Staying In The Uk/ireland After Graduation

[neuralgal]

Hi everybody, I've looked into this a bit but I haven't found a solid answer yet.

 

As a Canadian citizen, if I attend medical school in the UK or Ireland, am I allowed to stay there and do a residency (or their equivalent)?

 

Would I then be allowed to practice and live in the country? 

 

Going abroad is a huge risk, and while I would like to come back to Canada, I am open to moving there permanently. 

 

Any input on this matter would be appreciated, thanks! 

 

[JohnGrisham]

Hi everybody, I've looked into this a bit but I haven't found a solid answer yet.

 

As a Canadian citizen, if I attend medical school in the UK or Ireland, am I allowed to stay there and do a residency (or their equivalent)?

 

Would I then be allowed to practice and live in the country? 

 

Going abroad is a huge risk, and while I would like to come back to Canada, I am open to moving there permanently. 

 

Any input on this matter would be appreciated, thanks! 

No for ireland, likely yes for UK - if you attend a school in the UK, you have the "right" to a residency in the UK. Your priority is still lower i think than UK citizens, but you should have priority.

 

There is another use on here who was at a UK medical school, perhaps they will post.

[flatjacks]

No for ireland, likely yes for UK - if you attend a school in the UK, you have the "right" to a residency in the UK. Your priority is still lower i think than UK citizens, but you should have priority.

 

There is another use on here who was at a UK medical school, perhaps they will post.

 

Without EU citizenship (i.e. Irish citizen, or UK citizen) then you will not be able to get a UK Foundation programme spot (residency) under any circumstances unless you do med school in the UK.

 

However, in Ireland it might be possible to get a residency if there are any posts remaining after all Irish/EU citizens get a residency post, which can't be guaranteed of course.

[medhope15]

Few things:

1. Getting EU residency and passport is not as tough as for instance getting a USA passport.

2. Many Irish grads move to USA to make more money so there are actually some needs to fill the intern year spots in Ireland, so might be an option.

3. Realistically, depending on your current life situation of course, you are going to move there for 4-5 years full-time anyway. If single, let's be honest, you will likely meet someone in those 4-5 years. It might be another student who is an EU resident and if you end up getting married, it allows you to obtain citizenship.

[JohnGrisham]

Without EU citizenship (i.e. Irish citizen, or UK citizen) then you will not be able to get a UK Foundation programme spot (residency) under any circumstances unless you do med school in the UK.

 

However, in Ireland it might be possible to get a residency if there are any posts remaining after all Irish/EU citizens get a residency post, which can't be guaranteed of course.

That is exactly what I said... if you go to a UK school, you get residency. Regardless of residency. 

 

As for ireland, it is very unlikely - I have a relative who graduated last year that was unable to secure a spot.

[JohnGrisham]

Few things:

1. Getting EU residency and passport is not as tough as for instance getting a USA passport.

2. Many Irish grads move to USA to make more money so there are actually some needs to fill the intern year spots in Ireland, so might be an option.

3. Realistically, depending on your current life situation of course, you are going to move there for 4-5 years full-time anyway. If single, let's be honest, you will likely meet someone in those 4-5 years. It might be another student who is an EU resident and if you end up getting married, it allows you to obtain citizenship.

1. Yes, getting an EU residency is difficult, maybe not as difficult as USA - but still extremely difficult. Unless you have some sort of familial way of getting it, you can only get EU passports by actually physically going there for work or etc and meeting stringent requirements. Things that wouldnt be in consideration of an applicant trying to go to medical school.

 

2. That is contrary to what an M4 who attended RCSI in terms of getting an intern spot..in his region they were all full from priorities.

 

3. Marriage is an option, but not something you can bank on....but to each their own. As well, there are still time delays and processing of citizenship - it doesnt happen over night. 

 

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/irish_citizenship/becoming_an_irish_citizen_through_marriage.html

 

You would have to be married for 3 years before you can even apply - and living there for at least 1 year prior to application. Being on a student visa does not count.

 

Thus, marriage will not be a feasible option. 

 

People need to stop posting nonsense without actually thinking about it first.

 

 

 

 

[neuralgal]

Thank you all for your replies! I'd been trying to get this straight for a while now but different posts kept confusing me. 

 

Yeah, I have zero European blood coursing through my veins, so won't be able to get an EU citizenship. And call me old-fashioned, but I'd prefer to marry for love rather than an EU citizenship. 

[JohnGrisham]

Thank you all for your replies! I'd been trying to get this straight for a while now but different posts kept confusing me. 

 

Yeah, I have zero European blood coursing through my veins, so won't be able to get an EU citizenship. And call me old-fashioned, but I'd prefer to marry for love rather than an EU citizenship. 

Old-fashioned and it wouldn't actually help at all

 

Good luck! The UK is a solid option if you can get into a UK program(they are tough!)

[uoit101]

1. Yes, getting an EU residency is difficult, maybe not as difficult as USA - but still extremely difficult. Unless you have some sort of familial way of getting it, you can only get EU passports by actually physically going there for work or etc and meeting stringent requirements. Things that wouldnt be in consideration of an applicant trying to go to medical school.

 

2. That is contrary to what an M4 who attended RCSI in terms of getting an intern spot..in his region they were all full from priorities.

 

3. Marriage is an option, but not something you can bank on....but to each their own. As well, there are still time delays and processing of citizenship - it doesnt happen over night. 

 

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/irish_citizenship/becoming_an_irish_citizen_through_marriage.html

 

You would have to be married for 3 years before you can even apply - and living there for at least 1 year prior to application. Being on a student visa does not count.

 

Thus, marriage will not be a feasible option. 

 

People need to stop posting nonsense without actually thinking about it first.

 

 

 

 

 

Commons beat me to it.

Being married in Ireland for citizenship isn't an option at all unless you're there for multiple years before you can even apply. Similar process exists in UK as well.

Also, i can't confirm this (heard it from a RCSI friend) but apparently none of the non-EU citizens studying in Ireland got Irish internships last year. It's a risky route to go to Ireland without EU citizenship, considering how expensive it is. 

 

Honestly if anyone has the stats for Irish/UK schools, i'd just stay back a year or two and try getting into US MD/DO. Both Irish and UK schools are very competitive to get into.

[neuralgal]

Commons beat me to it.

Being married in Ireland for citizenship isn't an option at all unless you're there for multiple years before you can even apply. Similar process exists in UK as well.

Also, i can't confirm this (heard it from a RCSI friend) but apparently none of the non-EU citizens studying in Ireland got Irish internships last year. It's a risky route to go to Ireland without EU citizenship, considering how expensive it is. 

 

Honestly if anyone has the stats for Irish/UK schools, i'd just stay back a year or two and try getting into US MD/DO. Both Irish and UK schools are very competitive to get into.

 

That is definitely true. Although there are some UK med programs that cater to international students (like the INTO St. George one), but as to whether they count as being a UK medical graduate is something I don't know. 

 

I just wanted to know more about the UK/Ireland in case the next cycle or two don't work out for me. 

[JohnGrisham]

That is definitely true. Although there are some UK med programs that cater to international students (like the INTO St. George one), but as to whether they count as being a UK medical graduate is something I don't know.

 

I just wanted to know more about the UK/Ireland in case the next cycle or two don't work out for me.

A true UK program will give you preference for UK foundation. I am unsure on into sgul, but I know there has been controversy of the sgul-nicosia offshoot program in Cyprus, since it is offshore and they just bought the brand name of the sgul-london program.

[flatjacks]

That is exactly what I said... if you go to a UK school, you get residency. Regardless of residency. 

 

As for ireland, it is very unlikely - I have a relative who graduated last year that was unable to secure a spot.

Out of curiosity, what is your relative doing now that they weren't able to secure a spot in ireland?

 

Also, does anyone have a general sense as to what the average accepted GPA and MCAT is for Irish schools these days, b/c I think someone above mentioned its 'very competitive' but i'm not sure what that means in the context of irish schools.

[Edict]

I can confirm that if you do medical school in the UK you can get foundation and specialty training in the UK and eventual citizenship and you don't have to be an EU citizen. For med school you get Tier 4 visa, which they will renew you for foundation years and then when you get specialty training jobs you get put on a Tier 2 visa which leads to PR and a year later citizenship.  

 

I can also confirm that there isn't any discrimination, there are 2 categories, eligible and subjected to RLMT test. If you are a non-EU citizen but did your UK medical school degree in the UK you are considered eligible and there isn't any difference between you and any other EU citizen EU med grad.

 

With that being said if you are considered subjected to RLMT test it means that there has to be no one from the EU capable of doing your job before you are considered, which for specialty training means you are not going to get a spot. 

 

It is important to make sure you are doing an A100 program i.e. a program that falls within the quota (UK medical schools are only allowed to have 7% of their spots be for international students). 

 

Like other people have said, british medical school is not easy to get into, but it is quite possibly the 3rd best option if Canada and the US don't work, or if you are sure you want to move to britain permanently. 

[neuralgal]

A true UK program will give you preference for UK foundation. I am unsure on into sgul, but I know there has been controversy of the sgul-nicosia offshoot program in Cyprus, since it is offshore and they just bought the brand name of the sgul-london program.

 

Yeah, I heard about that too. The program in London seems a bit too good to be true, so I don't think I'll apply to it. 

[uoit101]

I can confirm that if you do medical school in the UK you can get foundation and specialty training in the UK and eventual citizenship and you don't have to be an EU citizen. For med school you get Tier 4 visa, which they will renew you for foundation years and then when you get specialty training jobs you get put on a Tier 2 visa which leads to PR and a year later citizenship.  

 

I can also confirm that there isn't any discrimination, there are 2 categories, eligible and subjected to RLMT test. If you are a non-EU citizen but did your UK medical school degree in the UK you are considered eligible and there isn't any difference between you and any other EU citizen EU med grad.

 

With that being said if you are considered subjected to RLMT test it means that there has to be no one from the EU capable of doing your job before you are considered, which for specialty training means you are not going to get a spot. 

 

It is important to make sure you are doing an A100 program i.e. a program that falls within the quota (UK medical schools are only allowed to have 7% of their spots be for international students). 

 

Like other people have said, british medical school is not easy to get into, but it is quite possibly the 3rd best option if Canada and the US don't work, or if you are sure you want to move to britain permanently. 

 

SGUL-into is A900/A901 though...

Seems a bit tricky.

[Edict]

SGUL-into is A900/A901 though...

Seems a bit tricky.

 

If you read the brochure it seems as if you will be allowed to stay however, I'm not sure on that. That is one of those cases you are going to need to find our more information on. 

[neuralgal]

SGUL-into is A900/A901 though...

Seems a bit tricky.

The program also isn't designed to have students stay and practice in the UK. 

[neuralgal]

If you read the brochure it seems as if you will be allowed to stay however, I'm not sure on that. That is one of those cases you are going to need to find our more information on. 

They say that you can theoretically, but their first class has yet to graduate (will do so in 2016) so I guess we'll see.