Manx Care's use of immigration pathways for healthcare staffing

Summary

A request was made for details on Manx Care's use of immigration pathways for healthcare staffing, including costs, contracts, and workforce data from January 2024. The authority responded with an outcome of 'Some information sent but not all held', though the provided text cuts off before detailing specific disclosures or refusals.

Key Facts

• The request covers the period from 01 January 2024 to the present.
• The request seeks information on visa routes, financial expenditure, third-party agencies, and workforce statistics.
• The response was issued on 1 September 2025.
• The official outcome is recorded as 'Some information sent but not all held'.
• The response document contains 9 pages and 1 document.

Data Disclosed

• 01 January 2024
• 10 July 2025
• 1 September 2025
• 9 pages
• 1 document
• Case ID 4788681

Original Request

I would like to request the following information in relation to Manx Care's use of immigration pathways for healthcare staffing, covering the period from 01 January 2024 to the present. Please provide all memos, notes, emails and associated correspondence pertaining to recruitment of migrant, immigrant, those pending British citizenship, UK skilled worker visa applicants or recipients, non-native, non-EU workers or any noun or variation of the aforementioned descriptors (names redacted of course) as it relates to the request below. Please treat each numbered item as a separate part of the request. 1. Use of Sponsorship and Immigration Recruitment Channels Please confirm whether Manx Care has used any international or immigration-based recruitment routes for healthcare roles (e.g., Skilled Worker visas, international nursing campaigns, bilateral agreements) during the period specified. If so, please provide a list of job roles recruited via these routes. 2. Financial Expenditure Please provide a summary of public funds allocated or spent by Manx Care on international recruitment, broken down by: - Visa and immigration processing costs - Relocation expenses or support (e.g. flights, temporary accommodation) - Sponsorship licence or related compliance costs - Recruitment agency or third-party consultancy fees or other third-party fees If exact amounts cannot be disclosed for commercial reasons, please provide estimated ranges or a total cost figure per category. 3. Contractual and Procedural Information Please provide: - The names of third-party organisations or agencies contracted to assist with international recruitment or visa sponsorship. - A copy of any guidance, internal procedure, or policy document used by Manx Care when recruiting through immigration channels. 4. Workforce Data (non-personal) Please provide a numerical summary of healthcare workers currently employed by Manx Care who: - Are on Isle of Man work permits or visas - Are recruited via Skilled Worker or equivalent visa routes - Are known to be in the process of applying for British or Isle of Man permanent residency or citizenship Please break down the data by job title and nationality, without including any personally identifiable information. 5. Decision Records and Governance Please provide: - Any finalised records, approvals, or decisions made by Manx Care's Board or Executive Team in relation to international recruitment or immigration-related hiring since 1 January 2024. - Any memos, emails and associated correspondence and board papers summarising implementation, cost-effectiveness, or delivery impact of international recruitment efforts. I am not requesting any personal data or information that identifies individuals. If any part of this request is likely to attract exemptions, I would appreciate partial disclosure or a redacted version, as per Section 12 of the Act. My thanks for your time.

Data Tables (5)

Full Response Text

Manx Care Noble’s Hospital, Strang Braddan, Isle of Man IM4 4R (01624) 650 000

Our ref: 4788681 1 September 2025

Dear

We write further to your request, received 10 July 2025, which states:

"I would like to request the following information in relation to Manx Care's use of immigration pathways for healthcare staffing, covering the period from 01 January 2024 to the present. Please provide all memos, notes, emails and associated correspondence pertaining to recruitment of migrant, immigrant, those pending British citizenship, UK skilled worker visa applicants or recipients, non-native, non-EU workers or any noun or variation of the aforementioned descriptors (names redacted of course) as it relates to the request below.

Please treat each numbered item as a separate part of the request.

1. Use of Sponsorship and Immigration Recruitment Channels

Please confirm whether Manx Care has used any international or immigration-based recruitment routes for healthcare roles (e.g., Skilled Worker visas, international nursing campaigns, bilateral agreements) during the period specified.

If so, please provide a list of job roles recruited via these routes.

1. Financial Expenditure

Please provide a summary of public funds allocated or spent by Manx Care on international recruitment, broken down by: - Visa and immigration processing costs - Relocation expenses or support (e.g. flights, temporary accommodation) - Sponsorship licence or related compliance costs - Recruitment agency or third-party consultancy fees or other third-party fees

If exact amounts cannot be disclosed for commercial reasons, please provide estimated ranges or a total cost figure per category.

1. Contractual and Procedural Information

Please provide:
- The names of third-party organisations or agencies contracted to assist with international recruitment or visa sponsorship.

• A copy of any guidance, internal procedure, or policy document used by Manx Care

when recruiting through immigration channels.

1. Workforce Data (non-personal)

Please provide a numerical summary of healthcare workers currently employed by Manx Care who: - Are on Isle of Man work permits or visas - Are recruited via Skilled Worker or equivalent visa routes - Are known to be in the process of applying for British or Isle of Man permanent residency or citizenship

Please break down the data by job title and nationality, without including any personally identifiable information.

1. Decision Records and Governance

Please provide: - Any finalised records, approvals, or decisions made by Manx Care's Board or Executive Team in relation to international recruitment or immigration-related hiring since 1 January 2024. - Any memos, emails and associated correspondence and board papers summarising implementation, cost-effectiveness, or delivery impact of international recruitment efforts. I am not requesting any personal data or information that identifies individuals. If any part of this request is likely to attract exemptions, I would appreciate partial disclosure or a redacted version, as per Section 12 of the Act.

My thanks for your time."

Response

1. Use of Sponsorship and Immigration Recruitment Channels Please confirm whether Manx Care has used any international or immigration-based recruitment routes for healthcare roles (e.g., Skilled Worker visas, international nursing campaigns, bilateral agreements) during the period specified. Manx Care have appointed candidates, via the recruitment process, who required visas during the period of 1 January 2014 to 11 July 2025. If so, please provide a list of job roles recruited via these routes. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Manx Care is unable to provide the information you have requested in relation to recruitment routes. This is in line with section 11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. We do hold a list of job roles. Specific job titles have been omitted to avoid the potential identification of individuals.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because it is absolutely exempt under section 25 of the Act (absolutely exempt personal information).

The reasons why exemption s25(b)(i)&(ii) applies are that: • Manx Care is satisfied that the information amounts to personal data of which you are not the data subject; and • Manx Care is satisfied that disclosure of the information would contravene one of the data protection principles as set out at Article 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation as it applies in the Isle of Man pursuant to the Data Protection (Application of GDPR) Order 2018, namely that Manx Care can only disclose the information where it would be fair, lawful and meet one of the conditions for lawful processing in Article 6 [or if you are dealing with sensitive personal data “and one of the conditions in Article 9 of the GDPR and Schedule 2 of the Implementing Regulations is met”] and in this case, none of those conditions have been met therefore names have been redacted.

Administration/ Secretarial: Administrative Assistants Administrative Officers System Administrators Ward Clerks Allied Health Care Professionals: Occupational Therapy Physiotherapy Speech and Language Therapy Counsellors Social Workers Bank/ Relief Staff: Technical Officers Doctors Health Care Assistants Registered Nurses
Senior Health Care Assistants Social Care Workers Clinical Staff: Clinical Fellows Doctors Registered Nurses Clinical Practitioners Theatre Mental Health Other Clinical; Health Care Assistants Pharmacists Radiographers Residential Support Workers Senior Health Care Assistants None Clinical: Housekeepers Sterile Service Technicians

Please provide all memos, notes, emails and associated correspondence pertaining to recruitment of migrant, immigrant, those pending British citizenship, UK skilled worker visa applicants or recipients, non-native, non- EU workers or any noun or variation of the aforementioned descriptors (names redacted of course). S11(3)(b) complying with the request for information would require the public authority to do one or more of the matters mentioned in section 8(3) (things a public authority is not required to do by the Act undertake substantial compilation or collation of information that it holds which Manx Care is not required to do under the Act.

To provide advice and assistance you may find useful should you wish to submit a further freedom of information request which is more specific to the documents you are seeking in relation to question 1.

1. Financial Expenditure Please provide a summary of public funds allocated or spent by Manx Care on international recruitment, broken down by:
2. Visa and immigration processing costs
3. Relocation expenses or support (e.g. flights, temporary accommodation)
4. Sponsorship licence or related compliance costs
5. Recruitment agency or third-party consultancy fees or other third-party fees If exact amounts cannot be disclosed for commercial reasons, please provide estimated ranges or a total cost figure per category. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Manx Care is unable to provide the information you have requested. This is in line with section 11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. The reason for this is that the ledger is not detailed enough to provide this information.
6. Contractual and Procedural Information Please provide:
7. The names of third-party organisations or agencies contracted to assist with international recruitment or visa sponsorship.
8. A copy of any guidance, internal procedure, or policy document used by Manx Care when recruiting through immigration channels. Office of Human Resources, Cabinet Office have produced a Hiring Manager Shortlisting Guidance for Work Permits and Visa’s which is attached.
9. Workforce Data (non-personal) Please provide a numerical summary of healthcare workers currently employed by Manx Care who:
10. Are on Isle of Man work permits or visas
11. Are recruited via Skilled Worker or equivalent visa routes
12. Are known to be in the process of applying for British or Isle of Man permanent residency or citizenship

Please break down the data by job title and nationality, without including any personally identifiable information.

We do hold a list of job roles. Specific job titles have been omitted to avoid the potential identification of individuals.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because it is absolutely exempt under section 25 of the Act (absolutely exempt personal information).

The reasons why exemption s25(b)(i)&(ii) applies are that: • Manx Care is satisfied that the information amounts to personal data of which you are not the data subject; and • Manx Care is satisfied that disclosure of the information would contravene one of the data protection principles as set out at Article 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation as it applies in the Isle of Man pursuant to the Data Protection (Application of GDPR) Order 2018, namely that Manx Care can only disclose the information where it would be fair, lawful and meet one of the conditions for lawful processing in Article 6 [or if you are dealing with sensitive personal data “and one of the conditions in Article 9 of the GDPR and Schedule 2 of the Implementing Regulations is met”] and in this case, none of those conditions have been met therefore names have been redacted. The below data was produced using the work permit and visa information within our HR and Payroll system and was ran on 28 July 2025. It should be noted that staff members may hold multiple assignments across Manx Care. We do not hold complete data on nationality within the HR and Payroll system so this has been omitted. There are 305 assignments across Manx Care that have a visa, these apply to 179 employees/workers. The job categories are as follows: Administration/ Secretarial: Administrative Assistants Administrative Officers Secretaries
Ward Clerks Allied Health Care Professionals: Counsellors Occupational Therapy Physiotherapy Podiatry Referral Coordinators Speech and Language Therapy Social Workers Bank Staff: Administrative staff Ambulance staff Doctors Health Care Assistants Housekeepers Nurses Pharmacy

Radiography Senior Health Care Assistants Clinical Staff: Clinical Fellows Doctors Registered Nurses Other Clinical; Community Support Workers Health Care Assistants Pharmacists Radiographers Residential Support Workers Senior Health Care Assistants Support Workers Non Clinical: Discharge Assistant Coordinators Equipment Assistants Housekeepers Library Assistants Specialist Biomedical Scientists Sterile Services Stores
There are 350 assignments across Manx Care that hold an Isle of Man Work Permit (either employed Work Permit or an Automatic Work Permit), these apply to 184 employees/workers. The job titles are as follows: Administration/ Secretarial: Administrative Assistants Administrative Officers MDT Coordinators Secretaries Ward Clerks Allied Health Care Professionals: Assistant Psychologists Counsellors Dieticians Occupational Therapy Physiotherapy Podiatry Psychologists Speech and Language Therapy Social Workers Bank Staff: Administrative staff Ambulance staff Associate Clinical Educators Biomedical Scientists Dieticians Health Care Assistants Housekeepers

Nurses Pharmacy Porters Radiographers Senior Health Care Assistants Clinical Staff: Doctors Registered Nurses Community Support Workers Health Care Assistants Orthoptists Paramedics Pharmacists Radiographers Residential Support Workers Senior Health Care Assistants Support Workers Management: Ambulance Duty Operations Executive General Heads of Departments Improvement Programme Mental Health Policies & Procedures
Legal
Service Development Theatre Services Non Clinical: Kitchen Porters Sterile Services Stores
Lecturer Co-ordinator

1. Decision Records and Governance Please provide:
2. Any finalised records, approvals, or decisions made by Manx Care's Board or Executive Team in relation to international recruitment or immigration- related hiring since 1 January 2024.
3. Any memos, emails and associated correspondence and board papers summarising implementation, cost-effectiveness, or delivery impact of international recruitment efforts. I am not requesting any personal data or information that identifies individuals. If any part of this request is likely to attract exemptions, I would appreciate partial disclosure or a redacted version, as per Section 12 of the Act.

The Board/Executive decisions regarding international recruitment were taken prior to 2024. However, you may wish to contact the Department of Health and Social Care who may be able to help you.

Please quote the reference number 4788681 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review. If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subs

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