Nearly half of all specialist doctors in England and Wales were born outside the UK, along with two in five GPs, census data shows.
Non-UK-born nationals also make up a quarter of care workers and one in five social workers.
The figures provide a fresh snapshot of the diversity of the health and care workforce, as well as highlighting how recruitment from across the world has shaped the modern-day NHS.
(PA Graphics)
The census took place in England and Wales on March 21 2021 and the results are being published in stages by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The latest data focuses on nationality across the labour market and shows that almost half (47.5%) of specialist doctors in England and Wales, such as an oncologist or cardiologist, were born outside the UK.
People born in the Middle East and Asia accounted for the largest proportion of this group, at more than a quarter of all specialist doctors (26.3%), followed by Africa (8.5%) and the 14 countries who were members of the EU before its expansion in 2004 (6.3%).
Nearly half (47.5%) of specialist doctors, such as oncologists and cardiologists, were born outside the UK.
As were two in five (40.6%) of generalist doctors and over a sixth (18.1%) of nurse practitioners.
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) March 21, 2023
Some two in five (40.6%) GPs in England and Wales were born outside the UK, with the Middle East and Asia again accounting for the largest proportion (21.8% of the total), then Africa (9.0%) and the EU14 (4.2%).
Non-UK-born nationals make up one in four (26.9%) mental health nurses and one in five (20.5%) specialist nurses, with slightly lower proportions for midwifery nurses (13.7%) and paramedics (9.1%).
Around a quarter (25.3%) of care workers and home carers were born outside the UK, along with nearly one in five (19.4%) social workers.
In both groups, African countries were the most common non-UK country of birth, accounting for 10.1% of the totals.
Across all those employed in human health and social work in England and Wales, nearly a quarter (22.9%) were born outside the UK, with the Middle East and Asia (7.5%) and Africa (6.4%) making the largest contributions to the total, the ONS found.
The new figures cover all occupations in England and Wales and also show that people working as packers, bottlers, canners and fillers at the time of the 2021 census had the largest non-UK-born workforce, at 60.7%.
This is followed by taxi drivers and chauffeurs (59.2%); food, drink and tobacco process operatives (53.5%); chefs (52.3%) and tailors and dressmakers (50%).
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