of the UK nation you are working in. You can find the contact details here.

Other resources

Again, for any questions about LTFT and Tier 2 visas, it’s best to contact the Tier 2 team of the UK nation you are working in. Their contact details can are listed here.

Conclusion

It is possible for an IMG on a Tier 2 visa to work less than full time in a training job subject to various visa-related restrictions.

After taking all of these restrictions into account, most IMGs starting a training job in England for the first time this year should be eligible for 80% LTFT at CT/ST1 level, and as low as 65% at ST3 level for RLMT issued visas, and 75% at ST3 level for SOL issued visas. This will vary for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Our conclusions are only a rough guide and the final decision lies with the Tier 2 team of the UK nation you will be working in so make sure you contact them to discuss your situation! The contact details can be found here.

If we receive or find any further information that contradicts our understanding, we will update this article as soon possible. Likewise, if you notice anything that’s incorrect in our understanding of the rules, please do not hesitate contact us.

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Contents

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These include the following: Internet services, IT service providers and web developers.

Our third-party service providers are located both inside and outside of the European Economic Area.

Your information will be shared with these service providers where necessary to provide you with the service you have requested, whether that is accessing our website or ordering goods and services from us.

We do not display the identities of our service providers publicly by name for security and competitive reasons. If you would like further information about the identities of our service providers, however, please contact us directly by email and we will provide you with such information where you have a legitimate reason for requesting it (where we have shared your information with such service providers, for example).

Legal basis for processing: legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interest relied on: where we share your information with these third parties in a context other than where is necessary to perform a contract (or take steps at your request to do so), we will share your information with such third parties in order to allow us to run and manage our business efficiently.

Legal basis for processing: necessary to perform a contract and/or to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract (Article 6(1)(b) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Reason why necessary to perform a contract: we may need to share information with our service providers to enable us to perform our obligations under that contract or to take the steps you have requested before we enter into a contract with you.

Disclosure and use of your information for legal reasons

Indicating possible criminal acts or threats to public security to a competent authority

If we suspect that criminal or potential criminal conduct has been occurred, we will in certain circumstances need to contact an appropriate authority, such as the police. This could be the case, for instance, if we suspect that we fraud or a cyber-crime has been committed or if we receive threats or malicious communications towards us or third parties.

We will generally only need to process your information for this purpose if you were involved or affected by such an incident in some way.

Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interests: preventing crime or suspected criminal activity (such as fraud).

In connection with the enforcement or potential enforcement our legal rights

We will use your information in connection with the enforcement or potential enforcement of our legal rights, including, for example, sharing information with debt collection agencies if you do not pay amounts owed to us when you are contractually obliged to do so. Our legal rights may be contractual (where we have entered into a contract with you) or non-contractual (such as legal rights that we have under copyright law or tort law).

Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interest: enforcing our legal rights and taking steps to enforce our legal rights.

In connection with a legal or potential legal dispute or proceedings

We may need to use your information if we are involved in a dispute with you or a third party for example, either to resolve the dispute or as part of any mediation, arbitration or court resolution or similar process.

Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interest(s): resolving disputes and potential disputes.

How long we retain your information

This section sets out how long we retain your information. We have set out specific retention periods where possible. Where that has not been possible, we have set out the criteria we use to determine the retention period.

Retention periods

Server log information: we retain information on our server logs for 3 months.

Correspondence and enquiries: when you make an enquiry or correspond with us for any reason, whether by email or via our contact form or by phone, we will retain your information for as long as it takes to respond to and resolve your enquiry, and for 36 further month(s), after which point we will archive your information.

Newsletter: we retain the information you used to sign up for our newsletter for as long as you remain subscribed (i.e. you do not unsubscribe).

Membership: we retain the information you used to sign up for our memberships for as long as you remain subscribed (i.e. you do not unsubscribe).

Criteria for determining retention periods

In any other circumstances, we will retain your information for no longer than necessary, taking into account the following:

    • the purpose(s) and use of your information both now and in the future (such as whether it is necessary to continue to store that information in order to continue to perform our obligations under a contract with you or to contact you in the future);
    • whether we have any legal obligation to continue to process your information (such as any record-keeping obligations imposed by relevant law or regulation);
    • whether we have any legal basis to continue to process your information (such as your consent);
    • how valuable your information is (both now and in the future);
    • any relevant agreed industry practices on how long information should be retained;
    • the levels of risk, cost and liability involved with us continuing to hold the information;
    • how hard it is to ensure that the information can be kept up to date and accurate; and
    • any relevant surrounding circumstances (such as the nature and status of our relationship with you).

How we secure your information

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to secure your information and to protect it against unauthorised or unlawful use and accidental loss or destruction, including:

  • only sharing and providing access to your information to the minimum extent necessary, subject to confidentiality restrictions where appropriate, and on an anonymised basis wherever possible;
  • using secure servers to store your information;
  • verifying the identity of any individual who requests access to information prior to granting them access to information;
  • using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) software to encrypt any payment transactions you make on or via our website;
  • only transferring your information via closed system or encrypted data transfers;

Transmission of information to us by email

Transmission of information over the internet is not entirely secure, and if you submit any information to us over the internet (whether by email, via our website or any other means), you do so entirely at your own risk.

We cannot be responsible for any costs, expenses, loss of profits, harm to reputation, damages, liabilities or any other form of loss or damage suffered by you as a result of your decision to transmit information to us by such means.

Transfers of your information outside the European Economic Area

Your information may be transferred and stored outside the European Economic Area (EEA) in the circumstances set out earlier in this policy.

We will also transfer your information outside the EEA or to an international organisation in order to comply with legal obligations to which we are subject (compliance with a court order, for example). Where we are required to do so, we will ensure appropriate safeguards and protections are in place.

Your rights in relation to your information

Subject to certain limitations on certain rights, you have the following rights in relation to your information, which you can exercise by writing to the data controller using the details provided at the top of this policy.

  • to request access to your information and information related to our use and processing of your information;
  • to request the correction or deletion of your information;
  • to request that we restrict our use of your information;
  • to receive information which you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format (e.g. a CSV file) and the right to have that information transferred to another data controller (including a third-party data controller);
  • to object to the processing of your information for certain purposes (for further information, see the section below entitled Your right to object to the processing of your information for certain purposes); and
  • to withdraw your consent to our use of your information at any time where we rely on your consent to use or process that information. Please note that if you withdraw your consent, this will not affect the lawfulness of our use and processing of your information on the basis of your consent before the point in time when you withdraw your consent.

In accordance with Article 77 of the General Data Protection Regulation, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or of an alleged infringement of the General Data Protection Regulation.

Further information on your rights in relation to your personal data as an individual

You can find out further information about your rights, as well as information on any limitations which apply to those rights, by reading the underlying legislation contained in Articles 12 to 22 and 34 of the General Data Protection Regulation, which is available here:http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/reform/files/regulation_oj_en.pdf

Verifying your identity where you request access to your information

Where you request access to your information, we are required by law to use all reasonable measures to verify your identity before doing so.

These measures are designed to protect your information and to reduce the risk of identity fraud, identity theft or general unauthorised access to your information.

How we verify your identity

Where we possess appropriate information about you on file, we will attempt to verify your identity using that information.

If it is not possible to identity you from such information, or if we have insufficient information about you, we may require original or certified copies of certain documentation in order to be able to verify your identity before we are able to provide you with access to your information.

We will be able to confirm the precise information we require to verify your identity in your specific circumstances if and when you make such a request.

Your right to object

You have the following rights in relation to your information, which you may exercise in the same way as you may exercise by writing to the data controller using the details provided at the top of this policy.

  • to object to us using or processing your information where we use or process it in order
  • to carry out a task in the public interest or for our legitimate interests, including ‘profiling’ (i.e. analysing or predicting your behaviour based on your information) based on any of these purposes; and
  • to object to us using or processing your information for direct marketing purposes(including any profiling we engage in that is related to such direct marketing).

You may also exercise your right to object to us using or processing your information for direct marketing purposes by:

  • clicking the unsubscribe link contained at the bottom of any marketing email we send to you and following the instructions which appear in your browser following your clicking on that link;
  • sending an email to info@thesavvyimg.co.uk, asking that we stop sending you marketing communications or by including the words “OPT OUT”.

Sensitive Personal Information

‘Sensitive personal information’ is information about an individual that reveals their racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, genetic information, biometric information for the purpose of uniquely identifying an individual, information concerning health or information concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation.

Our website does not allow you to register any ‘Sensitive Information’, however if we ask for this, you will be considered to have explicitly consented to us processing that sensitive personal information under Article 9(2)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation.

Changes to our Privacy Policy

We update and amend our Privacy Policy from time to time.

Minor changes to our Privacy Policy

Where we make minor changes to our Privacy Policy, we will update our Privacy Policy with a new effective date stated at the beginning of it. Our processing of your information will be governed by the practices set out in that new version of the Privacy Policy from its effective date onwards.

Major changes to our Privacy Policy or the purposes for which we process your information

Where we make major changes to our Privacy Policy or intend to use your information for a new purpose or a different purpose than the purposes for which we originally collected it, we will notify you by email (where possible) or by posting a notice on our website.

We will provide you with the information about the change in question and the purpose and any other relevant information before we use your information for that new purpose.

Wherever required, we will obtain your prior consent before using your information for a purpose that is different from the purposes for which we originally collected it.

Children’s Privacy

Because we care about the safety and privacy of children online, we comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA). COPPA and its accompanying regulations protect the privacy of children using the internet. We do not knowingly contact or collect information from persons under the age of 18. The website is not intended to solicit information of any kind from persons under the age of 18.

It is possible that we could receive information pertaining to persons under the age of 18 by the fraud or deception of a third party. If we are notified of this, as soon as we verify the information, we will, where required by law to do so, immediately obtain the appropriate parental consent to use that information or, if we are unable to obtain such parental consent, we will delete the information from our servers. If you would like to notify us of our receipt of information about persons under the age of 18, please do so by contacting us by using the details at the top of this policy.