4-digit SOC code Eligible job roles

​

1181 Health services and public health managers

       and directors

​

1242 Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and               proprietors

​

2112 Biological scientists and biochemists

​

2113 Physical scientists

​

2211 Medical practitioners

​

2212 Psychologists

​

2213 Pharmacists

​

2214 Ophthalmic opticians

​

2215 Dental practitioners

​

2217 Medical radiographers

​

2218 Podiatrists

2219 Health professionals not elsewhere classified

        audiologists and occupational health advisers

​

2221 Physiotherapists

​

2222 Occupational therapists

​

2223 Speech and language therapists

​

2229 Therapy professionals not elsewhere classified  

        osteopaths and psychotherapists

​

2231  Nurses

​

2232 Midwives

​

2442 Social workers

​

3111 Laboratory technicians

​

3213 Paramedics

​

3216 Dispensing opticians

​

3217 Pharmaceutical technicians

​

3218 Medical and dental technicians

​

3219 Health associate professionals not elsewhere classified

​

6141 Nursing auxiliaries and assistants

​

6143 Dental nurses

​

6145 Care workers & home carers

​

6146 Senior care workers

​

If your UK sponsor is a private organisation that provides healthcare services commissioned by the NHS, an explanation, and possibly documentary evidence, as to the contractual arrangements with the NHS will also need to be provided as proof of your eligibility for a Health and Care Worker visa.

​

What are the Health and Care Worker visa requirements?

​

The Health and Care visa applicants have to meet all the relevant criteria under the Skilled Worker visa route, which are:

• Have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a UK licensed sponsor

• Have the offer of a qualifying job that meets the relevant salary threshold

• In some cases, to have sufficient personal savings so that you can support yourself on arrival in the UK

• Have a good working knowledge of the English language

• Be able to show that you can travel, as well as providing your travel history over the preceding 5 years

• Have valid tuberculosis test results, if you are from a listed country

• Be able to provide a criminal record certificate from any country where you have lived for 12 months or more within the last 10 years, if you will be working with vulnerable people as a healthcare professional.

​

As a prospective employee, your new employer will be responsible for informing you that you are eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa. In this way, you will be able to correctly complete the visa application form. Your employer will also need to provide a brief explanation in the note field of the CoS setting out how you will meet the eligible visa role requirement in your new job.

​

Health and care worker visa minimum salary

​

As part of the eligibility criteria, you will need to meet the salary requirement. This means you must be paid either at least the minimum salary threshold or the appropriate ‘going rate’ for the job you have been offered, whichever is higher. Every eligible role is assigned a going rate by the Home Office.

​

Typically, you will be required to earn at least £26,200 per year, or £10.75 per hour. If the going rate for your role is greater than both of these, you will be required to be paid at least the going rate.

For example, if the salary of the role is £25,000 per year but the going rate for the role is £26,800, you would not meet the salary requirement.

In some cases, you may still be able to apply for a Health and Care visa even if your salary is lower than the required level. The rules allow you to be paid between 70% – 90% of the going rate for your position if you earn at least £20,480 annually and one of the following applies:

• You have an offer for a job in a shortage occupation

• You are under 26 and are studying, a recent graduate or in professional training

• You have a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) PhD relevant to the job you have been offered

• Your role is a postdoctoral, scientific position

 

Maintenance requirement

​

Some applicants will also have to evidence that they can financially support themselves. If you are applying from overseas, you must prove you have had £1,270 in your bank account for at least 28 consecutive days. Day 28 must be within 31 days of the date you applied for your visa.

You will be exempt from this financial requirement if you are applying from within the UK and have held a valid visa for at least 12 months, or, if your sponsor is A-rated, it may submit a letter of support confirming they can cover your costs for the first month you are in the country.

 

English language requirement

Unless you are exempt, for example, because you are a national of a majority English-speaking country, to prove your knowledge of English you will usually need to show that you have passed an approved English language test with at least CEFR level B1 in reading, writing, speaking and listening, or have an academic qualification that was taught in English and is recognised by UK NARIC as being equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD.

If you are applying as a doctor, dentist, nurse or midwife, you will be able to rely on the assessment of your professional body as proof of your language ability.

 

How to apply for the Health and Care Worker visa

To apply for the Health and Care visa you will first need to be assigned a CoS by your UK sponsor. This is a unique reference number which you use to apply online on the Home Office website.

Once you have completed all the relevant information, the next stage of the application process is to pay the appropriate fee (see below). You will also need to provide various documents in support of your application.

On receipt of the application, the Home Office will assess the information and documents and you may be offered to either:

• book a biometrics appointment if is not possible to reuse any biometrics supplied with a previous application, or

• you will be advised how to enrol biometrics using an ID app.

 

Health and Care Worker visa supporting documents

​

As with any UK visa application, you will need to provide various documents and information in support including, where relevant, the following:

• A current, valid passport or travel document to prove you can travel

• Any expired passports or travel documents to show your travel history

• Your Certificate of Sponsorship (reference number) from your employer

• Your employer’s name and sponsor licence reference number

• Job details including job title, SOC code and salary

• A statement or letter from your bank or building society showing you have enough personal savings, unless your CoS shows your A-rated sponsor can support you instead

• Proof of your knowledge of English

• Your tuberculosis test results if you are from a listed country

• A criminal record certificate, unless your role is exempt

• If you are applying with dependants, proof of your relationship such as your marriage certificate for your spouse and birth certificates for your children

 

Can my partner or dependants join me in the UK?

​

Following a government announcement in December 2023, Health and Care Worker visa holders will no longer be permitted to bring family members with them to the UK under the dependant visa route. The change is expected to take effect in Spring 2024, and we will update this article with further information as it becomes available.

In the meantime, under current rules, when applying for a Health and Care visa, immediate family members will be eligible to accompany or join you in the UK on this route. This includes your spouse or partner, and any dependent children.

If you are already in the UK and would like your dependants to join you, your UK sponsor will need to provide written confirmation that your family member is eligible to do so based on your occupation. This should be in the form of a letter or email from the sponsor, setting out the organisation for which you work, and, if not an NHS body, how the organisation qualifies.

 

What are the Health and Care Worker visa costs?

​

The Health and Care visa comes with a reduced visa application fee compared to that paid by other skilled workers.

The fees apply to applicants and dependents and are the same for leave to enter the UK or to remain in the UK, to those who qualify under this visa.

 

Fees for Health and Care Worker visa applications made outside the UK

Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants£284

Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants£551

Skilled Worker – Shortage Occupation – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants£284

Skilled Worker – Shortage Occupation – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants£551

 

Fees for Health and Care visa applications made within the UK

Skilled Worker – Health and Care Worker Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants£284

Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years -main applicant and dependants£551

Skilled Worker – Shortage Occupation – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants£284

Skilled Worker – Shortage Occupation – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants£551

 

The reduced visa fees also apply to dependants.

Applicants and dependants who are eligible to apply under this visa are exempt from having to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Frontline workers in the health and social care sector who are not eligible for the new Health and Care Visa will pay the Immigration Health Surcharge but should benefit from a reimbursement scheme. This is in recognition of the contribution of those who have come to the UK to work during the pandemic.

 

What are the Health and Care visa processing times?

​

Upon receipt, your application for the Health and Care Worker visa will be prioritised and fast-tracked by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

As a result, the vast majority of healthcare professionals applying on this route can usually expect a decision on their application within 3 weeks from the date they provide their biometric information. This is substantially quicker than the current timeframe for skilled worker visa processing, which can be between 8-20 weeks. However, UKVI processing does continue to be subject to delays following the pandemic and prioritisation of Ukrainian scheme applications, so it is recommended to take advice on current processing times when making your application.

Support is also available by way of a dedicated NHS support and visa processing team, enabling visa applicants and sponsors to contact UKVI’s specialist team if they have any issues with the application process or eligibility for the Health and Care visa.