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What is it and who can apply?
The Health and Care Worker Visa is a specialised immigration route tailored for qualified professionals in the healthcare and adult social care sectors. This visa aims to address the staffing shortages in the UK's National Health Service (NHS) and other care institutions. It offers a streamlined application process, reduced fees, and other benefits to make it easier for skilled workers to come to the UK. Successful applicants can work in the UK for up to five years, with options for extension and eventual permanent residence.
How Do I Employ Someone on This Route?
To employ someone under the health and care route, an employer will first need to apply for a sponsor licence in the same way as is required for a Skilled Worker visa. We also help with applications for both sponsor licences and the visa application process itself, so if your organisation does not hold one, please do get in touch.
Once the sponsor licence has been obtained, the sponsoring organisation will need to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship to the applicant, who will use this to apply for the visa. If we manage your sponsor licence, then we will do this on your behalf. Details of how the role meets the requirements for the Health and Care route must be included on the Certificate of Sponsorship. Where the organisation provides NHS services, it may also be necessary to provide additional evidence of this with the applications.
Eligibility
To qualify for a Health and Care Worker visa, you must:
- be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional or adult social care professional
- work in an eligible health or social care job
- work for a UK employer that’s been approved by the Home Office
- have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer with information about the role you’ve been offered in the UK
- be paid a minimum salary - how much depends on the type of work you do
If you’re a care worker or senior care worker working in England, your employer must also be registered with the Care Quality Commission.
Check if your job is eligible.
Knowledge of English
English Language Proficiency: A level of proficiency in English is required, usually demonstrated through an approved test. to at least CEFR Level B1 (equivalent to IELTS 4.0).
Salary Requirements for a Health and Care Worker Visa
To qualify for this visa, your job must meet specific salary requirements:
General Salary Threshold:
You must earn at least £29,000 per year or the job’s lower 'going rate,' whichever is higher.
For example, if the job’s going rate is £33,000, but you earn £30,000, you won't meet the requirements.
Eligible Occupation Codes with Salary Flexibility:
Certain jobs (e.g., care workers, scientists, lab technicians) may allow lower salary thresholds. Check the full list of eligible codes.
When You Can Earn Less:
If you earn at least £23,200 annually and meet one of these criteria:
Under 26, studying, a recent graduate, or in professional training.
Holding a PhD (STEM subjects allow 80% of the going rate; non-STEM subjects allow 90%).
Working in a postdoctoral scientific role.
Immigration Salary List:
Jobs on this list have lower salary requirements. You must earn at least £23,200 or the going rate, whichever is higher.
Some exceptions apply for specific visas or roles (e.g., postdoctoral positions, Global Talent Visa).
You cannot exceed a total stay of 4 years on certain reduced-salary visas.
Before you can apply for a Health and Care worker visa you must have a job offer from a Home Office approved sponsor. As legal representatives, we are not able to arrange job offers in the UK or sponsor visa applicants.
Check if your job is eligible.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I apply?
How you apply depends on whether you are:
- outside the UK and are coming to the UK
- inside the UK and extending your current visa
- inside the UK and switching from a different visa
If you want to change your job or employer, you must apply to update your visa.
How long does it take to get the visa?
You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship.
Once you have applied online, proved your identity, and provided your documents, you will usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision. How you do this depends on whether you’re outside the UK or inside the UK.
What About Family Members?
If you’re a care worker or senior care worker - Your partner and children cannot apply to join you or stay in the UK as your dependants unless you were employed as a care worker or senior care worker in the UK and on a Health and Care Worker visa before 11th of March 2024 and one of the following is true:
- you’re currently still on a Health and Care Worker visa
- you’re extending your Health and Care Worker visa with your current employer
- you’re changing to a new job within the same occupation code while on a Health and Care Worker visa
How long will the visa be for?
Your visa can last for up to 5 years before you need to extend it. You’ll need to apply to extend or update your visa when it expires or if you change jobs or employer.
You can apply to extend your visa as many times as you like as long as you still meet the eligibility requirements.
After 5 years, you may be able to apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’). This gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you’re eligible.
Why Choose UK Visas?
UK Visas has extensive experience with the Health and Care visa as well as other work visas. If you require support with a sponsor licence, or managing applications for employees, we can help. Get in touch on 01403 801801 or email at info@ukvisas.co.uk to talk to one of our experts about the support we can offer.
