Timer Widget

01:30

⏰
IMG Careers  /  Medical Training Prioritisation: What It Means for IMGs
IMG Careers Guide

Medical Training Prioritisation: What It Means for IMGs

Who is prioritised for UK medical training, what this means for IMGs, and what changes in 2027?

Updated: 1 September 2026
On this page

How does prioritisation work?

The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026 changed how Foundation and specialty training places are allocated. It does not stop IMGs from applying for medical training.

Applicants are divided into a prioritised group and a non-prioritised group.

  • Prioritised applicants are considered for places before non-prioritised applicants.
  • There is no further hierarchy within the prioritised group. Applicants within that group are still ranked according to their performance in the normal selection process.
  • Being prioritised does not guarantee a training place. Likewise, non-prioritised applicants can still receive a place if vacancies remain after prioritised applicants have been considered.

Who is prioritised in 2026?

For specialty training, an applicant can be prioritised in 2026 if they meet any of the following:

  • Their primary medical qualification is from the UK, Ireland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.
  • They are a British or Irish citizen, have UK right of abode, indefinite leave to enter or remain, or EU settled/pre-settled status.
  • They have completed, or are currently completing, the relevant qualifying UK training programme for the level they are applying to. For CT1/ST1 recruitment, this is the UK Foundation Programme.

What does this mean for IMGs?

Being an IMG does not automatically mean that you are non-prioritised.

For example, an IMG who obtained their medical degree overseas can still be prioritised for specialty training if they are a British citizen, have indefinite leave to remain, have EU settled/pre-settled status, have UK right of abode, or have completed a relevant qualifying UK training programme.

However, the following do not currently give priority status by themselves:

  • Working in a Locally Employed Doctor or other non-training NHS role.
  • Being on a spouse, partner or dependant visa, even if your spouse is British.

A non-prioritised IMG can still apply for specialty training. In 2026, however, prioritised applicants are considered for offers first, so a non-prioritised applicant will only receive an offer if places remain after the appointable prioritised applicants have been considered.

What changes in 2027?

From 2027 recruitment, prioritisation will apply earlier in the process, at both shortlisting and offer stages.

The immigration statuses used for 2026 will not automatically continue. Instead, new regulations are expected to define an additional priority group based on significant NHS experience.

NHS England says the intention is to recognise doctors who have spent substantial time working in the UK as a doctor. Locally Employed Doctor experience is likely to be taken into account, but the exact amount and type of NHS experience required have not yet been confirmed.

As of 1 September 2026, the final 2027 criteria have not yet been published. NHS England expects further details before the 2027 specialty training application round opens this autumn.

What about Foundation training?

Foundation prioritisation works differently. Priority is based on where the primary medical qualification was obtained, rather than nationality or immigration status.

For 2026, graduates of medical schools in the UK, Ireland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are prioritised.

Most post-PLAB doctors with full GMC registration cannot apply for the standard 2-year Foundation Programme, but may be eligible for the much smaller and highly competitive F2 Stand-alone Programme. The same degree-based prioritisation applies to F2 Stand-alone recruitment.

Not sure what this prioritisation means for you?

If you're considering the PLAB pathway, or you're already on it and would like personalised guidance on your situation and next steps, you can book a free PLAB Strategy Call.

Book a Free PLAB Strategy Call

Related guides

How the NHS Job Market Has Changed

A timeline of the changes affecting both training and non-training NHS jobs, and what they mean for IMGs now.

Read the guide

How to Secure Your First NHS Job

A practical, easy-to-follow guide to finding and securing your first NHS job after PLAB.

Read the guide

Doctor Job Titles Explained

Confused by terms such as Clinical Fellow, Trust Grade, LED and Specialty Registrar? Start here.

Read the guide
Back to IMG Careers ←