Foreign doctors may leave if they don't get critical skills permit

Under current rules, prospective employees must have a contract of two years to obtain a CSEP. However, international non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) who are not on training schemes are on six-month contracts, thus making them ineligible for the permits.

A campaign group for international doctors has called for a change to HSE contracts to ensure every doctor can obtain a critical skills employment permit (CSEP).

Under current rules, prospective employees must have a contract of two years to obtain a CSEP. However, international non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) who are not on training schemes are on six-month contracts, thus making them ineligible for the permits.